Thanks for the help and advice, everybody. I really appreciate it.

I have decided to do what I should have done before I installed the engine in the truck. I will check the travel of the bendix gear as measured from the starter mounting surface, and compare that with the distance from the bellhousing spacer to the ring gear. Since the starter mates directly against the spacer, this should give me a good idea how well the ring gear is meshing with the starter gear.

Thanks again,

OldFords
bad attitudes