Technical 1979 Ford 302 Engine starter question?

I bought a 79 Ford 302 engine and C6 transmission...Engine will turn over with a breaker bar and have good compression. BUT I have a new battery and a new starter and when I hook the battery POS to starter and negative cables to starter case it just sparks...5 starters did the same....Any ideas??

 

I'd probably try to use a starter relay in the circuit, to keep the sparks where they belong.

 

You may have the wrong starter or block plate. The early starters require the bendix to move to the flywheel in order for the contacts to make full contact. The starter won't rotate unless that happens. I'm guessing you bench tested the starters and they operated? I believe there to be 3 different flywheels for those engines and several starter nose configurations. You might remove the trans so you can see and eyeball the starter to flywheel clearance. If it's too tight, the starter can't rotate.

 

Could be using a manual transmission starter (they are different)? Or a wrong tooth count flywheel starter?

 

A C6 behind a 302? What's that out of?

 

A pickup truck or van here in the U.S.

OP--- Are you using jumper cables to try the starter? If so, they won't carry sufficient current. Use battery cables.

Terry