351W starter issues

[padi7777]

Guys and Gals,
I have a 351 W crate engine. I replaced the starter and occasionally it doesn't fully engage the flywheel. I crawled underneath and took the starter off last night to find abrasion on the flywheel teeth and on that of the starter. A closer examination of the starter revealed it appears to not fully seat inside the opening in at the front of the tranny. I already broke one overtightening it.....
Could this be the issue with it not engaging??? or could there be something I am missing? the starter will work properly 9 out of 10 times...then you get that ugly sound of metal on metal....If you keep trying (not that i have) it will eventually engage the flywheel and start the car. The previous starter didn't do this...and the engine has less than 200 miles on it...
I was kinda curious if there was a sepcial starter for the engine that perhaps had a longer shaft to more readily engage the starer.....

 

[mr_woodster]

What tooth count flywheel are you using? What year bell housing from what application?

 

[10secgoal]

I'd check to make sure it's the right one, but 50% of the new starters we put in you we have to open the hole a few thou to get the damn thing in.

 

[padi7777]

That is what I ended up doing....I took out the air Dremel. Funny thing is, the thing starts the car 19 out of 20 times...and then you get a painful metal on metal grind....
I have a powermaster in my floor right now. Going to go home and try that out. The flywheel has 157 teeth...but not real sure on the bellhousing....next time I will do the crap myself and not depend on someone else to install and then not tell me what they did. Course, I had it installed, went to Iraq and 10 months later started tinkering with the car.....by then the dudes didn't remember what they did....and frankly, I don't blame them....have the time I walk to the bathroom and if it were not for the "urge" I would forget why i was there

 

[padi7777]

pics of my situation

One pic is from the OEM starter from Advance auto......the one they said was a "direct fit" and the other is the 199 buck performance one that didn't fit either....
The bellhousing is Tremec..best that i can tell....
As you can see, the starter won't seat in the hole and sits caty wancus on the right side if you are looking from the engine toward the rear of the car. Incidently, this is also the engagement side. The only thing I can think of is that it is because of the tremec bellhousing...but no idea at this point.....HELP!!!

 

[96 DOHC Cobra]

Isn't it possible you have a "automatic" starter in place of a "manual" one?

 

[padi7777]

96 DOHC Cobra,
Anything is possible at this point
I just spoke the the people who I had install the engine....They gave me a part number of the starter they used (would have been nice if they would have given me that when I left). I believe they used a late model bellhousing and flywheel...which could mean I have a different tooth pattern....I have considered driving this car through the front door of the installers....but that wouldn't be too Christian like.....Lesson learned...WAIT TILL YOU GET BACK FROM IRAQ..AND INSTALL THE ENGINE YOURSELF....as a celebration of legs

 

[96 DOHC Cobra]

If they used a late model bellhousing, they had to use a 157-tooth flywheel. A 164-tooth wouldn't even fit, and the starter would NEVER engage. Why not go to your local parts store and compare a manual against an automatic starter and see. One of them has a little extra meat in that area and won't seat fully. I had the same problem a LOOONG time ago.

 

[padi7777]

well...finally solved the issue..but it required me to call the shop that installed my tranny....which required me to eat my pride....
They gave me a parts number for advance auto 3980..Tried to get advance auto to give me some specifics about the part to "backwards engineer" things...but she was like 18..and had no car knowledge. So...all I could do was compare the new and old when i get it home. The new one looks like the shaft is about a 1/4 inch longer...and it has engaged to this point beautifully....
Thank you to all who replied trying to help!!! Maybe this info will assist someone else....

 

[woodsnake]

I know that when I had my T5 installed, the guys had to switch to a modern, PMGR mustang starter, in order for it all to fit.

The starter that I had in it was BRAND NEW. Oh well, the price we pay for being cool.....