M5OD swap - starter problem

[chrisser]

I have an M5OD swapped onto my 2.9

Used the flywheel from the donor Explorer 4.0 M5OD and a 4.0 manual starter I got off ebay.

When I start the truck, the starter doesn't disengage.

After verifying my modified wiring, I pulled the starter.

The back of the flywheel is almost touching the plate that goes between the engine and trans. When I look at the starter, there's no way the gear will retract far enough into the starter to clear the flywheel.

I looked at the flexplate from the automatic and there's a spacer that went behind it. Seems it would be exactly right to push the flywheel out where it needs to be.

Did I need that spacer on the manual flywheel?

Do I have the wrong flywheel?

Or did the ebay seller sell me a starter for an automatic 4.0?

Even though it would be an expensive mistake, I'm kinda hoping I have the wrong starter, as it's the easiest thing to fix...

Any advice?

 

[BabyBronco89]

It's the wrong starter!!! I accidentally installed a 4.0 auto starter which will work for a manual 2.9 as the ring gear are the same size, but the bigger 4.0 clutch needs the 4.0 manual starter as the gear doesn't engage as far as the auto..

Once I got the 4.0 manual starter the difference was apparent.

Get the 4.0 man starter


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[chrisser]

I did some searching with Google images.

I got the wrong starter.

Going to see if I can get a junkyard one in the morning to get me by until payday since they're $150 at the part store.

 

[BabyBronco89]

If you could buy just the cast nose piece, the rest of the starter is the same the manual one I ended up haveing a bad solinoids, all the parts were interchangeable


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[chrisser]

If you could buy just the cast nose piece, the rest of the starter is the same the manual one I ended up haveing a bad solinoids, all the parts were interchangeable


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Thanks for that info. I'm going to keep the old one as a spare then. We have some rural property that's pretty remote - leaving the starter there might be a lifesaver some day. Of course, I can always pop start the Ranger since it has a stick - assuming I'm on a hill...

There weren't any donors at the junkyard today. No explorers with sticks, and all the rangers with sticks were 4 cylinders. So I picked one up from Advance. It's a reman, but has a lifetime warranty. And there's an Advance close to our rural place and I know from experience my warranty will be in the database there if I need it. Only real plus dealing with a national chain for parts.

I don't know if this does any good, but my Sierra has a similar starter with the braided copper connecting the solenoid to the motor. I've had two of them die because that copper braid corroded away. So I've started coating that braid with liquid electrical tape that you can get at Home Depot. Doing the same with this one for the Ranger. Don't know if it will make a difference, but it's cheap insurance here in the salt belt. The Ranger is a heckuva lot easier to remove and replace than the Sierra, thank goodness.

Just about to put it in and see how it goes, but just looking at it, I believe it will work just fine.

Sure appreciate the help...