[Z-Money Pit]

I am having a problem with the starter on my Ford 302. It is a brand new "Powermaster" unit that was working just fine for the first day. Then suddenly, it began to make a whining / spinning sound and no longer turned the engine over. Well, I read through several posts on this message board and felt that the bendix was bad. With that said, I installed another new starter that I purchased off of ebay. I turned the key and the same thing happened. It sounds as if the starter is spinning but not making contact with the flexplate. When you release the key you hear the spinning of the starter wind down to a stop. Is there something I am missing or is there a chance I got two "New" starters that are out of commission.

[cabowabo]

do they have any adjustment to them i know i got one for my sbc and it had 5 adjustment holes to bolt on
i know yours is a ford that should just bolt up with the two bolts
see if the mounting block needs to be turned around maybe the like mine its slightly off center
if not i guess i would make a call to powerbuilt and get some tech help

[Z-Money Pit]

There are no visable areas that I can make adjustments with.

[ckucia]

Is the solenoid wired correctly and working?

I haven't played with a starter in a long time, but IIRC, the solenoid has to push the starter gear forward on the starter shaft to make contact with the flywheel/flexplate teeth.

If the solenoid isn't working, all the starter will do is spin on its own.

[Deuce]

Originally Posted by Z-Money Pit

It sounds as if the starter is spinning but not making contact with the flexplate.

I suggest you turn the engine some by hand ... a pull handle on the crank bolt will do ... and get the flywheel in a different place. I suspect that MAYBE the flywheel has a bad place in it ...

[docvette]

Doc here,

Pull the starter, leave it wired up.. lock it in place with a Vise or similar device, use a jumper cable for ground connection, and carefully have someone hit "Start" the starter should spin up ... AND the Bendix should thrust forward..

If you have that..the starter , solenoid, and electrical are BASICALLY working.

Inspect the flex plate as Deuce outlined..you probably have missing or cracked teeth. BE sure the Engine is not seized up.

Why Did you Change the starter in the first place?

Doc

[weirdbeard]

It could just need some shims to bring it down a lil closer to the flywheel.. Sometimes the starter will work a couple times and then get torqued the wrong way and not engage. Probably not that.... I like the broken teeth idea..

[Z-Money Pit]

The starter was changed when I installed the engine. The truck was going through a "frame off" so I changed everything I could get to including the starter and the flexplate. I will try doc's idea of leaving it wired up and bumping the starter to see if that is working properly. If so, I will progress to the condition of the flexplate. Thanks again for your advice.