starter won't fit

[black8989]

I'm helping a friend with his 1965 mustang and the starter just won't go in all the way. It will slide in up until the flex plate, then the passanger top side is off by like a mm from going like the last 1/8"" into the flex plate. I think he has an aftermarket oil pan which seems to be the problem. The top bolt won't tighten all the way, there is like a 1/8-1/4 inch gap at the top. The bottem bolt will tighten all the way since the bottem lip of the starter will clear the flex plate. Anybody had this trouble before? Thanks

 

[Edbert]

Are you sure the gears are meshed correctly?

 

[nds03]

sounds like you have a starter from the wrong year. if the aftermarket oil pan is in the way, you probobly need to get one of those mini starters or something

 

[black8989]

So about this starter from the wrong year. We just went to autozone and bought a replacement. It looked exactly the same as the one that cme out, I didn't check out the gears though.... I never thought about the gears not meshing... Shouldn't the starter have to activiate the solinoid and push the starter gear out to mesh with the flywheel? Therefore shouldn't it fit but maybe not start? I was thinking the same thing about the mini starter.

 

[eleanor_350]

It sounds like it could be the difference between a starter for an automatic or manual transmission. I have a 4-speed, so I went to Autozone and bought a starter for a manual transmission. The lip on the back side of the starter turned out to be too large in diameter to fit in the hole in the dust shield.

I went back and exchanged it for a starter to fit an automatic transmission and it slipped right in. Up to that point, I never knew there was a difference between the starters for auto or manual trans. And I have no idea why the auto trans starter fit my 4-speed and the manual starter wouldn't.

 

[1320stang]

Go back and trade the nosecone off the old starter with the new starter.

There are about 4 different nosecones, if memory serves, and I never can find one that is "clocked" right for my race motor with the homemade T pan and my Hooker Supercomps. I've even had the nosecone rebushed before.

 

[Edbert]

My AOD bellhousing is the same as a 91 Mustang, and my starter is the same as a 95 5.0 with a T5. It fit no problem with my 8 quart Milodon and Hedman long tubes, sounds like I was lucky though.

 

[black8989]

Sweet, I bet there is a difference between a manual vs. auto
thanks