I have a 68 Mustang with auto and 289..replaced the starter and won't turn engine over..The car original had a six cylinder in it, but I looked at a starter for a six cylinder for this year and it doesn't match..I got the car to start after I moved the fan and bottom pulley around..What gives?? Wrong starter???How do find out what tranny I have?? The starter only has two bolts on it verus the six cylinder which has three...Any help would be appreciated....thanks...
starter good, won't turn engine over
- Thread starter Pronkie
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pabear89
Active Member
You could have manual trans starter by mistake,
the auto trans starter will work (sometimes) on a manual.
But not the other way around a well.
PB
the auto trans starter will work (sometimes) on a manual.
But not the other way around a well.
PB
Pronkie said:
If you have shavings that means the started isn't engaging right. Sounds like you have the wrong starter. You need to figure out what tranny you have first. If you have an auto, it's either a C4 or an FMX. It could be a C6, but that's rare anymore.
I just thought of something, take the starter out and see if the motor will turn. If it does then the starter might be sitting to far into the flexpalte and actually hitting it. You can fix this with some spacers. I had some rubbing issues with mine and the spacers took care of it.
pabear89
Active Member
Pronkie said:
Autos have 157 tooth ringgear and manuals have 164 teeth,
the part #'s are only 1 off. you may have gotten the wrong one a week ago.
PB
So, when you turn the key does the starter motor spin at all?
Also, putting spacers in there will keep the gear from extending as far into the transmission as it was. If it is throwing too far that might help, but if it weren;t it could make it worse.
Also, putting spacers in there will keep the gear from extending as far into the transmission as it was. If it is throwing too far that might help, but if it weren;t it could make it worse.
Sorry to hi-jack this thread, but since it is related, I wanted to ask.
I have a 65 289 with 4 speed tranny (not sure exactly what type it is but I think it is a toploader). I don't know if it is original or if the car used to have an auto (data plate is missing). But the car starts fine when it is cold. After driving it for a bit if I shut it off and then go to restart it while still warm the starter will engage just for a second and then if the engine doesn't start immediately the starter will just spin without turning the engine over.
I haven't had it apart at all to inspect the starter or flywheel gears.
So basically what I need to do is when the car is warm and I go to start it, I have to give it a little gas and then it usually starts up for me first time. It is very embarrassing though if it doesn't start because then it takes a bunch of times to get it to go. Especially with a manual because usually I am rolling because I have the clutch pushed in...
Any help would be appreciated.
Pronkie, hope the spacers fix your prob.
I have a 65 289 with 4 speed tranny (not sure exactly what type it is but I think it is a toploader). I don't know if it is original or if the car used to have an auto (data plate is missing). But the car starts fine when it is cold. After driving it for a bit if I shut it off and then go to restart it while still warm the starter will engage just for a second and then if the engine doesn't start immediately the starter will just spin without turning the engine over.
I haven't had it apart at all to inspect the starter or flywheel gears.
So basically what I need to do is when the car is warm and I go to start it, I have to give it a little gas and then it usually starts up for me first time. It is very embarrassing though if it doesn't start because then it takes a bunch of times to get it to go. Especially with a manual because usually I am rolling because I have the clutch pushed in...
Any help would be appreciated.
Pronkie, hope the spacers fix your prob.
Well, tried to put spacers in, didn't help..Would start one time, then after that the starter would just spin...Took one spacer off each bolt, same result...I think this is the wrong starter for this car...Will check on what tranny and engine combo I have since they aren't a 68 model..Most likely its a C-4..saw the engine number when I removed the starter, should have written it down..Thanks again....
Pakrat
Founding Member
Just thought I would mention this since it could lead to your problem as well. The folk at Autozone are usually only as smart as their computer, so when searching for the right parts you really need to know what the setup of a newly acquired car was in stock form and not what it is for today. Let me give you an example, when I first got my car years ago he plugged in the make and model year then my engine size (302) and asked if it was a 2v or 4v as their computer showed both. Well it was now a 4v so that's what I said but they only offered a 2v in 69' so every single item on the screen came up as N/A. Because your car was a six originally lord only knows what particular year 289 was used as a donor for the car, heck, the previous owner may have even only thought it was a 289 and it really was a 302. You say your old starter did work? Can you trace that number back to a make and model?
My fiance and I did some research and we came up that the tranny in this 68 is a C-6 from an early 70's car...Haven't figured out what year the engine is, but still researching...The guys at Autozone gave me another starter for a "68 Mustang" again and it did start, though it sounds like its not the right one...So until it goes out or untill I figure out what year my engine is..just keep on trying.... Thanks for all the help...
