BEFORE YOU BUY A LIGHT-WEIGHT STARTER **READ THIS POST-L@@K

[wsa111]

I JUST PURCHASED A PRO-TORQUE STARTER FROM ALTERSTART. BEFORE YOU INSTALL ANY NIPPONDENSO STARTER USING A SPECIAL NOSE ADAPTER, READ THE FOLLOWING.
THE ADAPTER GOES FROM A 3 HOLE MOUNT TO A 2 MOUNT. NO PROBLEM. THE ADAPTER ALSO HAD TO BE HAND FILED FOR CLEARANCE . IT HIT THE SIDE OF THE BLOCK & WOULD NOT SEAT INTO THE BELLHOUSING. NO PROBLEM. I THEN HAD TO FILE OR GRIND CLEARANCE FOR THE AUTO TRANS DIPSTICK MOUNT WHICH USES THE CENTER FASTENER. I USED A 5/16 SPACER TO PUT THE DIPSTICK TUBE IN PROPER POSITION JUST LIKE IT USED THE CENTER STARTER MOUNT BOLT.
THE NEXT PROBLEM WAS SEVERE INTERFERENCE FROM THE ADAPTER WHICH IN NOT CLEARANCED FOR THE PROPER CLEARANCE OF THE CONVERTER BOLTS AT THE FLEXPLATE.
B-E-W-A-R-E, BEFORE YOU BOLT THIS STARTER UP YOU WILL HAVE TO GRIND AN AREA 1/2 WIDE IN THE ARC THE CONVERTER BOLTS HIT THE ADAPTER.
LOOK AT YOUR STOCK STARTER NOSE & YOU WILL SEE WHERE IT HAS THE PROPER CLEARANCE. I FOUND OUT THE HARD WAY. THE CONVERTER BOLTS GROUND AN ARC IN THE ADAPTER.
THE STARTER IS NOW FANTASTIC,CRANKS OVER SUPER FAST & CAN BE ROTATED TO PROBABLY 10+ DIFFERENT POSITIONS TO CLEAR HEADERS OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
HOPE THIS POST WILL HELP OTHERS BEFORE THEY USE A LIGHT-WEIGHT STARTER. MY PLEASURE WILLIAM

 

[xctasy]

Thanks William. The Falcon Sedan with a cross-flow 4.1 with V8 tranmission conversion I'm using uses the stock V8 starter motor. It looks like it fits with no problem.

I was going to use my much smaller Cortina, but there was no space for the normal size V8 starter. So for this, becasue of the Mustang II-style stabilzer rod they ran, I've got to look for the CAE supplied Nippondenso.

The Castle Auto Electics company in Australia I believe pioneered the Toyota gear reduction starter swap, and there were two generic types, one for General Motors, one for Ford Windsor and Clevleand V8's. They are part numbers GR-2 for the Fords

Is this one the same as yours?

Mine will be a low mount starter, using the FMX/AOD/C5/C4 Truck 164 tooth starter.

Do you think the problems you may be having are related to the fact that these were designed as low mount starters , not for the high positon in most US 200's?

If the one you are using is the same, then the supply may be from the same source.

Just curious. A problem shared is a problem solved.

 

[MustangSix]

Do you have any photos? I bolted this one into the Locost this weekend. It is a 200 block with a C4.

I had to rotate the starter two holes to get the unit lined up the way I wanted, but it went in with no problem. No grinding or other alterations required and I simply rebent the tab on the dipstick to use the middle hole. Note that the lip on the adapter is not much thicker than the block plate and doesn't protrude far enough to make contact with the flexplate bolts.

I don't think the low mount/high mount has any bearing on it. The relative orientation of the two holes is the same. But the one variable is the quality of the adapter that's attached to the nose of these "universal starters.

There may be a difference between FE, Small block, and Big block 429/460 starter dimensions or it could be simply sloppy machining on some of these aftermarket noses.

 

[Anlushac11]

8)


Jack,

If I may be so bold but where did you find a lightweight gear reduction starter, how much was it, and where can I get one?

 

[MustangSix]

I found it on ebay. It was listed for an FE (390-428). It seems to work fine with my automatic; I haven't verified fit with a manual flywheel yet.

 

[Anlushac11]

8)

Im getting old and lazy and want to keep the C4 automatic behind my I6.

Good old ebay again. I'm beginning to think I should put a "Powered by Ebay" sticker on my car.

 

[wsa111]

XECUTE, THANKS FOR YOUR POST. YOUR SUPPLIER IN YOUR COUNTRY HAS THE NOSE CUT OUT SO THE CONVERTER BOLTS DON'T HIT THE NOSE. THE OTHER POST SHOWS A STARTER WHERE THE AREA ON THE FLEXPLATE SIDE IN NOT CUT OUT IN A HALF MOON CIRCLE. THE RAISED PART WHERE YOU CAN ADJUST POSITION LOOKS LOWER THAN MINE. ALL I CAN TELL YOU THE CONVERTER BOLTS CUT A .060 GROOVE DEEP. THEN I TOOK MY GRINDER & GROUND OUT THE AREA OF INTERFERENCE. I'LL CALL ALTERSTART & ADVISE THEM OF THEIR PROBLEM. WILLIAM

 

[wsa111]

JACK, WHAT BRAND STARTER IS THAT, I SEE A DECAL ON THE STARTER MOTOR??
LOOKS LIKE THE NOSE OF YOUR STARTER IS MACHINED AROUND THE CIRCUMFERENCE FOR PROPER CLEARANCE & THE NOSE IS AT LEAST 1/8 INCH SHORTER THAN THE ONE I PURCHASED FROM ALTERSTART.
IT REALY TICKS ME OFF WHEN I HAVE TO DO THE ENGINEERING WORK FOR A PROFESSIONAL STARTER BUSINESS.
AFTER MY FIX ON THIS STARTER IT WORKS TO PERFECTION. THE RANGE OF ADJUSTMENT IS THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS. V/R WILLIAM

 

[Anonymous]

how does that starter compare to this one at half the cost?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2478250216&category=33576

 

[MustangSix]

The one for the Mustang will not work. The solenoid is oriented so that it hits the block on a high-starter 200. It should work on a 250 or BB200.

Bill,
Not sure of the brand. Mine had no sticker on it. BTW, thanks for the update. I guess I got lucky. There appears to be some differnece in sizes on the nose adapter from one brand to the next.