Help! Starter installation giving me fits!

[P72Ford]

My dad just did the starter in my car. I did it probably two years ago (when we first got the car). I can't remeber the deal exactly, but it wasn't hard to do at all (as you know); I too believe that you have some other problem going on. I don't remember there being any hassle at all.

Also, what happened to the starter? The old whirr, whirr? Might want to check if you're missing any teeth on the flywheel while your in there. That ended up being the cause with mine; it kept chewing up the little gear on the starter drive.

Now that you've stepped away from it for a while, maybe you'll have more luck.

[86VickyLX]

take a break, come back to it when you got your nerve back

[gadget73]

How about just unbolting the chassis brace thats in the way? Only a few bolts to remove it.

[Nathan in MI]

Also, what happened to the starter? The old whirr, whirr?

Yep.

Might want to check if you're missing any teeth on the flywheel while your in there.

Did that.

Now that you've stepped away from it for a while, maybe you'll have more luck.

Doubt it.

How about just unbolting the chassis brace thats in the way? Only a few bolts to remove it.

You mean, like, that thingie that's holding the engine up?

[gadget73]

you're getting hung up on the 1" round pipe looking thing, right? just unbolt it. its a chassis brace. The actual engine crossmember is welded in to the frame, no way to unbolt that. If thats not what you're stuck on, try sticking a jack under the engine and picking up on it a bit. Could be the engine mounts are so dead its sitting in there wrong.

[Nathan in MI]

The actual engine crossmember is welded in to the frame, no way to unbolt that.

That's my problem.

I'll just give it another shot today...*sigh*

[Pirate]

Yeah, just unbolt the front crossmember, it will go in faster.

A suggestion? Get all of your tools onto a tray, get the car jacked up, and ready to work on, and then go back into the house, bringing the new starter and tools with you. Get warmed up, make sure the starter is house temp, and then go try again. Something about the cold screws me up when working on cars, occasionally I just have to step away from it.

Another problem? You might have a HD starter that is larger in diameter, just enough, to where it won't fit in there, or a manual-tranny starter from a late F150 or so (they are slightly different).
Another suggestion? Buy a 1991-up 5.0 starter, with the solenoid attached, it takes up less room (you will have to extend the 'starter activate' wire, and move the starter cable from the 'starter' side of the fender-mount solenoid, to the 'battery' side).

[Nathan in MI]

Well, I finally got it in, with some help from the Mang upstairs. You can poo poo it all you want, but the facts are these: I fought with it all day yesterday with zero success, and then I said a quick prayer before I went out today, and it went in with very little problem. Other than that, I really can't explain what changed, because I didn't do much of anything different.

Also, I want to apologize to everyone for my bad attitude yesterday--everyone was doing their best to help me out, and I really do appreciate it, even if it didn't appear that way at the time. I'm sure you've all been in that situation, though, so I hope you understand. Thanks, fellas.

[1987cp]

Hey, no problem. Reminds me of last summer when my LTD's original starter finally called it quits in the parking lot at the local Home Depot. Had to call my Ford-hating mother-in-law to give us a lift back to the apartment so I could take the Cavalier to the parts store to buy a starter, and then go back to the parking lot so I could get funny looks from the yuppies coming out of the store. I had an easier time than with previous starter swaps because I replaced the starter cable while I was at it and just tucked it up over the crossmember and didn't hook it up till the starter was in. Seriously, that starter cable is the bane of starter installation - you can't attach it once the starter's in, but there's not really enough slack to maneuver the thing with it attached.

Man, was it still greasy and gross under there, though ... especially with it sitting on the ground with no jack, I got to get nice and friendly with the undercarriage ......

[85crownHPP]

mmmmmmmmmmm grime........

[1987cp]

I'll have to try taking some pictures one of these days. I have never seen grime nastier than under that car.

[86VickyLX]

Had to call my Ford-hating mother-in-law to give us a lift back to the apartment

Ha that must have been a hell of a ride. Bet she gave you all kinds of shit going there.

[1987cp]

Actually, I was impressed; she did pretty well. Of course, her husband was the same guy who acted convinced that no vehicle older than 5 years could possibly be reliable, and then gave that line of talk up entirely after riding in and seeing under the hood of that same car. :shrugs: :p

[Pirate]

Well, I finally got it in, with some help from the Mang upstairs. You can poo poo it all you want, but the facts are these: I fought with it all day yesterday with zero success, and then I said a quick prayer before I went out today, and it went in with very little problem. Other than that, I really can't explain what changed, because I didn't do much of anything different.

Also, I want to apologize to everyone for my bad attitude yesterday--everyone was doing their best to help me out, and I really do appreciate it, even if it didn't appear that way at the time. I'm sure you've all been in that situation, though, so I hope you understand. Thanks, fellas.

(Que thunder and lightning, torrential rains, and a stampeding herd of tens of thousands of large hamsters...)"...and God reached down from up high in the Heavens, reaching forth with His Mighty Hand....and helped Nathan with a little wiggle to help align the starter!"

Yep. That did it.

[interceptor1985]

I stayed out of this one since he's got a 351 and not a 302 and did not know if the same jiggle was needed....I guess it was!.....My Jeep uses almost the same starter..It is a ford piece and I also need a small jiggle in the right spot in order to get it up in there...It IS although a little harder for me...I have an axle in the way and the starter is like 20 lbs and cold...and the size of a football..lol I'm exaggerating a bit but that is exactly what it feels like working on the thing.