Hi Everyone,

I just bought a 66 mustang coupe with a 289 in it. When the guy showed it to me, it started but turned over slow but cranked. I bought it and he left. I went to leave in it and the battery was almost dead and did not start. So I went to Walmart and bought a new battery that goes for it. Put it in and went to start it. The started spins but does not engage to turn over the engine. I see the fan blade barely budging any and you hear the starter just a spinning. I moved the car in gear to turn the fly wheel (3 speed in the floor) and tried again thinking it could be a place in the flywheel and same thing. It turned over very slow with the other battery but now onlyh the starter spins and it looks like a new starter along with solenoid and wires.

Why would it turn over with an almost dead battery but only spin the starter with a new battery? It's like the starter will not engage the flywheel.

Thanks,

Warren

 

One other question - If I'm not getting enough amps to the starter, will it still spin but not engage and start? All the cables look good except for the grand battery cable. I might try to replace that one first and go from there.

 

If the starter engages the wheel, and sounds like it's spinning, but only moves the crank a small amount, the bendix on the starter is trashed.

 

Thanks for the tip - I don't know if it is really engaging and moving the crank any. I hear it try to engage at times and see the fan bland get bumped. I picked up a new started but just asking before I do anything to it.

What kills me is I drove 4 hours to get the mustang and this happened after the guy drove away. So the tow truck with my mustang will be arriving within 15 minutes and costing me about $700 for the tow from Atlanta to Savannah!!! No wonder the guy went from $6500 to $5200 on the price!!!

Warren

 

I just pulled the starter which was a PAIN with headers on the 289. The casing for the starter was cracked at the top bolt. And when I took that bolt out, the whole started moved because the whole peice of casing for the bottom bolt hole was cracked. I'm about to put in a new started now. Had to rest cause thge starter fewll on my hand!!!

 

sounds like my 66 when i bought it in january...started up just couldnt keep it running in gear...got her home and tried to start her last weekend and had a dead battery and the starter is not completely engaging the flywheel, so ill be heading to autozone this weekend hopefully... good luck on yours

 

ouch :-) starter on head is a bad idea. well at least you found your problem. maybe the starter just yanked away from flywheel with that crack. check your bellhousing and the flywheel gear

 

For just two mounting bolts a starter has sure inflicted it's share and more of pain. LOL I replaced mine a few weeks ago and I had tweaked my back the morning it happened and man was I cussing. I did however find that the starter in the car was for an automatic... I have a 4 speed.

 

I put the new started in but I cannot get it bolted flush with the housing. If the bottom is flush, the top won't go all the way in. A friend and I battled with it for 2 hours just trying to get it bolted in. We gave up and called another friend that has better tools, jacks, etc. He looked at it and took everything with him and is going to fix it today he said. We push started the car out of my driveway in reverse! At least it fired right up!!!

I would never think I would have so much trouble getting a darn starter in a car but I think the headers I have on there are causing alot of the problem and I was hoping not to remove one side. He may have to but he knows to check the bell housing, etc. to see what's going on.

As soon as I get the car back hopefully by tomorrow I'll post pictures of it.

Thanks,

Warren

 

With headers you're better off with a mini-starter. Less problems installing it and better at resisting heat soak.