Long story short here I had a starter (not original) rebuilt and put it back in, was cranking but making an aweful metal on metal noise!
Took starter out and found it to have been rubbing on the flywheel. Took it back to the shop where the guy recessed the shaft about 1mm!
Got some shims from ford.
Reinstalled starter without the shims. Got it cranking but after a bit it would just click at the starter.
I have a new set after relay, rebuilt starter!
Looks like my battery is not doing so well! It's charged at just a bit over 12v but obviously not enough to get it started.
So today I boosted the bar, it started making the same metal on metal type noise as though my starter is not disengaging!
I put the shims in to see and nothing!!!!!!
I can't get this car started!
I'm looking for any help possible! I have cleaned the contacts at the battery, the starter and the engine block!
I have charged the battery.
I have tried all the things I can think are affecting this matter but am clueless here!
Please help !!

 

[QUOTE="rui628"]Long story short here I had a starter (not original) rebuilt and put it back in, was cranking but making an aweful metal on metal noise!
Took starter out and found it to have been rubbing on the flywheel. Took it back to the shop where the guy recessed the shaft about 1mm!
Got some shims from ford.
Reinstalled starter without the shims. Got it cranking but after a bit it would just click at the starter.
I have a new set after relay, rebuilt starter!
Looks like my battery is not doing so well! It's charged at just a bit over 12v but obviously not enough to get it started.
So today I boosted the bar, it started making the same metal on metal type noise as though my starter is not disengaging!
I put the shims in to see and nothing!!!!!!
I can't get this car started!
I'm looking for any help possible! I have cleaned the contacts at the battery, the starter and the engine block!
I have charged the battery.
I have tried all the things I can think are affecting this matter but am clueless here!
Please help !!
Oh it's a 289 auto by the way!

 

If you've eliminated all other things, then the starter isn't any good, and you need to take it back and buy a known correct starter, not try to shim and whittle one into submission. This is me lookin' in from the outside, though, readin' what you wrote. Starters, if correct, just mount, and work. Period. No playin' around with them.

But you did get it to turn over, but not start. You may need to deal with the battery possibly, but that it turned over to where the battery was tired, that sounds like there's something else wrong... besides possibly a weak battery.

I'm assuming that you've checked plugs, wires, coil, rotor, cap, points, timing, compression, intake is ok, exhaust isn't restricted, fuel is getting to the carb, carb's floats are working, jets/carb isn't gunked up, fuel pump is working, compression in all cylinders is good... those sorts of things? If not, well... there ya go. Go get a book with the specs, and check everything.

I bet it's the carb's gunked. Take it off and clean it up, and vroom, it'll start.

 

Thanks for the reply, I will look into all those things.
I think my biggest problem is the starter. Darn thing is probably not meant for this car!!! The guy at the shop who did the rebuild, changed the front end of it, said this is what the specs "call for".
I got it from the shop the first time and it sounded like it was grinding metal on metal with the flywheel! I took it back and had it recessed about a mm when I got it to turn over yesterday with a booster pack it turned over again but sounded like metal on metal again! I'm thinking this starter is incorrect!!!!! Starting to really rattle me!
I'm not an experienced car guy! Just trying to learn a little but but didn't want a car that needed a huge amount of work! Feel overwhelmed!
I have attached a couple pics of the starter and it in place w/o the shims!

 

If you are running a multiple wire system, the wires may be hooked up incorrectly. There is a certain configuration where the starter will run, but will never hit the flywheel to start the engine. Starters do not just turn, the gear will move out to start the car and then recess back when you let go of the key. If you have the correct wiring, both actions will happen at the same time. If you don't, the starter will crank, but will not move in or out. Don't know if that helps, but I thought it would be worth saying.

 

Attached is a photo of my connections to the relay. I attached them the same as they are in the picture. This picture is the way the relay was connected when I got the car.