Starter questions

[Jefscoupe]

I bought the "stump puller" starter from Speedway for my 8BA.
I am using a Quick Time bellhousing and an aftermarket Fidanza (I'd never heard of them before but a good deal) aluminum flywheel with steel insert.
The issue is the ring gear on the flywheel is chamfered on the back side and my starter engages on the front. I know some of the early flatheads mounted the starter behind the flywheel but all the pics of 49-53 flatties (that I've seen) show it on the front of the flywheel.
The original starter on this engine was mounted on the front.
But it was all apart when I got it.
Does the bendix rest behind the flywheel and move forward when the starter is engaged on the stock starter?
Either way I need to chamfer the front teeth on the ring gear.
I just wanted to know how the original starter operated and if maybe Fidanza put the ring gear on backwards.

 

[40 Deluxe]

All flatheads used the outboard Bendix, where the starter mounts ahead of the flywheel but the starter gear mounts behind the flywheel on a long armature shaft and engages from the rear. The only time a flathead starter would be mounted behind the flywheel would be a special industrial oddball use.

 

[Krylon32]

I've done 4 FH engines using the Power Master Gear reduction starter with the stock ring gear with the starter mounted in the stock location and had no problems to date. The PM starter is just a name brand but I think the same thing as your stump puller.

 

[Jefscoupe]

Thanks for the info.
I was confused about the mounting of the
starter and just how it worked.
I will still chamfer the front of the flywheel a bit
Just for my own peace of mind.

 

[tubman]

Thanks for the info.
I was confused about the mounting of the
starter and just how it worked.
I will still chamfer the front of the flywheel a bit
Just for my own peace of mind.

Have you tried it yet? If you have a problem, then you might consider doing something about it. If not, the term "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" comes to mind. How about having the ring gear heated, removed, and put on the other way? Grinding the starter gear teeth doesn't sound like the place to start. Just my opinion.

I had to replace a ring gear on a V860 flywheel when I was a kid, and it wasn't that bad. (My dad helped me.)

 

[markdtn]

Have you tried it yet? If you have a problem, then you might consider doing something about it. If not, the term "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" comes to mind. How about having the ring gear heated, removed, and put on the other way? Grinding the starter gear teeth doesn't sound like the place to start. Just my opinion.

I had to replace a ring gear on a V860 flywheel when I was a kid, and it wasn't that bad. (My dad helped me.)

When I had my flywheel turned they told me that an 8BA has a unique tapered flywheel ring and that you cannot turn the ring over like almost all other flywheels. Don't know if that is true, but he was pretty adamant.

 

[19Fordy]

The 8BA ring gear looks like this. Bendix engages from behind the ring gear where teeth are chamfered.

 

[4t8v8]

When I had my flywheel turned they told me that an 8BA has a unique tapered flywheel ring and that you cannot turn the ring over like almost all other flywheels. Don't know if that is true, but he was pretty adamant.

Don't think they are right. I've turned them over before instead of buying a new ring gear. It's always worked.

 

[Jefscoupe]

I'm not talking about chamfering it much. Just a good deburr.
I'm a machinist by trade, so I know how and have the tools to do that kind of thing.
The front side of the ring gear is really sharp and has some burrs. It's "as machined".
They only finished the back side, of course.
It'll be much easier to deburr it now rather than after it's all together.
I considered flipping the ring gear. I have a torch and have removed ring gears from
torque converters at a job I had at TCI many moons ago. I'll look at it again.