I've been going back and forth with Jeff and Retro Jim....Thanks alot guys. I just wanted to bring it out in the open and see if anyone else has had this problem. I have a 92 302 and a 67 c4. I have a loud grinding noise when I try to start it. It has always made this noise off and on I have been through two starters one mini one regular. Now my flexplate is warped and teeth are missing. I got a brand new starter and brand new flexplate gonna put it on tomorrow. Is there anything I should look out for or just cross my fingers??
I fitted an aftermarket high torque starter to a customers 302 a while ago. It came with a bunch of shims and instructions on how to measure the engagement of the starter saying that Henrys mob had used different engagement lengths. I'll admit I'd never struck that before but I followed the instructions (anyone tells my wife I'll have you whacked!) and it all worked out fine. Maybe worth having a measure up on yours and go from there. .
ive never heard of using shims on a ford, on a Chevy yes, but never on a ford. Maybe cause it was an aftermarket?
Red , yup thats exactly what I wondered . The shims supplied were to be fitted between the mounting flange and the main body. I used two of the four supplied with the new hi-torque starter.
summit sells the correct flexplate for this combo. its a diferent diameter. a guy that i used to work with had to buy one when he pulled his aod out of his drag stang and put a c4 in it . i think its this one but not positive. might be better to call them and tell them what you have . http://www.summitracing.com/parts/BMM-50239/
Did you get the flexplate from KMJ? I would call them and speak to a tech.Also go to www.clickclickracing.com and post there,this is a all AOD site the moderator Silverfox should have the answer.
I am also on clickclickracing and they are a good bunch there also .It just sounds like the starter is engaging to hard on the flywheel . Something seems to bee a little off but if the flex plate got warped then the starters were just putting too much pressure on the starter rings on the flex plate thus warping the plate . Since you went through 2 starters then is has to be a bad flex plate . I will ***ume that is new and if so where did it come from or show I even ask that dumb question ? Anyway let us know how you make out . One other thing and I am sure I brought it up but you do that the correct spacer between the block and bell housing , right ? Jim
not a older 302 that came factory with a c4, a 5.0/302 that came with a aod. they make a special flexplate for the 5.0/c4 uses regular c4 convertor
There were two C4 's one wth a small bellhousing and one with a large,also in 1982 Ford 302's aka 5.0's went to a 50 oz balance previously they were 28oz balance the 351W's retained the 28oz balance.IMPORTANT! if you order a flexplate it is critical that you know the year of the engine when ordering,AOD's have a 50oz balance flexplate stock if you use an early 289-302 you can order an AOD flexplate with a 28oz balance.The information also pertains to ordering a converter,Screenz went thru this when He ordered his,I remember a while back someone having a similar problem to his in one case the flexplate was installed backward in the other case the spacer plate was missing.
Jeff you are so right about that . I didn't mention it because I ***umed the parts were orders for the correct year engine . I have seen many get the wrong balancer or clutch flywheel and end up with a vibration and can't figure out what it is . That is one of the few things I hated about Ford engines besides all the damn different timing covers they used . Good Point to check out . He just might have the in crest bell housing but if it was wrong the trans wouldn't work , right ? If you have the short bell and stick the long spline trans in it won't bolt up and the other way the trans is too short . Still I am with you on that damn flywheel ! That has to be the wrong one . Did you ever find out if you had the big spacer washer on the correct side of the flywheel ? If you have that spacer on the crank side that will bring that flywheel about 3/16" to 1/8" closer to the starter ! Jim
Ok. Well I am not sure what year the engine is that I got. It came out of a F-150 and was bolted to a C6 if I remember correctly. The trans came out of a 81/82 mustang. The engine still has the flywheel that was on it in the truck, can I pull that info from the flywheel to make sure I get the correct one? Also, the converter needs to be for the correct engine or trans?
If you are working with small block Fords you should have this book, www.mre-books.com/interchange/index.html click on this link and look for the list in blue to the left you can preview the book and learn how to read block and head codes,the C6 flexplates won't interchange with the C4 or AOD.For a wealth of info here is a Ford only transmission forum link: www.network54.com/forum/260730/
I went and bought a new flexplate yesterday guy at the speed shop said there is two starters?? Not only automatic and standard but also two for auto's??? one 3/4's and one 5/8's.....I'm gonna be a sbf expert on this before long
Make sure you have the spacer plate between the block and transmission without it your starter and flexplate will be history.
Screenz, I think you maybe right. Jeff, thanks for the links. As for a spacer plate, are you talking about between the block and the bell housing or some place else?
Between the block and bell housing is correct.The AOD and early C4 plates are also different.The early (pre 1970) small bellhousing C4's use a 157 tooth flexplate later Large bell C4's and AOD's use a 164 tooth flexplate.For reference check this out on www.ebay.com put these numbers in search 350432494629 and 160534531424 there are good pictures and the measurements are there to help you choose the correct part.
Ok well I guess I need to find a spacer plate then. I bolted the bell housing up to the engine just to check it and there was no spacer.
Yeah it gets confusing...I learned all about that when I put mine together, and what I learned is everyone calls it something different. Spacer, block plate, starter alignment plate, etc... Depends on who you talk to they say whats that?? you mention the other name for it, they say, oh yeah, that... I used the correct one for a manual trans and flywheel and installed a high torque mini starter from DB Electrical, never had a problem cranking my stroked 302.
Is this the right website? Going to have to get one for an Auto C4. http://www.dbelectrical.com/p-1321-...arter-302-351-higher-torque-3205-sfd0001.aspx
That is the place I got my starter from yes. I called and told them what I had to be sure I was getting the correct starter. Havent had a lick of problems with it
Hard to beat the quality or the price,I have recommended DB for several years and nothing but "happy campers" I also give a thumbs up for the one wire alternators.
DB electrical has both GM and Ford one wires,when I got mine several years ago I used the GM 100 amp,I had to fab a few "Ace Hardware" spacers to use with the chrome Ford alternator bracket,in the other post you will see Todd's(aka ctfortner) post showing the billet bracket now available which comes with a spacer ***ortment,if you bring up that ebay link you can see the parts.The chrome cheapy bracket does not come with the 2 hole spacer shown in the picture which is why I had to jerry rig spacers.
Alright I got down and really looked at the problem seems to be the teeth arent fully getting in there the bendix reaches out far enough but doesnt seem to be close enough all the teeth are super shinny on the edges and some are missing????? I'M LOST! The bellhousing doesnt look like it could hold a 164 tooth flywheel
Not sure if this is 100% correct or not or if it is only for mustangs but this site claims you can tell a 157 from a 164 by the ribs on the BH. Dunno but it might help. http://www.mustangcentral.net/tech/c4.html
So it seems the first flewplate I bought was very poor quality it was rubbing the block plate and just overall wasnt worth the money the new one I got was a b&m very nice lined up sweet and I installed my db mini starter and all is well......for now I try to not get excited
Then it has to be something in the block spacer or the bell housing . OK so the bendix is going in too far and putting too much pressure on the flywheel . Have you tried putting a flat washer between the starter and bell housing yet ? That would get the bendix out farther off the flywheel and maybe stop putting all that extra pressure on that flywheel . It just sounds like the bendix is going in too far and putting too much pressure on the flywheel , right ? Jim
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