Started my 347 up but major problem!

RIXX93GT · Apr 24, 2004

I finally got my new 347 fired up and I had the timing dialed in so I decide to take it for a spin. While Im going down the road I hear what sounds like something dragging under the car. Doesnt matter if Im in gear or not doesnt really get louder with rpm. I park it and listen while idling and it sounds as if its the starter not completely disengaging from the flywheel cause I can feel the vibration from the starter. Sounds like someone throwing rocks inside the bellhousing...Nasty! What would cause the solenoid to not pull the gear far enough away from the flywheel? At first I thought it was valvetrain noise but its not backfiring and it seems to be running really good. Anybody got a clue? Also how the heck do you get the thermostat housing to quit leaking!!!!!!!

dastang2 · Apr 24, 2004

the starter could be loose or angled,

MikeR351w · Apr 24, 2004

Solenoid could be sticking, or the bolts could be loose on the starter. In which case you just chipped all the teeth on your flywheel and it is now un-balanced.

RIXX93GT · Apr 24, 2004

I didnt realize it good be bolted up angled very much. Is there anyway to check when your tightening up the bolts?

dastang2 · Apr 24, 2004

it can't be unless you don't get the lip in the hole, that is what i was trying to get at

HISSIN50 · Apr 24, 2004

T-stat housing: is it warped?
i like to use a gasket with each side coated in Permatex water pump and T-stat gasket sealant goo.
some like to use the adhesive gaskets.
make sure all the water is out of the lower intake (behind the housing) - use a turkey baster (not your wife's! - and make that a garage only baster.) and paper towels.
also, you can go get a hex head bolt to replace the stock bolt, so it does not take a week to tighten up the driver side bolt.

good luck.

RIXX93GT · Apr 24, 2004

I have tried the stock housing with gasket, without , just sealer, with and sealer....new cast iron housing with gasket and sealer etc. every time it leaks at the bottom. Back to the starter thing, how easy is it to get it bolted crooked enough to cause this? It has no problem starting the car.

ashford · Apr 24, 2004

does it go away if you hit the brakes? if so its more thatn likely the spring that returns the bendix on the starter isn't doing its job

HISSIN50 · Apr 25, 2004

ashford, please go into more detail. i have never heard of such a test (i dont get what hittin the brakes has to do with the bendix), but i am very curious, if you dont mind.....

Camman · Apr 25, 2004

Hissin50 I believe what ashford is saying is since the spring could be weak it is not pulling the bendix back into its "sleeping" position. Since the starter is installed with its nose pointing aft of the vehicle, hitting the brakes should cause the bendix to seat back into the "sleeping" position. However, I believe that with the flywheel spinning, the angular momentom of the flywheel causing normal forces on the bendix gear would over come any lateral acceleration provided by braking forces, short of hitting a brick wall. Please correct me if I am wrong.

shewitt · Apr 25, 2004

i have had both of these problems on the starter mine would stop after about a min i had to change it out for a new one . if it is the starter you would know it the sound is really bad like the car is going to blow up. For the water leak i had to work on this for about a week i used a 1 gasket and alot of sealent what i had to do was make sure i tightend it very straight and make sure the therm is in its place i used a little sealent around it to hold it into place if it slips down you will not get a good seal.

ashford · Apr 25, 2004

Camman said:
Hissin50 I believe what ashford is saying is since the spring could be weak it is not pulling the bendix back into its "sleeping" position. Since the starter is installed with its nose pointing aft of the vehicle, hitting the brakes should cause the bendix to seat back into the "sleeping" position. However, I believe that with the flywheel spinning, the angular momentom of the flywheel causing normal forces on the bendix gear would over come any lateral acceleration provided by braking forces, short of hitting a brick wall. Please correct me if I am wrong.

seen it once before but it wasnt a full engage just nicking the ring gear(sorta like rocks in the bellhousing). the guy would accelerate and it would make a grinding noise, coasting it would sometimes do it and when he hit the brakes it would stop

HarleyFordFan · Apr 25, 2004

dont mean to sound dumb but did you put the plate back in between the motor and trans?

RIXX93GT · Apr 25, 2004

Yea I put the plate back in. It did seem to quit when I hit the brakes one time now that you mention it. Do I need to replace the starter or just the solenoid?

TT91 · Apr 25, 2004

I had that same problem, but it was sticking, not staying there the entire time. It was the solenoid that was causing it. You can check the starter once it out of the car….just give it a ground and power, and it should actuate. Its been a while, but you should be able to trouble shoot the starter, like I said above, to narrow down whether or not it’s the solenoid or not.

shewitt · Apr 25, 2004

ya when mine did it i just changed the starter prob was gone but if i were you i would do something not drive the car till you do could get really bad

RIXX93GT · Apr 25, 2004

Im not gona start it anymore until I get the starter off and checked out, I justy hope I havent hurt my Billet flywheel too much.

10secgoal · Apr 25, 2004

I've had that same problem. I raced, came back shut it down. I started it up and just like that the starter decided not to retract. Although I didn't know that at the time. So I start getting pissed off thinking it's an expensive problem. I ended up pulling the starter and it was just shot. the bendix would slide back and forth as I tilted the starter. I think ashford hit it right on the head.

Dr. Teeth · Apr 25, 2004

Don't know much about the starter stuff, but as for the thermostat: get some Indian Head Gasket Shellac and paint both sides of the gasket AND the manifold AND the housing. Bolt it up and wait an hour. My old man was a sealing systems engineer and he tells me to use this crap all the time. 100% NO LEAKS. Oh, it does pose a problem if you want to get that housing off frequently because it'll be on there real good. Stuff sells at Murrays and Autozone for about $1.50. Smells bad too.

Good luck,
Brian.

Matt90GT · Apr 25, 2004

Thermostat housing issue, you are letting the thermostat slide down out of the groove it seats into. Thus causing a leak there.

Be very careful when installing that thing, it is a PIA on the block. Alternatively, you can remove the lower intake to install it very easily.

Started my 347 up but major problem!

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