I have a 1979 F150 4x4 with a 460. I just swapped it from an auto to a manual trans. Do I need a different starter? I have read they are different. If so what do I need? All the ones I see for sale don’t say the transmission they are for.

 

In 1979 all 460's were on auto transmissions so that is why you wont see any listed for man trans.
I dont think you will need a different starter though but cant say that for sure.

 

My '79 F150 came with a 351M with manual transmission. I swapped to a 460 and used the original 351 starter.

 

I have a 70s 460 that I swapped from C6 to ZF5 and I use the same starter with no issue.

 

I decided to start it. It started but made some grinding sounds for a couple seconds. It never made any noise with the c6. I wonder if I have to shim it out some.

 

AFAIK Yes you need a different starter. There are different nose lengths. At about any auto part store just ask for a 1980 460 starter for a manual trans. Also have them pull an automatic one for a countertop comparison.

So I have read on FTE Ford starters are not intended or designed to be shimmed. But I have also read on a 289 or 302 with a C4 there is a shim. Not having the correct starter can trash a flywheel teeth. Guess what you have to do to replace that? You want the correct starter and no grinding noises. 351M 400 429 460 yes all the same, but auto versus manual trans is different.

Starters & Distributors -- Before you drag your old 351M/400 engine to the beach house and install your new anchor on your boat, pull off the factory distributor and the factory starter. Why? Because they will bolt on and work perfectly on your new 429/460 engine. If your 429/460 has a points-type distributor (most pre-1975 engines) then you should reuse your Bronco's Duraspark II electronic distributor. It will really bring that old 429 or 460 to life! Also, your new engine may have a bad starter on it or may have not come with one at all. You might as well save your self a few bucks and use the Bronco's original starter.

https://www.projectbronco.com/ check out the technical link, and ck out the Installing a 429/460 - The Right Way!

One other neat little item you can use on your 429/460 is a 92-93 7.5L F-Series gear-reduction starter. They are smaller, weigh less, and have more torque than the standard full-size Ford 351M/400/429/460 starters. If you plan to install headers on your Bronco with a 429/460 engine, then the gear-reduction starter will give you a little more room to work with in a cramped engine compartment. You can purchase these starters from most auto parts stores for around $200.00.

 

Well now I’m confused. Some say they are the same and others say they are different. All I know is it grinds when it starts. I have to change something.

 

I pulled my hair out over this and all I can tell you is based on my personal experience the same starter worked in both cases. If you go out to a parts store website and search starters for a 1980-1990s truck with a 460 you will find (or at least I found) they sell the same starter for both manual and auto trucks. Again, this is what I found when trying to figure out what to do. Maybe I missed it and just got lucky but in my case I have had no issues using the same starter. The one I currently have is a cheap reman that came from Oreilly and was used for several months with the C6 and has now been used since February with the ZF5. Good luck and I hope it works out for you.

 

I bet that grinding sound is the starter bendix and the fly wheel not meshing correctly. If could be that the bendix is either coming out to far or it is not. Also I read this about a difference in the flywheel? Possibly the teeth size on the flywheel?
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...250-460-a.html

Well you know you have a automatic trans starter on it now and it grinds, so.....maybe try a starter for an manual transmission. Worst case it will not grind right?

https://www.460ford.com/threads/star...erence.196057/

More talk about a flywheel difference? https://www.pirate4x4.com/threads/st...a-460.1909153/

 

Is the 460 an externally balanced motor? and where did the flywheel come from if the motor previously had a flexplate for the C-6?

 

It’s a D1VE-A2B block. I bought a NP435 from someone who had it in a 1978 Ford with a 460. It had the flywheel and clutch with it. He swapped to a 5 speed and I bought everything he had.

 

Are the A/T and M/T flywheels the same diameter and number of teeth?

 

A number like 182 teeth flywheel comes to my faded memory or I read it somewhere.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...oothcount.html

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...-flywheel.html

You can go deep down the Google rabbit hole on this.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/4...978-460-a.html

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-question.html

 

They sell ones with varying number of teeth. I’m not sure about diameter but when I did the ZF5 swap it took some doing to get a flywheel that would work for a ZF5 and an internally balanced engine. Basically I had to get a flywheel for an externally balanced (newer) truck and have it zero balanced. I do remember during my searches seeing varying number of teeth on different flywheels. I’m using a stock flywheel off of an early 90s truck and it works with my ZF5.

 

Given that there were no factory 73-78 ford trucks with a 460 manual transmission pairing it is necessary to consider where the flywheel, bell housing and block plate came from. It is also important to point out that if your 79' 460 motor is externally balanced (has the hatchet weight on the front of the crank shaft) then this all is a blessing in disguise because the flywheel if pre 79' is incomparable with an externally balanced 460 drive shaft.