Pronkie, I am having the same problem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
I have a 66 with a 302, C-4 trans, and a 157 tooth Flywheel. When I try to start my car it either spins the motor and makes a really bad grinding noise or the starter just spins without engaging the flywheel. At first I thought the correct flywheel was the 164 tooth, but now I know that's not the case. I have been asking a lot of questions to alot of people. Which flywheel is correct, which starter is correct, and so on. The next thing I will be checking tonight is the space between the bellhousing and the flywheel. It will either be 1/4 inch or 3/4 inch. Currenty I have a starter that engages the flywheel at 3/4 inch. Hopefully when I measure tonight it will require a 1/4 inch throw and my problem will be solved.
I have gone through 2 different rebuilt starters and if I still measure 3/4 inch tonight I might just go buy an expensive 3/4 high torq just to rule out a crappy rebuilt starter.
I will keep you posted!
Peter S.
I have a 66 with a 302, C-4 trans, and a 157 tooth Flywheel. When I try to start my car it either spins the motor and makes a really bad grinding noise or the starter just spins without engaging the flywheel. At first I thought the correct flywheel was the 164 tooth, but now I know that's not the case. I have been asking a lot of questions to alot of people. Which flywheel is correct, which starter is correct, and so on. The next thing I will be checking tonight is the space between the bellhousing and the flywheel. It will either be 1/4 inch or 3/4 inch. Currenty I have a starter that engages the flywheel at 3/4 inch. Hopefully when I measure tonight it will require a 1/4 inch throw and my problem will be solved.
I have gone through 2 different rebuilt starters and if I still measure 3/4 inch tonight I might just go buy an expensive 3/4 high torq just to rule out a crappy rebuilt starter.
I will keep you posted!
Peter S.
The only "68" that came with a C-6 would be a big block that I know of. And that tends to be a rare car. And you autozone doesn't really cary parts for a rare car at all. I would look into getting a starter for a vehicle like a bronco or something that actually came with a c-6 with a small block infront of it.
I had a 83 v6 stang and I couldn't ever get it right. My camaro and 68 stang starts great though. I heard a 67 fastback a few weeks ago start up and I could tell it was a ford. 
It had that dragging/loud sound. Make sure the engine plate isn't bent. If it spins, either the starter is way off on alignment (not hitting the teeth on flywheel) or is bad. If it grinds then it is a alignment issue. When the engine gets hot and it doesn't want to turn over its a current/timing issue. I went through purgatory with that v6. About 10 starters and a flywheel later it still done it. I shimmed/changed to different starters and nothing. I feel at some point the engine or tranny had been swapped out.
It had that dragging/loud sound. Make sure the engine plate isn't bent. If it spins, either the starter is way off on alignment (not hitting the teeth on flywheel) or is bad. If it grinds then it is a alignment issue. When the engine gets hot and it doesn't want to turn over its a current/timing issue. I went through purgatory with that v6. About 10 starters and a flywheel later it still done it. I shimmed/changed to different starters and nothing. I feel at some point the engine or tranny had been swapped out.OK this is really making no sence? Tonight when I got home I tried shiming my starter. I started out with an 1/8 shim and it did not help. I then went to 1/4 inch shim and it sounded PERFECT for about 5 starts. Then two hours later without changing anything it again sounds like crap.
This is really making no sence?
BTW my measurments were 3/4 inch.
This is really making no sence?
BTW my measurments were 3/4 inch.
Pronkie I believe I solved my problem which sounded exactly like yours. I've been working with this for a few montns now and believe it or not it may just be a weak battery. My car is NOT driveable so instead of buying a new battery for a car that is going to sit for a few years I'm using an old one. Yesterday before I went to work I put a charger on it. When I got home I pulled my car next to my 66 and jumped the battery from it. And believe it or not it now workes PERFECTLY! I tried it a few times when I got home and a few more time later last night. Everytime on a charger and jumped from my other car. I know the battery I am using is bad because I took it out of my 32 Ford Roadster just because it was going and is 8 years old.
I'll continue to test over the weekend and will let you know my results, but give it a try!
Peter S.
I'll continue to test over the weekend and will let you know my results, but give it a try!
Peter S.
Thanks for all the help, but after getting another starter from Autozone, the same problem came back...To get the car to start, I must turn the bottom pulley which turns the crank...I'm convinced this is the wrong starter for this car...Will work on it in a few months when I need to move it off my parent's drvieway..Will buy a starter from an early 70's Ford with a C-6 tranny{like a Torino}..Autozone says it special order , so might check somewhere else...Thanks again for all the helpful info....
Well, got the car back from the mechanic and he replaced the flywheel and yes, the starter...After replacing the flywheel, he tried using the starter I had..Autozone tested it and it was fine...but the mechanic installed it and it was the same problem, just kept binding up...He landed up figuring out that the starter was bad, even though Autozone said it was good...So the car is back on the road...
