[twotoots2]

The 81 T-bird 302 had an auto trans with a 164 tooth starter flywheel. The manual tranny flywheel I have has chewed up starter gear teeth so I need to find a new one.

What I'm finding in the catalogs are the 164 tooth manual flywheels are for the 4.6 liter engines and the 157 tooth flywheels fit a wide range of 302's and 289's.

Since the engine is bolted onto a plain jane 68 3 spd trany, which flywheel should I get? I'm wondering also if the bendix gear in the starter can be swapped to match the 157 tooth arrangment. Or, the 164 tooth ring gear which is available can be fitted to the old flywheel. Those aren't real difficult to change as I've done a couple at work. Thanks for the help with any ideas on this one...

 

[theokponycorrall]

i would go with the 157 tooth. and change the starter.

 

[RTM]

I bought a new ring gear for my flywheel. I put the ring gear in the oven and the flywheel in the freezer and then both pieces went together very nicely. I only had to tap it with a hammer a little bit just to seat the ring gear the rest of the way. The ring gear cost around $50.

 

[STR8SIX]

Save your $$$....change out the ring gear and get the fly resurfaced.....unless you have unlimited resources

Sometimes you just flip the ring gear over....saving even more $$ ::