Looking for a good starter recommendation. One that won't grind, drag, crap out in 10 start's or eat flywheel's. Been through a few of them over the past couple of year's. New stock styled one's and rebuilt. One PMGR off the internet. Talked till I'm blue in the face to the expert countermen that the auto/manual doesn't make a difference just tooth count. I've got a 302, 10.5 to 1 compression and a 157 tooth fly wheel. T-5z if you must know. I did a search but I'd like get an updated suggestion.
Actually the noise cone makes a difference and are you using an old bell housing or a newer T-5 style?
FWIW the starter I have have now has AMC stamped on the case it's the best one I ever had
Yes, manual and automatic starters are different are different. The expert counter guys may just think they are expert. By the way because I've owned my 68 Stang for 39 years and had this problem doesn't make me an expert! Fact is they are different (the nose).
Got a power master starter for my 331 in my Foxbody back in 05 and it's been the best starter I ever owned. NEVER had any issues with it. Well worth the extra paid to not have to deal with starter issues since.
Not sure about the part number as I don't know about your specific combo, but I have had excellent luck with my $50 DB Electrical starter. It's been happy in my car for 7 years and over 30,000 miles by now
Last summer when I put my GT40P in I had a horrible grinding issue. The problem was the opening in the block plate wasn't quite right. I had to grind it open a little bit. No more grinding after that. The plate was a new reproduction plate. I had the same issue with the prior motor too with the starter opening on the block plate not big enough except I couldn't get the starter in. Both times I found this out after the motor was in the car connected up to everything.
I have been using the stock 5.0 starter form a junkyard V8 Explorer for the last ten years . Never a stating problem. I have the 460 version on my racecar hauler and no problems there. Wired per Ford racing instructions. I have one in my racecar as well.
There's only really two things that determine what's correct
as far as having the starter work from day one and continue to work
in the future.
1- What is the "throw" of the bendix? (Where is the resting place of the
gear and how far out does it go when the starter is energized)
2- Where is the ring gear located on your flywheel?
With a ruler in hand, now you can put all the BS to rest.
It's really that simple.
I've got a Ford Motorsport "mini starter" on both cars. One is a manual
car and the other is an automatic. They use the same starter.....
see rules #1 and #2....... that's why they fit.
I put a Ford mini starter on my 66 coupe with a 302, been very happy with it. Lot of clearance next to the headers now. IIRC, I pulled it from a 94 GT at local pick-a-part.
The difference between the " automatic " and " manual " starter is the position of the bendix in relation to the mounting flange on the nose cone . I can post a pic of the side by side if needed.
Exactly, I did think however there was a minor difference in the diameter of the nose piece that enters into the bell housing. I think the automatics protruded further in than do the starters for manual transmissions.
The automatic starter has nubs on the mounting surface. The manual starter does not. In my experience, if you install an automatic starter on a manual, it won't do anything because it won't align. It will stay caddywhompus no matter what you do. I learned this after getting multiple starters from a salvage yard for my 1970 fastback many years ago. I would install them and they wouldn't do anything. I'd take them back and the salvage yard guy would connect them to a battery and demonstrate they worked perfectly. Finally, I noticed the nubs on the starters the salvage yard was giving me and pointed out my old starter didn't have nubs.
Probably what is going on is the 157 tooth has the nubs and the 164 tooth doesn't. I never noticed that before but it's probably a good way to spot which one you need. Both starters have the same amount of drive teeth. The 157 tooth the drive gear is almost completely exposed while the 164 tooth, most of it's drive is hidden.
Nubs............ you're kidding me, right?
Show me the nubs.
You know, some of us actually have sold these parts for a living
and might know a thing or two. I'm definitely up for learning
about these nubs.
Re-read post #15 for the actual way to tell what you need.
Personally, i like to use original Ford starters. About every 7 years or so while I have the starter out, I disassemble it dress the Armature, lube the bearings, unless they're sealed, put new brushes in it and paint it. In your case I would be separating the issues you're having. It sounds like you have an electrical issue it's burning starters, and a mechanical issue having to do with engagement with the flywheel. Since you need to replace the starter regularly I would not be looking at the starter itself is the source of the problem. You either have a bad flywheel or the mechanics of your engagement is off for one reason or another. Separately you may have an electrical issue such as slightly insufficient voltage or amperage to the starter so I would be looking at that entire circuit and dress out all the connections. Ohm out all the wires etc. etc. good luck. Given the history you lay out, putting a different starter and it is not the answer...
I have this nagging thought that for some reason I am running an automatic starter in my manual car, and I cannot remember why other then it may have to do with putting a Tremec in and/or running a 10.5" flywheel on a 351.
A little off topic. I used to work with someone who had a prostreet 68 Mustang coupe, 14:1 alkyl burning 351C. He told he he had used every possible starter, including race type gear reduction and the only one that not only cranked it but outlasted all of them was a $29 rebuilt stocker.
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