Starter too far away from flexplate?

[mjdriver]

Hi guys im getting pretty frustrated here, was wondering if anyone can help. Trying to do a first start on fresh rebuilt 360. Starter will spin the engine over a little than starts grinding on the flexplate. Starter gear appears to be pretty far away from the flexplate. The starter came with the rig when i bought it, its a reman. Thinking about picking up a new starter just to see what happens. 1973 j2000 360/ th400


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[Stuka]

Sounds like the pinion isnt shooting forward like it should. When not starting, the starters pinion should NOT be touching the flexplate. When you hit start, the pinion should shoot forward to engage with the flex plate.

You may need to pull the start and give it 12V on a bench to see if the pinion is shooting out. If it isn't, you most likely need another starter.

[mjdriver]

Sounds like the pinion isnt shooting forward like it should. When not starting, the starters pinion should NOT be touching the flexplate. When you hit start, the pinion should shoot forward to engage with the flex plate.

You may need to pull the start and give it 12V on a bench to see if the pinion is shooting out. If it isn't, you most likely need another starter.

Well i replaced the starter, thought i had it then started grinding again. Seems to be the flexplate couse if i turn the motor some it'll catch again. I did start it and break in the cam. Called it quits for now. Might look at it some more tommorow. I still find it odd the starter looks like its only engaging like a 1/4 of the flexplate with the gear out. No way to move starter any closer that i can see.

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[230ohc]

It is sometimes possible to install a flex plate backwards, basically changing the offset of the ring gear. some crankshaft have a one way pattern to avoid this but I don't know if that's the case on your 360. Also I've seen cracked flex plates around the mounting flange causing loss of contact with starter with full rotation. Maybe torque convertor isn't seated/mounted properly either forcing closer and further to starter

[230ohc]

Having had a second look at the Pic, I'd say your flex plate is damaged . What is that protruding off toward the torque convertor?

[mjdriver]

Having had a second look at the Pic, I'd say your flex plate is damaged . What is that protruding off toward the torque convertor?

Im actually not sure, its a bad pic ill have to take another look, the grey stuff on the teeth is grease. Flex plate is on right and converter is spaced per instuctions. Flex plate was new bedore the starter ground on it and chipped 1/4 of a tooth off. I did some research and found some forum posts with the same issue, starter only engaging 1/4 of the ring gear. It seems its something with the starters getting re built with ford nose cones or something. You might be alright running stock compression, im around 12:1. So i bought a powermaster starter, figured I'd need it anyway, i am hoping it will engage the ring gear better and i might get away with leaving the flex plate. Will report back when starter comes in.

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[babywag]

this thing have funky nailhead adapter setup?
might have wrong "new" parts...

[mjdriver]

this thing have funky nailhead adapter setup?
might have wrong "new" parts...

Nope, trans has amc bell housing. No adapter, just block plate. Its like the ring gear on the flex plater was welded on too far rear- ward.

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[babywag]

Could be incorrect starter. There are different nose cone lengths if the wrong one is used they chew up the flexplate.
It's gotten me and several others. Is this a reman starter?

[mjdriver]

Could be incorrect starter. There are different nose cone lengths if the wrong one is used they chew up the flexplate.
It's gotten me and several others. Is this a reman starter?

Yes, autozone "premium"

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[babywag]

Often it's the wrong nosecone used when rebuilt, making the starter too short to fully engage the flexplate.
It chews/destroys the flexplate. There was a recent discussion on ifsja about this.

http://www.ifsja.org/forums/vb/showthread.php?t=186029

[mjdriver]

Here is the damage...

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[candymancan]

Wagoneers used two starters i know that.. the grand wagoneers from like 89 and up used smaller starters.. The older ones used really big fat ones.. The oil pan changed in the last few years as well... I got an oil pan from an 87 or was it an 88 i forgot one of the two years. and it wouldnt fit on my 90 due to the starter being in the way.

No idea why they changed this in the last few years but whatever...

Perhaps you have one of the two starters im reffering too and you need the other one

[mjdriver]

Wagoneers used two starters i know that.. the grand wagoneers from like 89 and up used smaller starters.. The older ones used really big fat ones.. The oil pan changed in the last few years as well... I got an oil pan from an 87 or was it an 88 i forgot one of the two years. and it wouldnt fit on my 90 due to the starter being in the way.

No idea why they changed this in the last few years but whatever...

Perhaps you have one of the two starters im reffering too and you need the other one

The late model starters have a different pinion tooth count. Made to work with the late model 727 flexplate.

I ended up having the starter bracket face turned down 3/16, had to shave the eyebrow down some to clear the converter bolt heads. So far so good, the pinion is now engaging the ring gear fully. Have about 6 starts on it so far no issues.

Before and after pics-

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[datherto]

It looks like it has been a few years since you modified your starter to solve the problem. Did the fix last??? I am going on my 4th flex plate and 5th or 6th starter … it’s now obvious every starter out there seems to not be engaging enough. I am contemplating doing the same modification you did…. So just wondering if the Fix lasted

[Stuka]

It looks like it has been a few years since you modified your starter to solve the problem. Did the fix last??? I am going on my 4th flex plate and 5th or 6th starter … it’s now obvious every starter out there seems to not be engaging enough. I am contemplating doing the same modification you did…. So just wondering if the Fix lasted

He has not been active since 2022. He likely won't get a notification of your question unless you quote his post. Assuming he has them enabled.

What year/engine is your FSJ? As noted above, there are years that had an adapter on the crank shaft and used a different flexplate because of it.

[tgreese]

It looks like it has been a few years since you modified your starter to solve the problem. Did the fix last??? I am going on my 4th flex plate and 5th or 6th starter … it’s now obvious every starter out there seems to not be engaging enough. I am contemplating doing the same modification you did…. So just wondering if the Fix lasted

First post - welcome from Boston.

Please realize that these vehicles were in production for nearly 30 years successively under the ownership of Kaiser and AMC and Chrysler corporations. Each era has its own drive train combinations and changes in major parts. Year, model, equipment? Matters a lot.

My suggestion would be to look up in the factory parts book for the factory part number of your factory starter. These books are available, either free to read and download online, or for some years inexpensive to purchase. Then see if the starter you have claims to cover that part number.