ford fe starter index question

[wrench87]

rick, i am fortunate the engine is not in the car yet i just installed the flywheel and bellhousing i wanted to make sure the starter would work before i installed the clutch. you have to run the block plate and it has a fixed hole so i dont understand how i can fix the mesh problem. steve

so are you saying the mesh problem could be because the gear is either to far or to close and by clearancing the hole on the block plate you were able to move the starter closer?, so now the only thing holding the starter is the 2 threaded holes on the bellhousing?.

[wrench87]

here are 3 pictures of my starter the 3rd one i have the drive fully extended with a pair of plyers what do you think?.

[patrickt]

There must be some sort of miscommunication between you and Rick. The block plate does not affect how the starter engages the flywheel. The flywheel is still in the same place with or without a block plate and your starter bolts up evenly with the block -- so a block plate that's in between the two is not going to make a difference in the distance.

[elmariachi]

Originally Posted by patrickt

There must be some sort of miscommunication between you and Rick. The block plate does not affect how the starter engages the flywheel. The flywheel is still in the same place with or without a block plate and your starter bolts to the block -- so a block plate that's in between the two is not going to make a difference in the distance.

Well your engine is different than mine then. My 427 Powermaster starter bolts through the block plate and into the Lakewood bell housing. it is clocked so that the cables and their lugs point straight out horizontally away from the block.

[patrickt]

I'm sorry, I meant to write "bolts up evenly." Here's a shot of mine -- does your starter actually pass back behind the plane of the block?

[patrickt]

See? Even if my block plate was five times as thick as it is, my starter would still engage the flywheel exactly the same (other things would be off, but not the starter/flywheel engagement).