Starter/Transmission spacer/alignment plate

[aeidian]

Where can I get a new plate for my 89 Ranger 2.9 FM146 Transmission 4x4? Looking for the plate that goes between the starter and transmission bellhousing. I ****ed mine up when I did a trans swap and half ass put it back in there. I think it didn't align the starter right and ate the teeth off the new flywheel I put on as the starter spins without engaging the flywheel teeth, like it's not close enough to mesh. It started for about a week or two after I did the swap, but sounded very very very bad. Couple times the starter wouldn't disengage even after turning the key off, just kept trying to turn the motor over. Alot of other vehicles I've worked on had plastic starter gears, so when they ground, it ate the starter gear and not the ring gear. I miss those cars. I'm going to have to pull the transmission and redo this again I think. Anyone know where I can get a new plate at? I'll go to the scrap yard if I have to, but I'd like to just order a new one, I don't think they can be that expensive, right?

 

[oldcarlover2]

I want to tell you what I figured out. On my 93 I ruined starters, flywheels and got the weird starter sound like it was not in. I backed out the engine- trans. bolts so the spacer was loose and aligned the started then tighten the starter first with the plate loose. Then I tightened the engine -trans. bolts. The starter will align the spacer plate correctly. I also had to take a top bolt out to get the plate to slide in without fighting it. My plate was bent around the starter hole, so I hammered it out and filed it.