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1966 mustang starter and pulley troubles

  • Thread starter Thread starter Hotrods4ray
  • Start date Start date Sep 24, 2025
H

Hotrods4ray

Member
Sep 24, 2025
1
1
13
Longview WA
Sep 24, 2025
#1
  • Sep 24, 2025
  • #1
Long story short I am helping a gal finish a 1966 Mustang, her husband died of Covid while assembling his dream car. I am not a Ford guy so to speak but a 62-year-old who has spent 40 years putting Chevys together mostly for hot rods. the car has a 1971 ford 302 with a T-10 4 speed. The ending and trans where in the car when I got it. Here are my two main stumbling blocks:

1. It has a 4-bolt crank pulley and 52oz balancer. I think I need a 28 oz balancer and a 3-bolt crank pulley, Through's?
2. I bought a starter for a 289 with a manual transmission. The starter measures 4.5" at the starter and hole in the plate seems to be about 1/16" under that size. Any direction would be appreciated.

Thank you in advance for your help,

Raymond
 
Reactions: EP429

EP429

Member
Jun 30, 2007
125
5
18
Central Texas
Sep 25, 2025
#2
  • Sep 25, 2025
  • #2
You most likely have a 157 tooth flywheel on that which is going to call for an automatic starter. Doesn't make sense at face value, but I'll wager a crisp dollar that it'll fix your starter problems.

 
Last edited: Oct 6, 2025
Reactions: 2Blue2
C

CSGT428

Member
Nov 12, 2025
6
9
13
Inland NW
Nov 12, 2025
#3
  • Nov 12, 2025
  • #3
I wouldn't worry about the pulley and balancer unless you have a vibration with engine running or the crank pulley doesn't line up with the others. A 71 302 has a 28oz 4 bolt balancer and flywheel. The flywheel needs to match the balancer. Ford went to the heavier balancer and flywheel in the late 70's I thought, or possibly later in 1981? according to the internet....
 
G

GOvert

15 Year Member
Jan 27, 2007
490
100
63
north central Tennessee Valley
Nov 13, 2025
#4
  • Nov 13, 2025
  • #4
The very first question is what kind and year is the engine? Then go from there determining which starter snout. Manual, automatic and 5.0 starter snouts are all different. An automatic starter snout plugged into a manual flywheel will damage the ring gear. Just two weeks ago, I was in an in-depth conversation about this topic and measured all 3 different snouts. The block FoMoCo numbers are cast into the block on the bottom right side. The starter has to be removed to see these numbers. Numbers starting with C6 mean 1966. D1 means 1971. E7T means 1987 5.0. Let us know before you use the wrong starter and cause a major issue. I'm not a KIA, just trying to save you some trouble.
 
Last edited: Jan 10, 2026
Reactions: CSGT428 and Mcmahst

Realmongo

I prefer to be called "Evil Genius"
Founding Member
Oct 10, 2001
2,468
86
99
Western Mass
Jan 9, 2026
#5
  • Jan 9, 2026
  • #5
Let us know the casting number on the block so we know what direction we need to go.
 
G

GOvert

15 Year Member
Jan 27, 2007
490
100
63
north central Tennessee Valley
Jan 10, 2026
#6
  • Jan 10, 2026
  • #6
@Realmongo I don't think that Hotrods4ray ever came back!
 

Realmongo

I prefer to be called "Evil Genius"
Founding Member
Oct 10, 2001
2,468
86
99
Western Mass
Jan 10, 2026
#7
  • Jan 10, 2026
  • #7
GOvert said:
@Realmongo I don't think that Hotrods4ray ever came back!
Click to expand...
That seems to happen a lot.
 
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