I have a 200o 4x4 5.4 that I just bought 165000 miles. I went ahead and had front end done upper lower ball joints tie rod ends etc... brakes front and rear. well the guy I bought it from told me it had grinded a few times on start up ( like a bad starter.) So it did it two or three times the first weekend I had it. So I had my friends shop put a starter in. He noted some wear on one section of the flexplate, no broken teeth but some worn down teeth where bad starter had hit it. So he replaced it with a NAPA reman starter. Well I picked it up Thursday and On Friday it did the grind one time. I don't think I double started it. I drove the truck every errand and everywhere I went all weekend and it didn't happen again. I probably started it at least 20 times this weekend. So should I A) replace with new motorcraft starter and see what happens B) Drive it and see what happens for a while. C) I have another buddy that does dirt track racing that says he could do a flywheel for 300.00 bucks vs the 1200.00 or so it would cost at a regular shop. My certified mechanic friend says the starter he pulled off was a ford starter and he didn't think a genuine motorcraft starter would make any difference at all. I am torn. What say you experienced ford guys?

 

 

All starters, unless labeled "NEW" will be a Motorcraft starter. They just send off the cores for rebuilding and that's what you're buying. I would assume the gear is new or in good condition on your starter, but if a section on the ring gear on the flexplate looks thrashed, that's probably the section causing you grief. $300 is a sweet deal. Heck, I'd pay $300 to have somebody just pull my transmission and reinstall it for me (I'm currently pulling it to rebuild it this weekend.) I like my money, so I would wait to see if it started doing it. Otherwise I wouldn't worry about it. But, I would assume it's your flexplate and not the starter at this point.

 

The starter did it just one time after the replacement and now is good. Maybe I miss started... its good to go now for the last few weeks