Hi there, I am new to this forum and have searched old threads to find my answer with no luck. I pulled my starter to replace it today, but when looking at the bolts used to mount it I noticed they seem to be the incorrect bolts does anyone know the correct bolts to mount my starter to the engine? For reference what I pulled was this: (I may have top and bottom mixed up, the truck is at my work place so I cannot check right now) Top bolt was a 5/8 coarse thread and the bottom was a 17mm coarse thread. also the bolts seem to bolt into the engine well, but they are very loose in the starter mounting holes. A friend I was with suggested it may need shouldered bolts, but I am at a loss as to what to look for.
Any help you may be able to give is appreciated as I am relatively new to all this any will take any help I can get.

Thank you for your time,
Chris

 

You don't necessarily need shoulder bolts, but you do need to use the proper sized washers.

Some thoughts, I would think that if Dodge worked as illogically as they did on my 96, the bolts are SAE, not metric. My best guess. Probably not a course thread bolt, either. If the previous person who worked on it kinda random installed whatever bolts he or she had laying around, the threads on the trannie may be a bit screwed up (sorry.) So at the very least, you may need to run a tap in to clean up the threads--and at the very worst, you may need to install some helicoils.

I don't know what sized bolts you need. But would try the 5/8 and see if it fits okay (get a fine thread version) You can figure out the proper length by sticking a screwdriver in the trannie holes and measure the depths, then add the thickness of the mounts on the starter and subtract about a quarter inch.

Also, you want to end up with Grade 8 or better bolts. Starter bolts can take a beating.

Hope this helps a little.