natureboy03

I have a 1990 ford f150 automatic with a 4.9 liter 300 6-cylinder that I am having starter problems with. I go and try to start the truck and the starter bendix just spins and makes noise and then sometimes it sounds like it is grinding metal. The flywheel seems to be in good shape and I have tried three different starters and none of them seem to work. The truck was used when I bought it and had a broken transmission. I changed the transmission and I am still having problems getting the starter to turn the flexplate over. I have tried to shim the starter and I am just about at my wits end trying to figure out what is going on. I am beginning to think that the flexplate is bad even though it looks good and all the teeth are in good shape. Can anyone help me? I even went to buy a starter for a v-6 ford bronco 2 b/c I tried one a few weeks ago and it seemed to work better than the starter that was recommended for the 4.9 liter 6 cylinder.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.....

Thanks,

Mike

Just call me Sean

iTrader: (1)

There's a steel plate that goes between the engine and transmission and covers the whole front of the tranny, at least for the manual tranny. Not sure about the automatic. Is it still there?

natureboy03

I have not seen any steel plate. I guess you would be referring to the dust cover. It was not on the truck when I bought it. If there was supposed to be one and there isn't, do you think I should shim the starter to see if it would work?

natureboy03

I just found out that my flywheel has 172 teeth. My starter is not reaching my flywheel...It needs to be shimmed but not out. The shim needs to go toward the flywheel. I have tried several starters but they are all wrong for this application. Is there anyway I can fix this without changing the flexplate. Hopefully someone can help me....

Fast Hampster

If i understand you right, you have a problem that your bendix doesn't move out far enough to reach the flywheel? If so, cutting off some of starter mount surface (one facing the gearbox) will not help for a long time, because imho it would provide only up to 0.2 inch "deep" engagement, which is not enough for normal work, and it also would weaken starter mount. Was the starter working right before you replaced a gearbox? What exactly had changed since that?

natureboy03

The truck was like this when I got it...but the transmission bellhousing was cracked and broke in too..therefore i thought the problem was the broke transmission and not the flexplate.

Just call me Sean

iTrader: (1)

First you say flywheel, then flexplate. You still didn't say so which do you have, automatic or manual? I know the manual has the steel plate but not sure about the automatic. If the starter isn't reaching the flywheel then the lack of the plate would help. If you're sure the starter isn't reaching the flywheel then try going to the parts store with your old one and have them get you some others for different vehicles. There has to be a starter that will work, but I wouldn't think they would be too different. Check part numbers or just compare the old with the new. Try older truck, newer, manual, automatic. Try for anything that has the 5.0 since the starter should bolt on the same, Grand Marquis, Crown Victoria, Mustang.

natureboy03

Automatic transmission is what I have

Good old Bill

Have always been told the aftermarket starter drives have a different tooth count then the Ford OEM. Perhaps this is what you are up against. Don't know of a different starter, auto versus manual but there could be. Another idea. The flex plate bolting to the crank with the six bolts, it used to have a large stiffener between the bolts and the plate. Could some Bozo or Boozed up Bill have put this between the flex plate and the crank? Think I've done that before.