flywheel,will a 390 work?
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 263
Likes: 1
From: British Columbia
flywheel,will a 390 work?
Yes they will. Be sure to get a later one from the early 70's. The early ones have too few teeth and don't mesh with the starter too good.
Nick from the frozen north
1974 F-250 4X4
soon to be 429
dana 60 front and rear
Nick from the frozen north
1974 F-250 4X4
soon to be 429
dana 60 front and rear
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,882
Likes: 0
From: Nevada
flywheel,will a 390 work?
This question comes up a lot. I run a 460 flywheel, so I don't have any actual experience. Here's a quote from another list by a user name of hawkrod:
----"No other manufacturer makes the correct 176 tooth flywheel for a 460. They tell you to use the 184 tooth FE flywheel because it is close enough and "will work". I use the correct 176 tooth McLeod flywheel with my Lakewood bellhousing on a 429 and it works.
the old ford lit said that the flywheel is the same with a different tooth count on the ring gear. the artical in the old ford newsletters said you could swap ring gears back and forth. it went on to say you can use an FE flywheel and change your starter drive to the correct tooth count unit. i have never bothered to compare any of them as i have several original flywheels that i got back when you could order them. what i have meandered to is; according to old ford lit you can use the 184 tooth unit and just put a starter drive for a 390 on your 460 starter"----
To me, that says with an eight tooth difference, 4%, it'll work for awhile but sooner or later the slight mismatch will grind up some steel unless you use a 390 starter drive.
----"No other manufacturer makes the correct 176 tooth flywheel for a 460. They tell you to use the 184 tooth FE flywheel because it is close enough and "will work". I use the correct 176 tooth McLeod flywheel with my Lakewood bellhousing on a 429 and it works.
the old ford lit said that the flywheel is the same with a different tooth count on the ring gear. the artical in the old ford newsletters said you could swap ring gears back and forth. it went on to say you can use an FE flywheel and change your starter drive to the correct tooth count unit. i have never bothered to compare any of them as i have several original flywheels that i got back when you could order them. what i have meandered to is; according to old ford lit you can use the 184 tooth unit and just put a starter drive for a 390 on your 460 starter"----
To me, that says with an eight tooth difference, 4%, it'll work for awhile but sooner or later the slight mismatch will grind up some steel unless you use a 390 starter drive.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 263
Likes: 1
From: British Columbia
flywheel,will a 390 work?
Makes sence. I am going to use my 390 flywheel (184 tooth). Before I bolt it all together I will compare starter drives to be sure, but as far as I can see the tooth count from the 390 and 460 starters are the same. Time will tell and my stubborness will prevail.
Nick from the frozen north
1974 F-250 4X4
soon to be 429
dana 60 front and rear
Nick from the frozen north
1974 F-250 4X4
soon to be 429
dana 60 front and rear
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