I'm completing a T5 trans installation in my 1951 Ford Coupe with the Flathead. The original engine and starter were performing perfect until I tore trans and clutch apart to follow the prescribed T5 installation. Those that have done this know I had to use the truck bellhousing to accept the T5 Adapter (in my case Cornhusker). So far O.K. with usual hiccups. I first cranked it up and got horrible starter noise and it locked up. I pulled starter and went over it very thoroughly. Bendix is working as it should and armature spins O.K. I reinstalled starter and cranked it up again. HELL OF A RACKET , but gear must have engaged flywheel because it spun the engine and it fired up. I tried again with same results: LOUD RATTLING and engine fired and rattling stopped. Not sure where to go from here... I never messed with flywheel. Just replaced clutch disc for diff T5 splines. Doubt if this effected anything. IS IT POSSIBLE TO INSTALL STARTER UPSIDE DOWN? That might be with hot cable post on bottom of starter instead of "on top" under exhaust manifold. Can this effect operation? Sorry this is so long, but I'm lost on this. Thanks.
does that different bellhousing space the starter away from the flywheel differently than the other one you took off?
It is possible that you have the wrong "starter plate" for your bell. Try here: www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/flathead_trans-adapters.htm
Have you looked inside the bellhousing through the starter hole to see if there's evidence of interference? Maybe the different bellhousing ring is getting rubbed by the Bendix? The usual mixup between starter plates is on the full bellhousing. Can the truck ring even have the wrong plate bolt up to it?
Is this an 8ba or 59A style motor? Did you change the fly wheel? They have different location of ring gear.
Do a search on here. Don't remember who did it but there's an excellent thread with tons of pics of ALL the different BH and starter plates. Very helpful.
I am having the same problem with my 40 Ford's 59AB and T5 setup. Just switched out the clutch disk and p-plate and my starter will lock up and no amount of rocking will allow it to function again. Remove it and re-install it or just push start the car and the starter will start the motor, make a racket on each successful start, and then at some point lock up again. What I am thinking is that somehow the pitch of the starter to the ring gear have changed maybe/somehow or the amount of engagement by the starter is not deep enough to the ring gear to engage properly? What I might try doing is shimming the starter bolts allowing it to engage "deeper". I will use a thin SS washer first. I have not done this yet but what I have done is completely blow away a 12-volt Powermaster starter after 1.5 days of use. It would just spin and not engage - the original 6-volt units I could at least re-use as stated above. Keep me posted on your project .... The situation is compeltely agravating since nothing else changed except as I stated, similar to your situation.
http://fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=91793 http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...arter-plate-pdf-is-ready-for-download.183227/
If you used the '51 starter plate, the starter is now at an angle with the ring gear, as the '49-'51 Ford car starter plates are "angled" to match the lower angle of their stamped steel bell housings. You need a "flat" truck starter plate. This link should help. http://www.flatheadv8.org/bellhousing.pdf
V8 BOB: You da Man! (If you are the same V8 Bob that put the above link together.) All very comprehensive. Also after much research this week, I looked over the Van Pelt site and they are complete with part numbers. It looks like I need a 8RT6366-A Cover Plate, but it gets confusing because that number "converts" to a 8CM6366-C Cover Plate. I have the cast Truck Bellhousing with "ears" for mounting screws. NOW, I have to locate where to BUY one. Since they are stamped steel, I would hope somebody is making re-pop copies. (Waiting for reply from WILCAP) Any suggestions, anyone ? Thanks again!
I ran into this problem with a C4 kit from flat-O-matic. Had the cast truck bell housing ring and a plate that came with it. The plate had an indentation pressed into it toward the flywheel which rubbed on the torque converter bolts. I looked around and found there is another starter plate that is perfectly flat, got one and it cured the problem. Never could get a stock starter to work with this setup and ended up buying a power master starter which worked. The flat starter plate is also a truck piece with the 8RT part number on it. Don't know why there are more than one starter plate for the truck bell housings but there are.
The indented starter plate is used on '49-'50 Mercury's with a stamped steel bell housing. The Merc flywheel uses a Borg & Beck clutch and is shaped a little differently on the engine side.
Somewhere (I can't remember where) I saw that somebody is milling new covers to go with the bellhousing rings. Sorry I'm not more help.
The flat but indented truck starter plate allows for an aluminum dust seal that may have been used on some F-1s, but is normally found on the heavier duty F-2 and up trucks. The normal '48-'52 F-1 truck plate is totally flat. This same plate, with the addition of a angle bracket, was used on '49-'50 Mercurys. The angle bracket bolts to the three studs on the Merc oil pans. Refer to the link in my previous post for pictures and info of these parts and much more.
TO ALL WHO COMMENTED ON THIS THREAD: FYI I'm happy to report after more research, FLAT - O in Salem, OR sells the plate Alchemy may be referring to. It was not cheap, but it worked perfectly on the truck bell housing. Gene up there can fix you up. Starter problem solved. (Now I've still got to deal with the stupid clutch slave cylinders for the T-5.)
The Jalopy Journal
