Starter not engaging?How to fix?

[JerryDaugherty]

OK I finally got the thing hooked up it was simple. Now when I turn the key.. the starter wont make a sound, I back off ignition and then turn key again and it trys to engage but just spins-grinds flywheel. How come it trys to engage sometimes i turn the key but not others and how come it wont engage at all? I have no shims in cept the aluminum plate between the motor and bellhousing and I read Fords and Chyslers have a standard gear drive to flywheel distance so shimming isnt neccassary. Wut could be the problem? Not enough juice? Starter Solenoid?

 

[txstang84]

if the starter itself isn't making good gear mesh with the flywheel, try jumping the terminal on the starter solenoid...if it still does it, i'd suspect the starter itself...just me

 

[JerryDaugherty]

starter is brand new 2 days old protorque mini starter from summit... ive tried starting it with the key and jumping it with the solenoid... could the solenoid be bad?

 

[txstang84]

the solenoid is just a simple relay, either it's good or it's bad, i've had them stick sometimes, which usually a rap to the side with a small wrench would fix...but i've never had a starter only half engage on a Ford sb before.

maybe a stupid question, but did you get the starter for a 157, or a 164 tooth flywheel? i think there is a difference between the two...

 

[JerryDaugherty]

the part on summit said it was for a manual 5-speed for ford sb 289-351 bla blah nothing about teeth... any other suggestions lol i also called the summit tech and told him my problem and he said nothing about flywheel teeth. I have 2 other flywheels that are old but I might try one is for an auto and one a t-5. one is bigger and one smaller which one would be for the manual the bigger or smaller and if i pull the new starter and compared teeth on the two would i be able to tell the diff?

 

[txstang84]

5.0's have a 157tooth wheel (the smaller of the two). and to the best of my knowledge, you can't put a 164tooth wheel into a t-5 bell...

the pitch of the teeth for the starter should be the same between the two flywheels, but say for example that starter (i don't know for sure, so don't hold me to this) were intended for a 164 tooth, and you're using a stock 157 tooth, then there wouldn't be enough engagement and it would grind...

but i personally have never run into that problem...i probably would've run a FRPP high torq mini starter, or a later model high torq starter off a truck or 92-up 'stang...

 

[JerryDaugherty]

hmmm... idk if you could possibly tell me this lol but how would a grind sound... the sound im getting is like a higher pitched almost metal metal rub. wouldnt the teeth make a more rough and narly sound of teeth grinding or would it not even go teeth to teeth becuase it wouldng reach.. to decribe better my sounded simliar to spinning 2 brake rotors together and rubbing. not like say a grind when you miss a gear shifting if that helps

 

[txstang84]

ummm, the best way i could characterize it, would be to conjure up memories of a mid seventies chevy pickup that has too many shims installed, it has kind of a zipping high pitch metal grinding noise...almost like grinding a sharp piece of metal with a dremel cutting bit...

hope that helps

 

[JerryDaugherty]

lol ok i can see the relation i just tried it again... up im trying to think of everything... i had this car running with the old motor and when i would turn the key to ignition it would make this sound right same sound as this. then i would back the key wait like 2-3 seconds and then turn the key again and it would start up... now with old starter when i jumped it from the 2 terminals on the starter solenoid it would crank not so with the new. got any more suggestions?