Not sure what exactly is going on here, but after starting the engine, I can hear, what appears to be the Bendix Drive, continuing to spin. The truck always starts, but I'm wondering what kind of damage might be occurring at the flywheel by using the starter in this state. The original owner I purchased the truck from says he has a remanufactured starter somewhere. I do need to get my hands on that.

 

If the key is held on a little too long and the engine starts running with the starter still engaged, the starter gear will spin a little bit till it gets out of the flywheel and winds down. It has a one-way bearing made into the bendix in case this happens, the flywheel won't turn the starter motor.

 

I let go of the key as soon as it starts. Someone told me the Bendix Drive isn't releasing. Could there be excessive wear on the flywheel gear? Should I remove the starter and try to loosen up the Bendix Drive?

 

If you think the bendix is binding, I would take the starter off and inspect it, and make sure it slides free back and forth, and make sure the linkage that pushes on the bendix is ok.

 

I think you were right about that binding. I took the starter off today and found that to be true. Thankfully, I have this old parts truck. I took the starter off and installed it and it works much better. Good thing I took the starter off my truck as well. I found that nearly all of the oil pan bolts were quite loose with oil leaking out of the lower part of the pan. That may account for my oil consumption. Thanks.

 

The 2nd starter I installed is doing the same thing. I'd like to get to the bottom of this. Could it be 2 bad starters?

I see there is a post in regards to the starter as well:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...y-wheel-2.html
Not sure where to go with this issue.

 

do you have a single wire or two wires going to the starter? Should only be one but somtimes people put in the wrong one that takes two wires. happend to me once looks like you already read my post "chewed up fly wheel".


1986 F-250 4x4, 7.5L, glass pack, T-18, 10,000lb warn, custom bumpers.
1979 F-150 4x4, 400m, flowmaster, c-6, 35x15r15 boggers, saginaw ps pump

 

Just one wire to the starter.

 

MAKE SURE THE TRUCK IS IN PARK OR NEUTRAL BEFORE TRYING THIS

In the diagram above, take wire #5 off the starter solenoid on the fender. Turn the key to run, and then go out and take a small piece of wire and jump #3 to the #5 terminal. The engine should start up, and when you take the jumper off, see if the start hangs. If you can do this over and over with the jumper and it doesn't hang, but it does always hang when you put the #5 wire back on and use the keyswitch, then I would say you might have a problem elsewhere in the system, and it's not the starter.

 

I'm starting to wonder if the correct starter was installed on the truck. The original owner had given me some parts with it. One of the parts was a new starter solenoid (Motorcraft SWE-5005). But after looking at the starter that came on the truck, there is no solenoid attached at all. What I have on my starter is a cover plate which covers the opening for the "linkage" that pushes the drive in and out of the starter housing. I'm wondering why the original owner had this new solenoid, which wouldn't attach to this particular starter. Does anyone know what exact starter belongs to the 1980 Ford F-150 Supercab? I've posted a pic of the type of starter that this solenoid would fit, but I don't have the type of starer.



Here's a pic of the starter that Napa has listed for my truck, and this is the one I currently have. Maybe the original owner purchased a solenoid that was not listed for this truck?

 

the starter solenoid for your truck should mount on the fender. the starter you have pictured on the bottom is the correct one. if the solenoid that the guy gave you with the truck fits a starter like the one pictured on top, he must have gotten the wrong one or he made a mistake and it was for another one of his cars.