Technical 1962 Ford Fairlane starter removal

Like the ***le says, 1962 Ford Fairlane starter removal. How? Am I doing something wrong? It’s like they built the car around the damn starter! I need a half an inch more room, in order to squeeze this thing out, but I cannot figure out how. It’s a SBF, 302. So I can imagine the engine swap would have anything to do with it since it was originally a 260 car.

 

There were bellhousing differences between the earliest and later blocks. From the photos it tough to tell but Fords were hard to work on and it may take the exhaust head pipe down.

 

That makes sense. I have the header unbolted from the head. But it still doesn’t give me enough clearance. What would I be looking for in terms of the bell housing? It is a C4

 

If the transmission is bolted to a 302, it's the later 6 bolt bellhousing, not the earlier smaller 5 bolt bellhousing.

Start unbolting stuff until you can get it out....what fun....

 

ha, unfortunately that’s where I’m afraid this is taking me… I think my best bet is to start with the easiest stuff first and then go on to harder things like the crossmember, etc.

 

Sawsall. Relplace it with a small, gear reduction unit. If not for yourself. do it for the next guy.

 

Don't forget to disconnect the battery terminal.

 

Turn the steering wheel???

 

If my memory is still thinking correctly . There is a round tube stiffener bolted between the motor mounts (2 bolts ) remove that and it should come out of no mans land .

 

Transplant a small block Chevy in it!

 

I will absolutely be doing this, thanks for the suggestion!!

 

As others have said, that car came with a 221 or 260 that had a five bolt bell housing, along with a two speed Fordomatic.

Swapping in the 302 and six bolt bell housing / C4 didn’t help the fit situation.

You may have to Jack up the engine.

The mini starter you plan hopefully makes that unnecessary next time.

 

I seem to remember on some Fords you had to jack the car up so that the front suspension hung free. Then you had to turn the steering one way or the other to get it to clear, but it was still a tight fit. I also remember wrestling with a starter for 15 minutes trying to get it out. Took a 5 minute break, went back and it almost fell out.

 

The last early 60s Ford I had to take a starter out of, it came out in pieces....the threads in the holes for the through bolts had stripped....and it was still a pain to remove, as it was the old extended Bendix type drive on it.

 

IIRC, the easiest way to get one out was slide it forward until the drive snout comes out of the bell, then tip that end down and pull back/down. Having the steering turned to the left helps. This is with OEM exhaust manifolds, aftermarket may complicate it....

 

A small block Chevy is too heavy for the trunk floor unless you spread all the parts around evenly. Only way I'd ever put one in a sixties Ford.

 

This is what I tried first, the problem is, I don't have enough room to even move the starter far enough forward to be able to tilt the drive snout out of the way, i have a feeling this is where removing the front tube stiffener that @deathrowdave mentioned... i will absolutely be trying this approach when i get home from work today!

 

I think you'll get the room you need by taking the right hand motor mount loose from the frame and jacking the engine up. Maybe, as well, replace the both of them as they might be collapsed, creating the tight spot.

 

Just be grateful you don't live where I live, otherwise you'd have a steering box to contend with as well.

 

@deathrowdave beers are on me if you ever come through Memphis! Your guidance saved the day! I dropped that stiffener and lo-and-behold, the starter came with it!

 

I think you have a 164 tooth flywheel. If you do, 96 to 2000 explorer 5.0's and early 90'd tbirds with the 5.0 are possibles for reasonable cost starter replacements. The smaller starters have there own solenoid so you will need to do a little wiring change to keep your original fender mount unit.

 

Drop the idler arm

 

I ended up dropping the tube stiffener that was installed just forward of the transmission, and that did the trick!

 

So….. very….. close…… ugh! It starts and runs beautifully for about 3 seconds then immediately dies. Like no power to the distributor. Am I missing something?

 

Did you remove any wiring at the starter relay.

 

Not at all. It’s making me crazy!

 

But! If I keep the key turned, and don’t let go it stays running, so I’m thinking somewhere I got the power wire to my distributor mixed up and it’s unhooked? That’s the only thing that makes sense.

 

It might have a wire from the I connection on the starter relay, to the coil, that is giving it ignition power while cranking. The wire from the ignition switch to the coil, which should be through a resistance wire (or through the ballast resistor), is probably broken or something. A volt meter or test light should help you find the problem.

 

Resistor went bad or key power to it is not completing connection.

 

^^^^^This^^^^^^ When you are cranking the engine the resistor byp*** wire is providing power to the coil. in "run" position the power goes through the resistor or resistor wire. You may have knocked a wire loose wrestling with things under the hood but I'd get my test light out and check for power to the resistor and go from there.
It looks like a 62 Fairlane "should" use a resistor wire.