This past summer the starter in my e99 would spin.....but not fully engage the flexplate. Starter was only 2 years old. So replaced the solenoid on it. Still occasionally did not fully engage. Tried a new starter. Same thing. New fender mount solenoid. No dice. Pulled the access cover on the bottom of the transmission. Flexplate teeth were chewed. Put a new flexplate in two days ago. Ahhhhgg. It did it again today. Starter turns over energetically. Both good quality batteries and have never needed jumping. Any ideas? Thanks

 

Have you checked the new flex plate for chewed teeth, or are you saying that's what happened again?

 

Went to start it his afternoon and the starter spun.....but didn't fully engage the flex plate. 2nd try and all evening.... No problem. It will wear the teeth on the new flex plate if it keeps doing that.

 

You sure you have the right starter? I'd pull the starter and watch it engage to make sure the gear is getting kicked out all the way. Also make sure the teeth match the flywheel teeth.

How was it wearing the teeth on the flexplate? Just the forward half of the teeth or something different?

 

Whose starter are you using? I went through 3 NAPA "lifetime warranty" starters that did the exact same thing. Replaced two flex plates and three starters before switching to a Nippon Denso. Expensive, but worth every penny IMO.

 

Yes. Just the contacting edge of the flywheel is worn across a handful of teeth. But in a spot that the engine likes to stop at. Pinion gear on starters all perfect. Its the longer starter they put on the older trucks. Not the offset motor design.

 

Is it like this one I just put in? My truck has never cranked over so nicely.

 

Longer planetary gear reduction. Has cranked fine until last spring. Oh.... And the Napa starters I have used were also junk. Contacts in the end cap vibrated loose in just one month. But those Napa starters never chewed the flywheel. ....they never even clicked. Just dead until I tightened the small screws on the cap.

 

is that the mean green? ....you have a sound byte by chance of it?
Looks nice and beefy

 

According to the local rebuilder I got it from, it's a 4 kW Denso. I don't have any audio of it, but that gives me an idea for a new ringtone . . .

 

Size matters ...



And yes, the old 7.3 spins like never before.

 

can i ask what it cost you?

 

I bought mine brand new from:

Larryb - Ford fuel pump | Ford fuel hose - Foster Truck

It was $495.

Yes, I know that's about triple what the typical rebuilt starter costs, but I haven't heard that horrible grinding of bendix and ring gear teeth in over a year and a half. Plus, the engine spins up super fast.

 

I'm going to look into a new quality starter. But it still bugs me that I can't figure out the root cause. I don't want to be stuck somewhere with a bad flexplate. I carry a spare starter. Maybe I should stock a flexplate too

 

I hear you Tim, I always want to figure out the root cause of a problem.

Trouble is, spare starters can be swapped out in a few minutes. Flex plates are a bit more difficult, especially in the field