Generaly you would pull the starter off and install them between the starter and the engine block. They come in several thickness so from there it is trial and error until you find the right size. And you need to be sure the ring gear is still ok. If not you could hit a dead spot and the started wont catch.
the drive gear of the starter should mesh will with the ring gear but not so much as it binds. if your old starter had any shims it is usually a good idea to put them back. if your starter is binding in the ring gear put a shim in. if it is grinding and tearing up drive gears take a shim out Agood rule of thumb, begin with a new starter, install. If the ring gear and the drive gear sound tight, add a shim and test. However, if grinding occurs and you notice you're tearing up your ring gear, you need to bring your starter closer, this is done by adding a 1/2 shim to the outboard bolt, good luck! AutoZone has better instructions. They say that you can push the solenoid manually with a screwdriver in a hole to see how the gears line up, and use a wire gauge to see how much clearance there is.
You shim the starter motor if there is inadequate clearance between the starter drive and the ring gear. You can check the clearance by prying the starter drive out to the ring gear with a screwdriver to see if the gears mesh properly.
Shims bring the starter closer or further from the ring gear for proper alignment.
starter gear is to close to flywheel install starter shim
If you are changing the starter I would not shim it right away.Shims are used only when the starter SOUNDS tight. 9 times out of 10 shims are not needed. If the new starter sounds tight ( binding due to tight ring gear to bendix gear) then use one shim at a time to free it up. Even if the old starter had shims, the new one may not. I hope this helps you. Mark you can go to the auto store and buy shims slide em in and tighten it back down
You need to remove starter again and look at the ring gear. Turn engine by hand and inspect the ring gear teeth. Be sure they are not damaged if okay you probley have the wrong starter. some times you have to shim the starter. NEUTZ
Shims are used only when the starter/ ring gear are too tightly meshed, which can be caused by incorrect tolerances at the factory between the starter/bellhousing. They are not used on a particular year, model etc. Try it without a shim first; if it seems to sound/start fine then it will be fine without one.If the starter seems to labor, or sounds tight, or gets hung up then try a shim.
Hiya! Yes, Chevy likes to use shims to adjust the starter spacing so it meshes properly with the ring gear. They've always been funny that way. If you're getting abnormal starter grinding, noise or failure you need to re adjust the spacing for the starter. Your local parts store will have shims with different thicknesses. If the Bendix gear wont mesh and makes a sound like a cat being stomped on, you need to use a thicker shim. If your starter is spinning and not turning the ring gear use a thinner shim. You can usually tell by the sound when your starting the car if it needs adjustment . Good Wrench.
A: If the pattern shows toe contact, use a thicker pinion shim. Toe-thick, heel-thin. A:1 If the pattern show that the meshing is too close to the outer edge of the ring gear, a thicker shim is needed. If the pattern is too close to the inner edge of the ring gear, a thinner shim is needed.
When you get the new starter bolted on, pry the starter drive out to mesh with the ring gear. There should be some backlash between the teeth. If it's too tight, remove the outer bolt and loosen the inner bolt, and put a shim in. Reinstall the bolts and check for backlash again. Usually one shim is enough, but sometimes you need two.
Very rarely have to shim a starter. If there is excessive noise or a disengagement problem it will need to be shimmed.
No there is not a shim between the starter and the bolt holder unless someone has put the wrong starter on and had to rig it up to make it engage properly.