4.0 manual swap done, starter grinding help

[Gallo]

Hello all,

I just replaced my swapped bad 4.0 OHV with an 8-BOLT crank 4.0 OHV out of my '97 ranger to my B2.

Decided to do a manual swap too, M5OD i believe out of a '95 ranger.

Engine started fine but i hear the starter grinding, i added some washers on the starter bolts to see if that would help but it didn't.

I compared the 6-bolt flywheel with mine and i can see that they're not exactly the same, the 8-bolt one will sits closer to the engine causing the bendix to not disengage correctly? i can't think of anything else (attached picture, 8-bolt FW is the one on the bottom)

I've been banging my head over this for 1 week, already dropped the trans twice, removed clutch etc. not being able to tell what the problem is.

Someone told me there should be a shim between the flywheel and the engine (i didn't know i needed one)

All the trans components came from the same truck, and i saw it working with no issues, clutch is new, pilot bearing, master and slave cilinders are new.
The only thing i had to buy somewhere else, was the 8-bolt flywheel. (long story)

Working on this thing has been giving me nothing but headaches i couldn't beging to tell ya, i'm so close to just light a match to it and let the bastard burn...

Does anyone know what the problem could be?
Thx all in advance

 

[franklin2]

I did a quick look on rockauto.

I looked up a 1996 4.0 ranger and a 1998 4.0 ranger. Both years if they were a manual transmission seem to take the same starter. Automatics take a different starter and it seems the early auto and the later auto starters may be different numbers.

 

[RobbieD]

All the trans components came from the same truck, and i saw it working with no issues, clutch is new, pilot bearing, master and slave cilinders are new.

Did you also use the starter from manual trans?

I know on earlier 4.0 OHVs there's two different starters, for manual or auto.

 

[2 bronco 11s]

Did you switch from auto to 5speed ? If you did , did you get the engine plate with the five speed set-up? The auto plate is different. Just a thought .

 

[Gallo]

Did you also use the starter from manual trans?

I know on earlier 4.0 OHVs there's two different starters, for manual or auto.

Yes i did

Did you switch from auto to 5speed ? If you did , did you get the engine plate with the five speed set-up? The auto plate is different. Just a thought .

You mean the separator plate that goes between the engine and trans? yes i did

Someone mentioned something about getting a 10 tooth starter drive bendix, are newer 4.0 manual starters different?

 

[Shran]

Yes i did


You mean the separator plate that goes between the engine and trans? yes i did

Someone mentioned something about getting a 10 tooth starter drive bendix, are newer 4.0 manual starters different?

The 10 tooth deal is not relevant with 4.0 starters, all of them that I have seen already have 10 tooth Bendix gears. That was only a problem back in the 80's with 2.8/2.9 starters, they occasionally would show up at parts stores with the wrong Bendix installed. Even that won't always fix the problem on those trucks, sometimes it is the separator plate that gets worn from loose bolts/starter moving around.

I would see if you can take some measurements on your flywheel depth and where your Bendix gear ends up when it protrudes out on your starter and compare that to a few other starters at a parts store to see if the depth is off somehow. My guess is it's either a depth problem stemming from the wrong starter & flywheel combo OR your separator plate isn't aligned correctly and the Bendix isn't fully engaging the flywheel teeth.

 

[CamTheHedgehog]

As far as I know, the starters for manual vs auto transmissions are different. I would double check, it may be different for the OHV motors, but for the SOHC they aren’t interchangeable.

 

[Gallo]

As far as I know, the starters for manual vs auto transmissions are different. I would double check, it may be different for the OHV motors, but for the SOHC they aren’t interchangeable.

Thx. I meant to say different between OHV and SOHC.. i'm using a manual starter

 

[Gallo]

ok i'm just told that the starters ARE different, the solution is to use a newer (98+) starter, it seems that the bendix drive gear is different...
thx all for your replies