Someone Please Help Me...
 

I NEED some major help please, before i lite my car on fire..i have a 87 5.0 i just did the clutch..i put everything back together and attempted to start it and now the starter is grinding the flywheel, and sometimes missing it..it seems like the starter is not reaching it..i am almost 100% sure i put everything back together right and had no extra parts(which is always good) and its not the starter cause i put 3 of them n and they all do the same thing..is there supposed to be shims behind the flywheel that i am missing, or...i dont know.can someone please help me??

Not sure if this helps any but this is a problem I had-
I put in a 11" ram clutch set up in my 79 mustang, but it used to have a 10 1/2" centerforce. When I got it all installed the starter was always in contact with the flywheel. I did not notice this untill about 5 minuts after the car running when it made a nasty grinding noise. I had to shim out the starter 1/2" to make it work and that created header clearence problems but that is a different story.
It seems kind of odd that it wouldn't reach the flywheel because the starter gear comes way out when the key is turned. It may be hitting the side of the flywheel and spinning and grinding and not making good contact. It is hard to tell though, it is something I would have to see.

You got something out of whack! Unlike bowties, Ford doesn't use shims on starters, instead they build quality stuff that fits.
Check the bellhousing bolts first, make sure they're all tight and the tranny isn't kicked at an angle.
After that, I'd make sure you don't have the flywheel on backwards, ie wrong side facing the back of the block.

Good luck!

there shouldnt be any problems if u put everything back together the same way it came out i just put my car back together....no problems at all make sure the starter is bolted all the way onto the bell housing...and every thing should be ok as long as the bellhousing is bolted to the block right, what i guess i am trying to say is double check everything and u should be ok


later
raini

I was going to say that too, but I didn't think that you could put the fly on backwards due to the way the center of the fly 'bows' out towards the crank. I wouldn't think the bolts would be long enough to reach the crank, but who knows? Plus, I don't think the clutch would bolt up right either.

Are you sure the bell is bolted up all the way against the block?

Just some thoughts.

E

still stuck....
 

ok..i just read your replys and thank you for trying to help...my tranny isnt even up yet so i know its not slanted...my bellhousing is tight and is in perfect place..and i did check my flywheel and it only fits one way with the bolt pattern..so i have no idea...i have checked everything like 5 times now..it doesnt make sense...im so frustrated..