As some of you know I've had some starter problems in the past.....But here's a new one. I'm changing the rear end and some other small stuff out monday so I've taken it easy on the car the last week or so I went out and started it last week dead cold and the first could of turns it would bang HARD! Then start well today I go out the it bangs hard a couple of time on first cold turnover so I stop try again and it fires right up! I'm lost and dont even know where to start. Every try after the first is like ****er?!?! Thanks in advance....................302 c4
X2. The motor tends to stop in one of three or four places on the flywheel every time. If you've damaged one or more of those places it'll tend to make noise whenever the starter engages on the damaged spot, which will be fairly often but not necessarily every time. I'd jack it up and inspect the flex plate for missing/damaged teeth. Why your engine keeps eating flex plates is a complete mystery. On a GM engine it points to starter misalignment or a flexplate/starter mismatch. On a Ford, who knows...? Good luck!
when did this start, how many starters or flexplates have you been through. sorry if I havent seen previous posts. just trying to help.
I would try some thin spacers on the mounting bolts and pull the starter away from the starter ring and see how that works out . Sure can't be any worst than the problems you are having now . Just one question , you do have the correct spacer trans / engine block plate installed , right ? Jim
I'm gonna put it on the lift monday (I have to work this weekend) The last flexplate really wasnt "damaged" it was just cheap......I thought it was the problem previously so I had ordered a new one....Jim I'm pretty sure its the correct block plate the other one for a c4/302 would be the big bolt pattern and wouldnt bolt up...I'm gonna get on it monday and report back if anyone has any ideas before then let me know and I can keep an eye out. (The racket it was making before was the wieght was hitting the inspection plate so when I would start it it would sound like it was about to blow up)
i have a 351w/aod setup and burned up 3 starters cause i had a similar problem. so just recently i pulled the flexplate and there was missing teeth on 2 sides of the flexplate. the 302/c4 should'nt need a spacer.other than the factory plate. if you're using everything that came from the factory and the correct starter.
There is a big difference between the big and small flexplate so you couldn't "mistake" them. You didn't change any parts relating to the starter when you were working on the driveshaft? 157T on the left vs 164T on the right.
Alright back to this again I inspected the flexplate and starter no damage but it still with engage HARD when sitting up for a day or so. If I just bump the key it will bang hard like a bell ringing about three tries (bumping the starter over) and it fires right up like nothing was wrong and will continue to do this perfect starting till I put it up again for a day or two WTH!! I'm lost!!
Hey, Tony! Bet you're getting tired of this, huh! Here's my smart*** solution: Drive it every day. My best guess, however, is that you've still got a starter/flexplate mismatch of some sort. What would I do? Talk to an autoelectric rebuilder about this problem and see if he has any suggestions. They run into weird stuff like this all the time and would have to eat the warranty costs if they don't figure it out. Chances are they can help you. Good luck!
HAHA Thats why its taken so long to get a good reply it hasnt done it in so long cause I've been driving it everyday! I wish I knew what was wrong its gonna drive me crazy!! the only bug from the 302/c4 swap
I feel for you with the damn starter problem . Have you ever changed the flex plate ? I know it a pin in the *** but it has to be the damn flex plate giving you all these problems . Also if the flex plate was changed , then you might want to recheck those chinese flex plates again to make sure everything is goof . Just because it looks good doesn't mean that it was made correctly . If the ring was thicker than the sock ring , then that will cause a problem . the chinese don't measure too damn good either . I have seen too many problems with the overseas junk out there it makes me sick to have to use them . I will buy used parts like the flex plate so I don't have to buy a chinese . Also the block plate were different ion another way also . Some were the good steel ones and the rest those cheap thin ones . They will make a difference too . I like using the better steel ones from the early small blocks than the newer thin ones . just a thought but I still say you have a bad flex ring . One other ting , if you can get or borrow a dial indicator that is attached on a stand or just make one , check and see if the flex plate and ring are turning straight and not warped ! If you can't get one , just take a piece of wire and attach , tape or whatever to the oil pan and bend the wire so it is very close to the starter ring and turn the engine over by hand and see or there is a difference that way . When everything id bolted together and tight that might be where the parts are having the problem . I really wish you lived closer to me . I would be over there helping you fix this problem for the last time !
It took me two days but I finally found Powermasters tech info sheet online. It is on page 180 of June 2011 issue of street rodder as well. Personally I have never heard of shimming a Ford starter until I bought a Ford mini starter for my 56. It doesn't sound very nice when I start it but sometimes you need to shim the starter away from the flywheel depending on your flexplate, block plate and starter depths. Hopefully this will help you get to the bottom of things. It can also be found here More tech can also be found here. And some good tech can be found here.
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