Vintage Thunderbird Club International

Has anyone switched to a more modern starter?....Unhappy with my pull bendix type.....tried a powermaster mini starter and it works, but noisy....sounds like a muscle car starter......looking for a more modern cone style starter, but can't find anything listed for a 63' 390....

The reason it is noisy is because the bendix gear is incompatible with your flywheel. I strongly recommend you stop using that mini-starter before it chews up the flywheel ring gear.
There is a specialty manufacturer who makes a compatible starter but I can't remember his name and I am away from home. I bought one last year and it's great, nice and quiet.

Good luck!

This is the guy:

https://redirect.viglink.com/?format=go ... block.html

Thanks Ken.......Great Info!

Johnny,

I have ordered this for my 62.

"55-64 Powermaster Gear Reduction 12 V Starter 292,312, Y-BLOCK,352,390 FE"

https://www.tbirdhq.com/pc_product_deta ... A6B58C09D8

I assume this is the correct one with no known noise issues or is this the “mini” one being referred to?

It would be really handy to know so I can stop my order if need be.

Thanks in advance.

Peter

I came across this article the other day and this is the route I'm going. I read real good reviews on other forums.
https://www.hotrod.com/articles/easy-fi ... r-failure/
I ordered mine yesterday and he seems like a real nice guy. For $25 you can't go wrong.

Many thanks for the article, however I am set on replacing the starter with something more modern.

I am now just i little confused as to which is the best route:

The Robb Mc - Ford Gen II Mini-Starter – PN 3026

or the

55-64 Powermaster Gear Reduction 12 V Starter 292,312, Y-BLOCK,352,390 FE

I certainly wish to avoid something that is noisy even if it has the correct tooth gear for the 153-tooth ring gear.

Any guidance would be appreciated.

Regards

Peter

PeterW113 wrote: ↑Sat Jun 05, 2021 4:46 am Many thanks for the article, however I am set on replacing the starter with something more modern.

I am now just i little confused as to which is the best route:

The Robb Mc - Ford Gen II Mini-Starter – PN 3026

or the

55-64 Powermaster Gear Reduction 12 V Starter 292,312, Y-BLOCK,352,390 FE

I was also interested in the RobbMc starter and I actually ordered one the other day but he sent me an email saying he doesn't have any in stock and it would be about two weeks before he would have them. Didn't want to wait that long since the weather is nice now so I cancelled the order and went with the starter drive from Total Performance.

What is the part # for the Powermaster you're looking at?
Thanks

Sorry I don't know the Powermster Part # all I know is the following:

"55-64 Powermaster Gear Reduction 12 V Starter 292,312, Y-BLOCK,352,390 FE"

https://www.tbirdhq.com/pc_product_deta ... A6B58C09D8

Best

Peter

PeterW113 wrote: ↑Sat Jun 05, 2021 4:46 am Many thanks for the article, however I am set on replacing the starter with something more modern.

I am now just i little confused as to which is the best route:

The Robb Mc - Ford Gen II Mini-Starter – PN 3026

or the

55-64 Powermaster Gear Reduction 12 V Starter 292,312, Y-BLOCK,352,390 FE

I certainly wish to avoid something that is noisy even if it has the correct tooth gear for the 153-tooth ring gear.

Any guidance would be appreciated.

Regards

Peter

Peter,

I would give Mike at Tbird HQ a call and ask him about the Powermaster starter. Mike is a straight shooter. He'll confirm if it is the real deal and whether it is in stock and if so he can probably ship the same day.

When I needed a starter last year the Robb Mc unit was the only modern 153-tooth unit I could find. It sounds like Powermaster is now making a correct unit. BTW Robb is a great guy too and I would have no qualms about doing business with him again.

Either choice should be fine.

FWIW in my experience the smaller aftermarket starters are not any noisier that stock starters, perhaps in your case the noise is being generated by the clashing of the 168-tooth gear on a 153-tooth flywheel. That was the problem I had, as a PO had installed a newer (incorrect) starter on my Tbird and the noise would wake the dead.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

I think this may be the one you’re looking at. Summit has them as well.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/pwm-9002

Ken,

Many thanks for your input which is greatly appreciated.

I will give Mike a call tomorrow and see what he says as its time to pull the trigger and make a decision.

SacredSteel thanks for the heads up re Summit.

Cheers all,

Peter

After much research, I ended up buying the starter drive from Total Performance, available on eBay for $25. and a Napa Starter for a 66 T-Bird for $80. They even gave me some tips on installing the drive.....easy install....works sweet....

Thanks for all the input!

I ordered a Starter off Amazon for a 68 cougar, only because my engine came from a Cougar, it was $45.00 and bolted right in to the cruisomatic. Reason for this is I used the cougars flywheel not realizing there was a 4 teeth difference 153 vs 157. I fought the 63 starter trying to get it in.

So if all else fails change out to a 68 Flywheel and use the compatible starter. I will post a link below to what I did. Still not 100% positive it will spin the engine over, but it fit.

https://youtu.be/na9TLViD_Lc

Can anyone confirm that the power master mini starter pwm9002 will actually work with the 61-63 153 tooth flexplate?