JD730

I've been working on my neighbors '49 ****** Jeester with a 1966 289/C4 in it for a while now. The body is at the body shop getting painted.
We where going to try and start it on Sunday, spent the morning prepping it as it is a new engine.

I get it wired enough to run it and pre-oiled. I hook the starter up and go to crank it and I hear the starter run. Its not engaging the ring gear, looks like the pinion gear on the starter is too small in diameter.

Started looking at what starter he ordered and what its supposed to fit, its supposed to work with 157 and 164 tooth ring gears. We both count 168 teeth on the ring gear, both of them, the one that was in there before when i separated the engine and trans for rebuilding and the new one that was put in there.

Please don't tell me no such thing exists because we both counted it and it is the original flexplate, has FoMoCo stamped right in it.

Any ford 289 guru's out there that have a thought on this dilemma.

As it stands right now a new starter is on the way that should have the correct pinion gear on it, we'll see. Wish we had the stock one, but we don't.

Thanks,
Mike

JD730

Update: the installed flex plate is 157 teeth, neighbor just called to tell me that. He's going to count the other one again, maybe we both made mistakes counting it yesterday.