E99, F350
Had one battery die right at 5yrs old about 2 weeks ago so I replaced both.
Ran to get hay and while in the hay barn loading up...I had to move the truck a few more feet. I had just backed it in and shut it off. Only this time when I tried to start it..nothing. Just a click and nothing. Hit the key a couple more times real quick and got an attempted half crank but then nothing.
Got up underneath with a hammer and tapped the starter while my wife held the key in the START position and I could hear it kind of try to turn... like a half revolution...sounded like metal on metal scraping.
But still no start. Batteries still giving plenty of power. Never showed any signs of failing...just decided not to crank. Tried crossing the solenoid on the fender but no joy. Same results.
Had it towed home and once the snow melts some, I will replace the starter but I wanted confirmation.

Thoughts?

Thanks all!

 

Sounds like you are on the right track. I would be looking at the starter as well. Maybe check the grounds, battery connections and starter connections just to be sure before buying a new starter.

 

Check that the bolts are good and tight holding it in first. You were under there looking at it and I would think it would stand out to you if it was loose, but you never know. I rebuilt my 5.0 notchback Mustang motor once, totally due to the fact that the starter was loose and banging against the flywheel. I heard and felt this huge banging and thought for sure it had dropped a valve or spun a main bearing. I got in there pulling everything down to the heads before I realized it was just the starter bolts had backed out. Superduty had the same thing happen in the middle of a snowstorm back in 2010. Pulled the threads with it. Ended up having to heli-coil the block on that one.

If it's in good and tight, then yeah, certainly sounds like starter went bad on you.

 

I did check for the bolts and they were all good.
Battery terminals are all good and tight. That was actually my first check since I had recently replaced the batteries.
Something I found odd...
Reman'd requires $110 core charge and cost $170
New is $185 and no core charge.... WTH? Seems odd to me.

 

If you have a reputable shop around you, get the old one out, have it rebuilt as opposed to the chinese junk O'Rellys and AutoZone, etc. are selling. If not, get the one with the lifetime replacement warranty...

 

Yep...already checking on a good shop. Hoping to avoid the stuff sold at the local part stores and paying the high price of disposable parts.
Then again....how tough is it to rebuild one?

 

I think it is pretty basic. The starter is magic to me though, never had one apart, but I think it's just brushes, a bearing and some windings. The thing with electricity, to me it's magic and it hurts when it gets on you. Anything beyond that and I am pretty lost. LOL.

 

LMAO!! Great way to explain it!
I will dig around. Luckily it is my hay and trailer truck so I am not dead in the water. Will look into a rebuild kit or a rebuild shop.
Either way I still have to wait for the snow to melt and the concrete pad to dry up just to pull it so...


Thanks!

 

Yeah, I heard you guys got hit hard this week like we did last weekend. Have fun, let me know if you find a good rebuild kit. I would like to have that in the back of the toolkit...

 

I never heard of a starter rebuild kit so if you find one please share it. I never had one of them apart but I do not think that there are many moving parts in there. I have disassembled a couple of electric motors though and the principle is the same. I have a basic idea of how it works but explaining it is not easy for me. The copper winding is intertwined through a steel piece around the outer edge of the starter body with a large round hole in the center (it might be called an armature). Inside of that is the piece that spins and I'd call it a rotor but there could be a different term for it. The flow of electricity around that steel outer piece creates a magnetic force (an electromagnet), which in turn pulls the rotor around. I surmise that there are bushings in the ends of that rotor to hold it in place that will eventually go bad as well as a couple of other things. If one was to crank too much on that starter the innards could be damaged by the heat.

 

Have you checked battery voltage?

 

Recently had my starter go out. When cold in the mornings, turn the key and I got nothing. Thought it was the clutch sensor at first so I changed it. No joy. If I held it to start for 5 or 6 seconds, it would finally start to turn over.

Stopped by Oreilly's and bought a brand new ($10 core) chinese 3 bolt starter. All I can say is wow. Turns over as fast as the new 6.7 at work does now.

 

In 2015 I did this too because I could not have the truck down...then dropped the OEM starter off at a rebuilder. About $100 for the rebuild. On the shelf waiting...

 

Yep 13.4 on each battery... separated.
Replaced those about 2 weeks ago.

 

I missed the part you said about recently replacing them. When the starter gets that bad it's usually to late to rebuild. I second what Chris said.