Did I make a mistake? I brought my dead starter from my '78 F100 300-6 to my local dealer to get a new one. They said the remanufactured starter they gave me was the right one, but I'm suspicious - it's a little bit shorter and a little less fat. Should I have taken my old one to have someone rebuild it? Is the dealer giving an inferior replacement? How do I tell?

 

Most ford starters are the same. As long as the bolt holes are in the proper place and the gear comes out the proper depth no problem. They have just been trimmed down over the last 20 yrs.

chris
79 F-150
79 mustang

 

I recently bought one for my pickup. First one they brought out had the Pos terminal 180 degrees off. The guy said, oops I'm backwards, be right back. There is a suffix (at least on the parts numbers that this guy uses) that shows where termial is located (they use clock positions 12,3,6,9 to desingate). He came right back, and this one matched, but looked too small. I'll be darned, he says, it's the right part number. Then we noticed a paper in the box "This starter may appear different from your orignal, however, it is a direct replacement".

Sure 'nuf, works like a charm. Classic79 has it right, if it bolts up, and depth of drive gear is the same, you will be OK. Look to see if terminal is in the right place - although if you have enough slack in your cable, you can make it work. Chances are, you got the right one -- even if it looks different. They are smaller now-a-days.

Raul
w/ 81 F-100, I6, SROD, Carter 1V non-feedback carb, no A/C, no PS, no PB, but it gets me where I need to go

 

Thanks guys for the info. Turns out I was way off (well a little off). I put in the new starter and NOTHING. I called my friend who is a real mechanic who said, Dummy, the solenoid is separate from the starter - check it. And I did and the solenoid was dead. So I ran back to the dealer and fetched my old starter back again (which weighed a good 5 lbs more than the newer one) and saved $130 bucks.

Asked the dealer for a solenoid for a '78 and they threw me one that didn't match my old one. I asked them were they sure it was right, and they said "I don't know". I asked them to check it, they gave me a snear and said of course they couldn't check parts back that far. This was the fourth dealer I've heard tell me this (not that they didn't have the part, but that they couldn't look it up). I went to Autozone and they said absolutely no problem, they gave me one for 10 bucks - perfect fit.

Back home to my $200 F100 I bought last week and it cranked right up after sitting 2 years in someones driveway! Awesome! My son (6 years old) and I took it on a maiden voyage -- complete with broken windshield and pavement passing under my left foot. He told my wife, "Pretty good... and pretty fast!" Looking forward to many good days of fixing-up this beauty.

LIFE IS GOOD behind the wheel of an F100.

 

Sitting for two years? Might want to check brake lines (in fact, change the fluid) pretty soon. As they say: Whoa is more important than Go. I'd hate for you and your litte'n to have a problem on the road. Take care.

Raul
w/ 81 F-100, I6, SROD, Carter 1V non-feedback carb, no A/C, no PS, no PB, but it gets me where I need to go

 

Brake fluid and checkup is next on my list - they're pretty darn squishy, although no fluid loss I can see (yet). Put in a new windshield today.

 

I am vicariously enjoying working on your truck. (Vacariously, now there's a word you don't hear often enough these days)

Raul
w/ 81 F-100, I6, SROD, Carter 1V non-feedback carb, no A/C, no PS, no PB, but it gets me where I need to go

 

I think he'll be OK on the brakes. He's got the Fred Flintsone back up system ready.

The adventure begins.

1977 Ford F-100
400m/c6/4:11/Gear Vender O.D.
Crane hydralic roller, forged, ported polished,Deamon,Edlebrock, yada, yada, yada
280,000 miles
Stock on the outside
modified/rebuilt everything

 

 

OK, guys, very funny. I don't stick my foot through the floor to slow down, I just downshift then nudge the guy ahead of me if he decides to actually stop.

Anyway, I bled the brakes, and it seemed a slight bit better, but mostly a lot of slack - I guess I need to take the back wheels off and see if I need new shoes (brake shoes, not new Keds), or just adjust them.

I'm also getting mighty envious of those booster brakes I don't have... And power steering, come to think of it. Maybe I'll get around to that sometime.


faype02(No Email Addresses In Posts!)
1978 F100 6-Cyl 300