Starter bolt size?

[fatherdoug]

Anybody know the size of the upper starter bolt for a 351M/400 engine?

I think it is 3/8 16, but I'm not certain of the length. Can someone verify the size and tell me the length (Under head length). I have some grade 8 bolts with a shoulder that will work if the length is right.

I had the upper bolt vibrate out.

 

[fatherdoug]

Anybody?...............

 

[m78]

If I had an AT, I'd go pull mine to measure it for you.

 

[Fellro]

I seem to recall the head size being like 9/16, but the bolt was more like 7/16. I am pretty sure it is not 3/8. but may be wrong. It has been quite a while... Length was around 1".

 

[fatherdoug]

Thank you, Mark and Roger. I drove to Miles City yesterday afternoon and asked one of the counter people at the parts store if I could stick a bolt in their hole. He pulled a rebuilt starter off the shelf, and a 3/8 16 fits into the threaded hole. But he couldn't find a length dimension. I have a grade 8 1 1/2", and I also bought a 2" and 2 1/2". I'll have to trial and error, but I'll try the 1 1/2" first. Oh, and the head takes a 9/16" socket, just as you surmised, Roger. If it warms up today, I may just pull the starter and post the lower bolt dimensions. I know the lower bolt head takes a 1/2" socket.

 

[m78]

The top bolt taking the weight of the starter should be larger than the lower.

 

[fatherdoug]

The top bolt taking the weight of the starter should be larger than the lower.

That makes sense. The 1 1/2" bolt was the right length. The threads protruded out of the threaded hole in the starter by 2-3 threads. It was too damn cold to pull the other bolt and measure it. 8*

So, in summary the upper bolt is a 3/8 bolt, 16 TPI, 1 1/2 inches long(UHL)
and uses a 9/16" socket. I will update the lower bolt later when it warms up.

This applies to a 351M/400 automatic tranny as Mark mentioned earlier.

Thank you guys for the help.

 

[Big Jim F150]

The only experience that I've had with starters and starter bolts is on a 77 F-350 Dually with a manual transmission, and if I remember correctly my top bolt had taken a 9/16 socket but I had use a deep well socket and an uber long extension to get that sucker but as I remember it was a 3/8 16 TPI bolt about 1 1/2 to 2 inches long, but my bottom bolt had a 1/2 inch head on it but it was also a 16 TPI bolt, but I don't remember the length of it, but it was in a more open area than the upper one, and I didn't have to use a really long entension on it and I was able to use a standard socket on it. But that truck also had the 351M / 400 engine in it, but I haven't had to replace a starter on my 78 F-150 Ranger Lariat, and I also have the 351M / 400 with an automatic transmission and is a two wheel drive, but thanks for the info on the bolt size, I will find that info useful if I need it.

 

[DNFXDLI]

Sorry I missed this Doug

I went and looked at mine tonight..same as what you said.

 

[fatherdoug]

No problem, Duncan. I got it figured out. I was prepared to spend the night in the forest, but wasn't looking forward to it. Thank you.

 

[Beach66Bum]

Really late to comment Doug, sorry. I see you already have the answer, but was wondering if the two bolts to fasten the starter were different sizes. Thanks

 

[fatherdoug]

Really late to comment Doug, sorry. I see you already have the answer, but was wondering if the two bolts to fasten the starter were different sizes. Thanks

Thanks, Roy. Yes, I believe they are, only because the head sizes are different. When it warms up, I will pull the bottom bolt and measure it. I do know that the head on the bottom bolt is 1/2". I have a rebuilt mean green starter available to install, but was waiting on the currently installed starter to die, first.

 

[Fellro]

I am thinking the head size departs from matching the shank. That was what I was trying to remember, what wrench size as I am fairly certain it was not the same as off the shelf.

 

[fatherdoug]

Nowhere in the Ford manual could I find a bolt size for the starter. I looked in the both the starting system group and the engine group(351M/400).

 

[Fellro]

You typically won't. If I had even a penny for every time a customer would ask me the bolt size on things like that when I worked at AutoZone... Just isn't typically called out in parts books or service manuals.

 

[m78]

Just for the hell of it, I looked in the hippo parts cd. Only found one bolt illustrated in a picture of a starter.
The number on the picture for that bolt was 58619-5 (b 55 c), nothing else.
That parts book is the pits. I don't know how those parts guys found anything.