Starter Gear Wont Disengage

[Ol'Blue]

Im currently doing a 302 to 351w engine swap. I got the 351 running and troubleshooting some odd issues and while under the Bronco I noticed the starter gear was still meshed to the flex plate.

The starter is not turning its just the gear is not retracting back away from the flex plate.

I hit it with the hammer a few times and still would not retract. New starter Tuff Stuff 6124B, new Toms Offroad 164 tooth flex plate and new separator plate. All should be compatible.

https://www.tuffstuffperformance.co...ction-starter-2-bolt-mounting-zinc-6124b.html

https://tomsoffroad.com/CartAdd.do?orderProductCodes=4050&orderProductQuantities=1

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BSDTLYJV/?tag=classicbroncos-20

I decided to install my old starter. It turns over the motor fine but also gear stuck to flexplate. I hit the old starter with a big hammer and the gear retracts.

I believe Ford starters dont require shims, but Im at a loss and no other ideas.

If I can figure this issue out, it would be great win as I have other bigger issues with the swap to deal with.

Thanks,

 

[Yeller]

If it is not retracting when it starts you have a problem, as been recently discussed, sticking with no start is pretty common, especially for a gear reduction starter.

 

[ba123]

Yeah, I’d check while running and get those more pressing issues figured out.

 

[Ol'Blue]

Yeah, I’d check while running and get those more pressing issues figured out.

I dont want to run the motor while the starter gear is engaged to the flexplate as I might trash the flexplate. I think this is my first issue to address before the others.

 

[ba123]

I hear you but once the engine runs, it should disengage. It's the engine running that PUSHES the starter gear away (even though it retracts on it's own without any contact). You would've heard that above all other things if it had not. From my experience, that is LOUD.

You say it does the same thing with your old starter, then leave the old starter in there until you're sure or call Tom's and get their confirmation that they'll refund you if there is an issue with the flexplate.

I'm happy to give a name a good person I've interacted there with and if there is a problem, they'd want to know but I bet it's just not something you'd ever notice expect when not running.

There was a good discussion of all of this recently lemme find it...

SBF bendix not retracting w/o load.

Never looked at it from this angle... normally when the engine rotates faster than the bendix drive the bendix will retract as the engine starts. Question- With the engine hanging and the starter hooked up and if I hit the hot wire to the starter it cranks the engine but won't retract all the...

classicbroncos.com

 

[Ol'Blue]

I hear you but once the engine runs, it should disengage. It's the engine running that PUSHES the starter gear away (even though it retracts on it's own without any contact). You would've heard that above all other things if it had not. From my experience, that is LOUD.

You say it does the same thing with your old starter, then leave the old starter in there until you're sure or call Tom's and get their confirmation that they'll refund you if there is an issue with the flexplate.

I'm happy to give a name a good person I've interacted there with and if there is a problem, they'd want to know but I bet it's just not something you'd ever notice expect when not running.

There was a good discussion of all of this recently lemme find it...

http://[URL]https://classicbroncos....-not-retracting-w-o-load.320291/#post-3496776

[/URL]

Ok I see. Thanks for the reassurance and link. That makes sense. I should be able to fire it back up in the next couple of days to test the gear and troubleshoot other issues.

 

[Ol'Blue]

Ba123 you were right. The gear is retracting when the motor fires up. Great news in this list of bugs in the motor swap. Thanks !

 

[ba123]

Ba123 you were right. The gear is retracting when the motor fires up. Great news in this list of bugs in the motor swap. Thanks !

Awesome, so glad to hear! It’s so easy to overanalyze and notice things you aren’t sure are right when something else isn’t. You’d never look at your starter if your engine were running correctly.

Cheers!