Mini-Starter Bellhousing Fit

[bentendo]

I've read multiple threads on the high-torque mini-starters, but no one has addressed this. I picked up a remanufactured mini-starter from O'Reilly's for a 1996 F-150 v8 Manual transmission to bolt onto my 1972 Bronco with an NV3550.

In comparing my old school starter with the mini-starter, the nose doesn't press against the bell housing like my old one did. Does anyone know if this is a problem? It may be that since they're so much smaller and lighter, they don't need the additional structural bracing?

Photo:

 

[56f100bbw]

I had the same problem on the starter on my 77 bronco I got from Carquest had to take a file and clean it out on the bell housing a little hardly any casting was a little off

 

[56f100bbw]

I was looking at your pictures closer it looks like yours is quite a bit different than mine

 

[bentendo]

Bump. Can anyone else speak to this?

 

[Jdgephar]

I don't know too much about this. My 2 cents is I wouldn't be concerned about it. There is no force in that direction on the starter other than the solenoid kicking out the gear to engage the flywheel. The rotational forces against the starter are in a different direction (against the bolts that hold the starter to the bellhousing). That raised section doesn't provide any additional structure to the starter, since it isn't rigidly attached anyway. That might just be a pok-a-yoke put in at Ford to prevent someone from accidentally installing the automatic starter, since it has a farther reach?

 

[Broncobowsher]

I've never looked to where the starter fits into the bellhousing. I just put them in and they work.

Is that bellhousing bump actually support? I doubt it. idiot proofing as in you can't put the wrong starter in the hole maybe?

 

[bentendo]

Cool, the whole notion of that boss acting as an obstruction for an automatic starter makes a lot of sense