Help! Starter issues...urgent....

[OldRedFord]

Im trying to start up the F100 for the first time. When i turn the key the starter makes a funny noise for a second and then just free spins not grabbing the teeth on the flexplate. All the teeth on the flexplate are still there. I even turned the motor a bit by hand to get a different spot on the ring gear...still a no go.

I took the starter out and hooked it right to the battery and it spun and the gear popped to the end of the shaft like it is suposed to.

Could the starter be messed up in a way that when out of the vehicle it acts like its good, but when its mounted its not?

Do I need to go get a new one?

[fordman]

could it be the wrong starter and not going far enough in to contact the flywheel? what is the funny sound it makes?

[OldRedFord]

could it be the wrong starter and not going far enough in to contact the flywheel? what is the funny sound it makes?

A grinding noise for a quick second.

Its the starter that came with the motor/transmission combo when I got it.

Again, just to be clear...the gear teeth on the flex plate are in great shape.

[fordman]

grinding would be the wrong alignment of the starter or the starter bendix not engauging the flywheel all the way in. so the engine and trans was a matched setup out of a running car? or is it soemthing someone else put together and then sold to you? that might say that the starter could eb the wrong one if soemone else put the engine and trans together instead of removing it from a car as a factory setup.

[robroy]

Good afternoon Tim!

Sorry to hear that you've hit this issue at the stage you're at--that must be frustrating!

I'm not knowledgeable about this yet I'm responding since I see that you're in a jam.

How is the starter located in relation to the flex plate ring gear on the 385-series; is it located using the thin metal plate that's sandwiched between the transmission (or bell housing) and engine, like on an FE?

If so, is your plate intact?

I received some instructions for verifying proper starter/ring gear alignment with my RobbMc starter. I'll find that and see if it mentions anything helpful!

Robroy

[OldRedFord]

There is indeed a thin metal plate between the engine and transmission and it is intact. Ill try putting the starter back in and see if there is any "play" to get it to move over a bit. If that doesnt work...well then idk what I will do.


When I got the motor and transmission the transmission was bolted to the motor, the motor even still had radiator hoses on it. It had just been pulled out as one unit with everything still bolted up.

[OldRedFord]

I tried to shimmy the starter with it bolted up. No go.

[robroy]

Good afternoon Tim!

I looked at the RobbMc starter guide and didn't see much that would be super applicable here. It lists some numbers for how far the starter pinion gear's supposed to stick out (when the starter's not running), yet those probably wouldn't apply to non-RobbMc starters.

I wonder if the pinion could be popping out when it's running, yet popping back in the instant it encounters resistance. It sounds like trying a different starter would be a relatively simple troubleshooting step!

This probably isn't easy to do, yet you could also pull the starter again, make note of how far the pinion pops out when the starter's running, then measure with it installed (while not running) to make sure it pops out a reasonable amount to be in line with the ring gear.

Hopefully some experienced FORDification members will post some good advice!
Robroy

[OldRedFord]

I got it!. I kept wiggleing the starter around, tightening, trying the key...repeat twice. Then success!

Now I have a fuel leak to fix before proceeding. *Sigh*

[robroy]

Good evening Tim!

I got it!. I kept wiggleing the starter around, tightening, trying the key...repeat twice. Then success!

That is fantastic!!!

Do you think it's unusual for the starter location to be that temperamental, to the point where it requires fiddling around with?

I was under the impression that the sandwiched plate was supposed to locate the starter rather precisely when it tip-top condition--could yours be worn? (I've read about folks having plates with worn out starter holes in them.)

Now I have a fuel leak to fix before proceeding. *Sigh*

Did you notice the leak before the engine fired over or after? I'm just curious to know if you heard it fire yet--even if only for a second or two!

Have an excellent evening Tim!
Robroy

[OldRedFord]

After. Actually I would not have seen it unless my dad had walked over and yelled. The fittings for the fuel line where they attach to the carb are leaking. I'm working on uploading a video right now. I will also start a thread in the engine section about the carburetor fuel line.

[robroy]

Good evening Tim,

That's tremendous!!! I look forward to watching your video.

Robroy

[bb429power]

My cougar had the same problem with the starter when we went to first fire it up. We had to get a new one then all the other ignition components started acting up. Just imagine this, the starter running constantly and not turning off. Its spinning twice as fast as it should be after a year of hard engine work and money. Thinking we just f'ed up the whole engine. We had to pull the battery cable. It wasn't engaging to the flexplate luckily. Thing worries the crap out of me every time we go to start it.