351W starter issues

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Oct 12, 2017 | 08:19 AM

BossFan

Thread Starter

Elder User

Joined: Jul 2011

Posts: 609

Likes: 1

From: Stockholm, NJ

351W starter issues

I recently sold my 1978 F250 that has a 1984 351W engine in it. The day the guy drove it home, the starter (which is less than a year old) failed. When he hits the key, all it does is spin. I did some research and learned that the starters are different between manual and automatics. I thought it might be possible that I got the wrong starter when I replaced it. I further read in an online article that the manuals use a starter with a 3/8 in depth, and the automatics use one that is 3/4 in depth. It also said that the flywheels on the automatics have the ring gear closer to the transmission while the flywheels on the manuals have the ring gear closer to the engine. I asked the guy to send me a picture (below) and it is clear that the ring gear on this flywheel is on the transmission side, not the engine side, even though this is most certainly a manual transmission truck. Should the replacement starter have the 3/4 in. depth, and not 3/8 in.?

thanks
frank

Ring gear looks to be on 'clutch' side

Oct 28, 2017 | 10:27 PM

Beanscoot

Cargo Master

Joined: May 2007

Posts: 2,071

Likes: 36

From: British Columbia

In my experience the manual transmission starters have the pinion gear protruding less far than the automatics.

I have also had the drives fail, resulting in them simply spinning vs cranking the engine.