View Single Post
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 02-27-2019, 05:09 AM
Tom Wells's Avatar
Tom Wells Tom Wells is offline
Senior Club Cobra Member
Visit my Photo Gallery

 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: St. Augustine, FL
Cobra Make, Engine: E-M / Power Performance / 521 stroker / Holley HP EFI
Posts: 1,932
Not Ranked     
Default

Todd,

Yes! It's one of the 385 engine's dirty little secrets. The starter can sit a little too deep into the bell housing and cause interference with the ring gear.

The problem seems to vary with the brand and type of starter. Some seem to extend a little further toward the rear than others.

What I don't understand yet is why yours took a while to develop the noise - mine, if it did happen, was there from the first start.

The solution to the interference problem is a shim that goes between the bell housing and the starter. Takes just a few minutes to insert if you can readily get to both starter bolts. I seem to recall they're about 1/16" thick, give or take, but thick enough to solve the problem.

The shims are available; it has been so long I forgot where mine came from. DuckDuckGo is your friend

Hope this helps,

Tom
__________________
Wells's law of engine size: If it matters what gear you're in, the engine's too small!
Reply With Quote