Maybe the starter is not correct for that flywheel and is bound up? Long shot but pull that starter before you tear into pulling the tranny back from the motor.
the newer mustang starter may bolt up but has a different gear count and pitch, and may be offset in the hole different. You should be using the Maverick starter if you arent already.
No need to go through that much trouble. You can bump the starter and the distributor will fall in place.
No it does not have to be in neutral...Sounds like the converter has jammed the flex plate ...Did you install the flex plate properly...(could be on backwards) Do you have the thin steel engine plate between the bell housing and block? Most likely though is you have the wrong starter for the application. Its not uncommon to get a standard shift starter in place of an auto trans starter...Pull the starter and see if the engine turnes by hand...If so...Go get the right starter... Distributor wouldnt drop in because it wasent falling on the the oil pump drive shaft...
not your same situation but same subject, a locking up motor. i had done a cam swap w/engine on motor stand. with motor upright it would turn 360*. motor turned on side...lock up, back it around and lock up again. turned motor upside down, would turn free again... being i had the plugs out, i turned each cyl. to the bottom and ran a long handle flex magnet into each cyl. in #6 cyl. i pulled out a washer. seems with motor on its side it would lay on the cyl. wall, slide up and lock up the motor . when motor was upright/upside down it would lay flat and alow the motor to turn 360*. the washer later was found to be one of the...carb. mounting washers...this went on about 3 days before i found it...
im pretty sure the FP was installed correctly, and the plate is inbetween the bell housing and motor. regarding the starter, it was stock from the original auto motor and trans. and the distributor, what is the easiest way to sit the distributor and have the rotor pointing at 1 without taking off the pump? cause right now its pointing at the drivers side head
by hand, i dont remember. im gonna starting checking as soon as i get it home from the auto shop. my tow guy, had me waiting for an hour yesterday and i just just left. i got another guy towing it home today, so ill start getting to work.
You can turn the oil pump drive with a 5/16" socket on a long extension...Just be certain the socket cant come off the extension or you will not be happy.
Well it dosnt always just fall into place, some distributors are a little tight and need to be pushed down. Place if it moves before the dist goes down you loose top dead center and have to start again. I'd do it the other way. Like mentioned, use the 5/16" socket on a long extention. I used a couple 1/4" drive extensions and socket when I couldnt find my oil pump prime tool. But I taped the extensions and the socket togethor to make sure they couldnt come apart and fall int the engine. You do no need to remove the pump. Just take out the distributor and you can see the top of the oil pump drive shaft in the middle of a hole that the distributor shaft goes into. put the socket onto the shaft and turn it a 1/4 turn or so and try installing the distributor again. It may take a couple tries to get the sweet spot. I never have one just line up and not have to do this. Just my luck I guess.
It can't loose TDC because the distributor gear will turn with the cam. The way the gears are cut it will pull the distributor down. I never had to turn the oil pump drive to get a distributor to fall in place.
AHhh, good piont. the teeth will pull it down. Im always afraid of loosing TDC and starting over completely. I'd try that myself next time but my MSD fits pretty snug and takes a good push to get it down, I'd still be afraid to break something. But on some other car I work on I'll try that way next time.
at TDC you can just drop the dist. in and where ever the rotor button is pointing...make that #1. just follow the firing order from there. on my 347 I put the wires on so there would be 4 comming out each side of the cap...thanks Mike for the idea...:Handshake I think #1 is at the left front...
