Disconnect all of the batteries in your vehicle.

You will find your starter mounted on the lower right-side (as you are sitting in the truck) underneath the exhaust manifold. There are three primary bolts that hold the starter motor to the engine, two lower bolts and one "blind" bolt on the top. The two lower bolts are easy to access. The blind one can be a knuckle busting *******.

What you will need:

11/16" socket
3-4" socket extension
a "stubby", aka short handled, ratchet

(for the power to the starter one will need a 5/8" socket; 8mm for the solenoid nut)

Using the socket extension will allow one to get the head of the ratchet beyond the solenoid unit and with the stubby handle one can achieve a greater ratcheting range because the handle will not hit the frame.

Using this technique, I was able to remove the starter in less than 1/2 hour.

I hope that helps someone. I saw a number of youtube videos where people were complaining about spending hours trying to get the blind bolt off.

Scotty

 

Just to add to this, there are two different starter options. A 2-bolt and a 3- bolt. As I understand it, the 2-bolt starter is faster, smaller, and shorter. Also, when re-tightening the hot wire to the solenoid, don't over torque it. I broke a solenoid on my replacement and had to pull it right back off and go back to the parts house.

 

Hours getting the blind bolt off!? I had to change my starter in a BP parking lot. It just quit on my wife. She fueled up jumped in and nothing. I got the old one off and new one in 10 mins..... Tops

 

Just messing with you... It probably took 20 min for me, but it was raining.

 

The 2 bolt is a gear reduction starter and the 3 bolt is a planetary gear starter

 

More specifically,

The three-bolt is a planetary-set gear-reduction starter (PLGR type), and is a Mitsubishi design (about 1994 to 2000 or 01).

The two-bolt is an off-set gear-reduction starter (OSGR type), and is a NipponDenso design (about 2001 or 2002 & up).

They are both gear-reducing type starters.

The three-bolt design was used on the earlier Powerstrokes, and the two-bolt on the later ones. The switch-over came about MY-2001. (end of?)

Pop

 

Interesting...
The 97 block i just put in TXtinct had a 3 bolt...
How early were the 2 bolt getups used?

Edit:Just re-read that...earlier had 3bolt... so... revised question is when did they switch over?

 

I know that mine has the two bolt. Never checked the 03, but I know it started a lot slower.

 

I was a man on a mission with all the right tools

 

You can use the 2 bolt in place of the 3 bolt

 

However, you have to ask yourself, "Why did Ford change?"

Reliability or cost?

Pop

 

I'd say a mix of cost and a little better starting.


I've run both the 2 and 3 bolt and the 2 bolt starts a little faster

 

Duplicate post, see below.

Pop

 

I'd wonder about the "better starting", as Ford and International used that design for too many years to think it wasn't doing the job.

Is your Nippondenso-design considered a "high-torque", or is it the standard starter?

There are high-torque three-bolt starters available from Mitsu as well. Since I have had very-good reliability, (218,000+ hiccup-free miles so far), I'm just going to use the upgrade parts in mine when it's time for rebuilding.

I've read too many tales here about the reliability of the aftermarket OSGR units to make a switch. Of course, most of those were stories about after-market imports and store-exchange "rebuilds".

Pop

 

My original 3 bolt in my 97 took a crap at 230k. I put two more new 3 bolt motorcraft in it from oriellys that only lasted a couple months each. After the last orielly one i took it back and got the 2 bolt from the dealer and it was problem free for four years. I'd go look and get the numbers off of it if I could but unfortunately some azzhole hit me and totaled it in November.