[updated:LAST EDITED ON 05-Feb-02 AT 10:00 PM (EST)]Well I am pretty new to the board so I will start off to say hello to everyone. My brother has a 85 F-150 4X4, 4sp/granny low,and a 302 engine. The starter died so I replaced it. I was able to start it up the first time but after that the starter will not turn the engine. I can hear it hit up against the flywheel but not mesh. It turns though. I went and got another starter and all of them were the same size and everything and I have the same problem. The teeth on the flywheel are good. I would appreciate any imput, for me and everybody I talked to are stumped. Thanks


Dan 79 F-100 Ranger 302, C4

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 06-Feb-02 AT 00:55 AM (EST)]Do all of them have the same size snout?
The part the gear slides.I forget the technical name.
If it has a short snout the gear won't reach the flywheel/flexplate.
Also, Can you turn the engine by hand ?

Dennis



Please Don't Ask Me Any Tough Questions As:
"I'm Saving My Memory For When I Develop Alzheimer's"


78 F-150 429CJ,Silver
w/Explorer Pkge.
641/2-Mustang 260,Pre-World's Fair Car.
64-Fairlane500 S/C waiting for a 390-4spd.
68-Mustang 289-Sunlit Gold 80,892Mi
78-Buick LeSabre 403 4V
84 Volvo DL Wagon

 

Make sure the face of the bellhousing is clean and not damaged. The starter may not be seating correctly, throwing it off.

 

As mentioned earlier be sure the nose cone is the exact same, also you may try shimming it.

 

Well the old starter seemed to be the same size as far as snout. I checked my ground. The starter is good and it is installed correctly. The owner of the local parts store told me that there is only one starter size in the 302 down to 82. The engine has a carb and it is not EFI. Were there any other starters and did ford have carbs in their 85 302? Thanks

Dan 79 F-100 302, c4

 

The guys are right there are two different "snout" lenghts on the ford starters for that truck the guy at the parts store is wrong. an automatic tranny and bellhousing uses a longer "snout" than a manual tranny. they may look the same but if you measure them you will find the difference. Second turn the motor by hand to make sure there isn't any thing jambed.

400m

 

I know there are two between auto and standard but I was wondering if there was more than one for the standard. I can't turn the engine by hand. I figured since it was rebuilt I could not turn it for good compression. I even tried putting it in gear and pushing it with a tractor on the driveway but the wheels did not budge just slide. Would this do something to the flywheel to keep the starter from meshing. Thanks

Dan 79 F-100 Ranger 302, C4

 

You should still be able to turn the engine by hand...if you can't neither can the starter!!! If you think it's just compression, then pull the plugs and try and turn the engine...it sounds like there is something binding either in the crank or pistons...

 

OK I will have to try that. The only problem is that there is so much rust on this engine the plugs might not come out. I will give a try though. The starter will spin but not mesh. Thanks for the info.

Dan 79 F-100 Ranger 302, C6

 

Have you bench tested the starter,actually watched the starter gear(starter drive) fly out to the end of the nose cone?

If that engine won't turn by hand, there is someting binding.

Piston against a valve ?(check by loosening rockers and removing pushrods,then try turning the engine by hand again.
I certainly wouldn't be putting the starter to an engine I couldn't turn by hand first.



Dennis



Please Don't Ask Me Any Tough Questions As:
"I'm Saving My Memory For When I Develop Alzheimer's"


78 F-150 429CJ,Silver
w/Explorer Pkge.
641/2-Mustang 260,Pre-World's Fair Car.
64-Fairlane500 S/C waiting for a 390-4spd.
68-Mustang 289-Sunlit Gold 80,892Mi
78-Buick LeSabre 403 4V
84 Volvo DL Wagon

 

Well when I first put the new starter on it worked fine. Got the truck started no problems. Went to start it a few weeks later and it turned over twice and then it acts like the flywheel moved and the starter will not mesh. I have then took out the starter and thought it was bad so I took it back and the replacement did the same thing. Before I left the parts store he did bench check it for me to make sure it was working properly. I have also pulled out and tried putting it back on four times. This sure has me stumped. I will again try to turn the engine but I wonder why it worked fine and the all of the sudden not work. I appreciate the imput.

Dan 79 F-100 Ranger 302, C6

 

It may be time-consuming but try turn the engine completely over, by hand, with the starter out. Check every tooth on the ring gear. If you find any chipped or worn badly, that's probably where your engine "likes to stop". Then when you go to start it the starter won't engage those damaged teeth. Just my two cents.


"I never said I was good, I said I was reasonable."

 

I sure hope you haven't had a piece of the
flexplate Break-Off and it is jamming the rest of it to not allow turning the engine over.
That would mean the starter drive would be turning thin air rather than finding the flexplate teeth.

Ouch,if it's that !:-X23


Dennis



Please Don't Ask Me Any Tough Questions As:
"I'm Saving My Memory For When I Develop Alzheimer's"


78 F-150 429CJ,Silver
w/Explorer Pkge.
641/2-Mustang 260,Pre-World's Fair Car.
64-Fairlane500 S/C waiting for a 390-4spd.
68-Mustang 289-Sunlit Gold 80,892Mi
78-Buick LeSabre 403 4V
84 Volvo DL Wagon

 

I will have to wait a while for some of the snow to melt away but I will pull the starter and try to turn it by hand. I did check the teeth the last time I had it out and they were in good shape. But thats what it acts like some missing when I engage the starter. I then went to the assumption something has just jammed or loosened up keeping the flywheel away from the starter. Also when I get to it I will check the bellhousing for cracks bending or something. (you never know) I am glad this is my brothers truck not mine. The starter in my 79 took less than 15 minutes and on this truck I have been off and on working on it since november. Bad enough someone who owned it before put lock tight in the starter threads and I tried heat and everything to get those bolts out. I ended up drilling the center out of the bolts and I still was able to keep some threads on the bellhousing. The truck dont like me too much and I am ready to have my brother have a mechanic check it out. I dont have to pay for it. And again everyone imput is appreciated.

Dan 79 F-100 Ranger 302, C6