Starter Grinding
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From: Remsen, NY
Starter Grinding
Sorry if this has been written about; I couldn't find anything quite like this.
Truck is a '91 F-150, 300-6, E40D, 191,000mi (These things last forever, I asked the guy if it had 89,000mi on it, he said, "I wish, it's got 189,000... Ever see that kind of honesty?)
I've noticed that about 1/3 of the time, when I hit the key, the starter doesn't engage, it just grinds against the ring gear. Most of the time, if I let the starter spin down and try it again, it's fine, but sometimes I have to put a breaker bar on the crank damper and turn the crank a little to get the starter to engage the gear.
Starter was replaced by the previous owner right before I bought the truck with a decent NAPA rebuild. I removed it, and the tip of the pinion gear is a little chewed up. There's also an area on the ring gear that's messed up pretty good. The starter was tight and it seems to get good power; the engine spins over just fine when it engages.
I'm assuming I have to pull the motor and replace the ring gear and the starter pinion gear, but what causes this? Just a prior owner that chewed up the ring gear with a bad starter? I've seen a spacer at Advance, does this have anything to do with my situation?
Truck is a '91 F-150, 300-6, E40D, 191,000mi (These things last forever, I asked the guy if it had 89,000mi on it, he said, "I wish, it's got 189,000... Ever see that kind of honesty?)
I've noticed that about 1/3 of the time, when I hit the key, the starter doesn't engage, it just grinds against the ring gear. Most of the time, if I let the starter spin down and try it again, it's fine, but sometimes I have to put a breaker bar on the crank damper and turn the crank a little to get the starter to engage the gear.
Starter was replaced by the previous owner right before I bought the truck with a decent NAPA rebuild. I removed it, and the tip of the pinion gear is a little chewed up. There's also an area on the ring gear that's messed up pretty good. The starter was tight and it seems to get good power; the engine spins over just fine when it engages.
I'm assuming I have to pull the motor and replace the ring gear and the starter pinion gear, but what causes this? Just a prior owner that chewed up the ring gear with a bad starter? I've seen a spacer at Advance, does this have anything to do with my situation?
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Joined: Sep 2002
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From: abbotsford canada
Starter Grinding
might be a little easier to pull the tranny to replace the ring gear
i would think that is the problem if a few teeth are messed up
i wouldnt always trust those rebuilt starters to last as long as a new one either
i have had bad luck with rebuit starters altenators and even calipers
i always like to spend a few bucks more and get new
i would think that is the problem if a few teeth are messed up
i wouldnt always trust those rebuilt starters to last as long as a new one either
i have had bad luck with rebuit starters altenators and even calipers
i always like to spend a few bucks more and get new
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 543
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From: LA
Starter Grinding
Before you pull the trans, try another starter and try to get it installed as close as possible to the flywheel. There is a bit of adjustment in the bolt holes usually. The replacement starter might have a gear a bit to small combined with it being installed too 'far' from the flyweel. The way this is done on fords isn't real good. On other brands you get to dial in the spec with shims. won't work here tho. Good luck,
George
George
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From: LeClaire IA
Starter Grinding
check the starter at the end of the cone particularlly the shaft that the pinion gear rides on. there is a bushing and a washer down in the cone. those can break loose and cause the pinion gear not to completely ingage the flexplate hence grinding.
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From: Remsen, NY
Starter Grinding
Thanks, all, for the replies!
I took the starter out and crossed +12V across the appropriate terminals, and the pinion gear looks like it is being pushed out to the end of its travel just fine; the solenoid seems good and strong and there doesn't appear to be any problem with the small parts at the end of the pinion shaft.
I'll try another starter and see if I can get it to move over closer to the flywheel. If that doesn't work, a couple of people mentioned pulling the transmission instead of the motor. I have a cherry picker hoist, but no transmission jack, and I'm not working with a lift. I know I've got to remove the radiator, exhaust, intake, wiring, etc but I fear working from the top a lot less that working underneath with something that heavy. Is it really a lot easier to pull the trans rather than the motor?
I took the starter out and crossed +12V across the appropriate terminals, and the pinion gear looks like it is being pushed out to the end of its travel just fine; the solenoid seems good and strong and there doesn't appear to be any problem with the small parts at the end of the pinion shaft.
I'll try another starter and see if I can get it to move over closer to the flywheel. If that doesn't work, a couple of people mentioned pulling the transmission instead of the motor. I have a cherry picker hoist, but no transmission jack, and I'm not working with a lift. I know I've got to remove the radiator, exhaust, intake, wiring, etc but I fear working from the top a lot less that working underneath with something that heavy. Is it really a lot easier to pull the trans rather than the motor?
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Joined: Jan 2002
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From: LeClaire IA
Starter Grinding
very much so.. and a floor jack is just as good and a "trans" jack i have dropped many a trans and found it soo much easier than doing every thing it takes to remove an engine. the way i look at it is dont pull the engine unless you are replacing it
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