So for starters I have a 69 Camaro with a 383, msd 6al, Holley sniper set up. Just put in a new FTI 400 turbo and a circle d billet stall. I was replacing the rear axles because they were bent, while waiting on parts I went to crank it up and when it fired up the starter pinion doesn’t disengage. It ONLY stays extended when the car is running. I replaced the ignition switch, added a new remote solenoid and a new Powermaster 9000 mini starter. It always retracts normally if the coil wire is unhooked or if you unbolt it and lay it on the A arm. I’ve fired it up and removed the ignition switch wire and battery cable going to the starter from the remote solenoid. Failed attempts. The car has ran for 6 months and now all of a sudden it has a starter issue. I’m at a complete loss. I’ve tried shimming the starter every which way possible. I have over 1/8” gap from flywheel(60% or so overlap on flywheel) and .035 on teeth mesh. I’ve removed all non essential electrical items from the car. Removed tach, stereo, electric fan and even unplugged the headlight and wiper switch. Unhooked alternator etc. not sure what worse to do. I don’t see any damage to the flywheel but I also haven’t put a dial indicator on it. Any help would be appreciated. At this point I’m at a loss.

 

Seem you hit all the points I could think of... would assume the starter is at 90 degrees to the flywheel. These starters only have two points to bolt down, so could have twisted on you. Could the RPMs on a cold start engine are too high to let the pinion retract? Try a different brand starter. Maybe you got lucky with the previous starter and lasted you 6 mon. and Powermaster just doesn't quite work with your setup.

 

Unhook the OEM yellow wire from solenoid. Should have only two connections to starter, battery cable and purple wire to S terminal. since an aftermarket starter is installed. But then, you have a remote solenoid/relay for starter now, so it should not be a problem unless it is wired wrong.

Try a GM starter

 

Lastnight I started the car up and unlanded the key switch wire going to the “s” terminal on the remote solenoid as well as the battery cable going from the remote solenoid to the starter. Zero wires going to the starter at this point and the starter still stayed engaged. I have now tried 3 starters in the last 2 weeks. Every starter performs as it should when the car isn’t actually running. I can unplug the coil wire and it retracts as it should. I can unbolt it and lay it on the A arm and it retracts as it should. I have shimmed it to no end and back.

 

Is there a lot of clearance between the mounting bolt diameter and the hole diameter of starter mount?
My next more would be to engage starter where it is stuck engaged, then loosen starter bolts ever so lightly and move starter away from flywheel.
When it retracts, bolt it down at this location.

 

I’ve tried 3 different starters at this point. One that was on the car for 6 months and 2 new ones. Bolt holes don’t seem to be to sloppy. Gaps check out good with feeler gauge. .035 teeth mesh and 1/8” on pinion to ring. Only stays engaged when car is running, as soon as I turn the car off it retracts instantly.

 

And a GM starter does what?
You should have more than 1/8 inch tooth engagement
Take spring out of solenoid and stretch it by hand then reinstall.

 

Haven’t tried a gm starter. Haven’t found one that would fit. With my headers I need one clockable and a mini starter. I have 60% overlap on the flywheel and pinion. I have full teeth engagement, .035 gap on teeth mesh. The 1/8” gap is when the pinion is retracted away from the face of the fly wheel. That is the recommended gap from Powermaster.

 

Good on all accounts Thanks for explaining.