Yo Frank...Im gonna agree with you, but only to a point. Id check first to make sure the case is clocked proppa. Chinaman makee good odds at 4 to 1. Being the cheap masshole that I am from cheeseville, I bought the 40.00 rebuilt unit from crack auto. They even got the old V6 unit as a core. Ive NEVER had a problem with these. They even sound powerful. I have probably used them a half dozen times with a zero failure rate. IIRC, Ive had Chevy cases with a small external rubber plug. Those units tend to take a stern mounted bracket off of a case stud (hence the second type of bracket in post #2). I guess my point is Ive never come across one without that bolt hole. Im thinking when Delco produced the KLFJKFBGH-73645494505r87464 starter case they were all the same. Theres a lot of torque on that chinaluminum nose, not to mention 1-1/2 horsepower. USE THE BRACKET. PERIOD. The problem with the bracket install is really simple. EVERYONE wants a plug and play deal. Mechanics are no exception. Heres the trade secret: that hole is clocked at the 01:45 pm position. It sux finding it. TAKE THE SOLENOID OFF, and loosely install the bracket on the starter at the bench, then mount and snug the 2 main mount bolts, THEN install the bracket block bolt and snug them both. Those two bolts are 5/16 X ONE HALF INCH LONG. Thats why I recommended a bottom tap to clean the block hole. Go through the whole tightening sequence and then re-install the solenoid. Hell, the book probably gives a line mechanic 35 minutes for the whole job. Its even better in the snow or a gravel parking lot under a bumper jack with numb fingers, and I know youve all been there. BTW, dont forget the two aux studs are different sizes for "polarity" purposes, and Im not talking + to ground. Then when yer half frozen and all greezy, hop in and fire that baby up and listen to that new bendix grind as it engages. Didnt check for a shim eh? Buicks dont really need them and Ive only seen one on a 389 Poncho. Im sure the exspurts'll slam me on this but its MY take on this. Heres some easy reading for when you take the smart phone into the head to do some paperwork. ws https://www.hemmings.com/blog/article/high-torque-starters/
I've never seen a plastic cup on an OE starter inside or outside for the hole. I have seen the hole plugged with a rubber plug and also with a plastic hat type plug inserted into the hole from the outside with the hat brim keeping it from going in to the starter, but these were only on remanufactured starters and not OE.
Could someone post the bolt size and length for the starter bracket obviously my concern is the one going into the starter. Thanks Jim
Now in searching the number 1108430 on my current starter can which has the bracket hole, it comes up for small block Chevy 350 motor. The remanufactured unit I bought from year one for big blocks has no bracket hole. If I look on rock auto, pictures for 455 motor starters have no bracket hole while the starter pictures for the 350 motors have a hole shown. Question is, will the 350 starter fit and be good enough for the 455?
Guys, If you are looking for a correct starter with the hole for the bracket then you are going to have to find someone that can get you the right one. If you are buying one from one of the retailer's then you are getting a remanufactured unit, and it's a crap shoot as to whether you get the right one or not. Oldsmobiles also had mounting brackets, but they are different and the hole would be in a different place. Other models probably had the same thing going on. I am not sure what the difference is between a small block and big block starter, but think it had to do with the power output, you know, pushing a bigger motor around. There used to be a company that would sell you correct Chevy starter motors. They took the time to sort through all the cores, find the right ones, and re-build them correctly. I have no idea if they are still doing this type of thing, but have never heard of anyone Nationally doing this for Buicks. We had a local guy, Victor, that would get us the right ones and rebuild them. Sadly he passed away years ago, but his work still lives on in many of our cars. Duane
Larry —in order to connect the extra windings for the big block unit there is a large copper lug on the back of the big block starter.
The 1108430 Is a high torque starter that was used on Chevy 350 to 454 engines. The Buick 455 is also high torque, but they have a different set of fields. The Buick has 2 shunt windings which can burn out easy if the starter is cranked too long. The shunt windings are made of thin wire and won't take much abuse. The majority of these starters that used to come into my shop for rebuild had burnt shunt windings. The Buick fields cost a rebuilder close to $50.00 now. I'm sure a rebuilder would be glad to put the Buick fields in for you if you don't mind adding $50.00 + additional labor to the cost of a rebuild.
