Thank you guys.

1. What can be done on a bench test that can't be done with the starter installed?
As I understand it a bench test is simply putting cables from a battery to the starter
to see if it turns. Would it not turn while installed if power was applied directly from
a battery?

2. I will definitely smack it before removing it to see if that clears things up,

 

If the Bendix is jammed you will see it. If the starter turns slowly with no load on it then disassembly is necessary. Sometimes a cleanup and lubrication is all that is required.

 

Starter drive (11350) is the Bendix "inertia" type.

Has a large coil spring that must be unwound by hand to get to the roll pin that retains it to the armature shaft (11005).

Winding the spring back into position takes strong hands.

 

You are also Isolating possible problems; cables, grounds, switch, starter button, solenoid, and/or drag from the flywheel.

 

Hey Bud try turning the engine a bit with the fan or a socket on the crank pulley.
If the starter drive is hung in the ring gear it should pop it loose. Rock it back and
forth when ya do this and if ya hear a bang or thump yer on to something. Like worn
out starter bushings. Also when ya hit the starter with a BFH don't get carried away.
It could break the housing as well as damage a field coil. AND Remember the bolts
that hold the starter motor in also hold it together so it will try to come all apart
when taking it out. Like Ross or someone said be sure and put nuts on the bolts
to hold it all together once ya remove it from the truck.

 

The lights do not come back on even after you stop pressing the starter button? If this is the case, you have a bad electrical connection somewhere. Be sure the cables are tight to the battery, and the wire ends are not corroded.

 

Is there anything you guys don't know? I truly appreciate all the help and intend to get this issue fixed this weekend. I will post the cure when I accomplish it.

Bill, thank you for the picture. That sort of information is really helpful to me.

Fred

 

Hi Bill. Thank you, again, for this knowledge. Am I understanding you correctly that I shouldn't try to use a battery other than FoMoCo? I am happy to do that and only ask because for the full first year that I owned Floyd he was functioning well with an Interstate battery. Again, I don't mind using the Ford brand but want to gain as much knowledge about these issues as you and others are willing to share with me.
Fred

 

Once again, as long as you connect the positive to ground and negative to the solenoid, your truck doesn't know whose name is on the battery.

 

You can use any 6v battery as long as you have it connected correctly. I prefer and swear by 6v Optima battery. I have mine in a stock looking plastic box.

 

Ditto but I use 12v yellow top but that has to do with long term storage and no acid. Otherwise as Ilya says any battery that holds a charge will do.

 

Hello all.
Color me embarrassed. Several of you guys tried to get me to check battery, which I did. What I did not do because I don't have a tester to do so, was check the cranking amps.
I had two batteries to work with - one had 6.7 volts when charged but "44" cranking amps according to the guy at NAPA. He said that was barely enough to spin it on his bench. The other battery had 6.3 volts and did not register any cranking amps at all.
New battery....Floyd's starter worked perfectly and the new battery lasted through several seconds of cranking since Floyd hasn't ran since probably July.
Thank you guys for all your help. To anyone that suspects the battery may be the source of any electrical problems I would recommend testing the amp output either by your own meter or the auto parts store which will do it for no charge.

I do thank you guys because from this experience I learned about the positive ground system and have become quite proficient at removing and replacing the starter.

I am so very glad to be a part of this great community of very helpful people.

Fred

 

So glad ya got it Bud. Floyd lives

 

Glad you found the problem. low cranking amps can fool you.

 

Congrats... Trouble shooting can be fun and/or make you pull you hair out... but you figured it out and that has to make you feel good...