Hello all, picked up a low mile 2002 F-150 4.6 in the fall (61,100 one owner miles) and put about 10,000 miles on it since. In early February, original starter went. Couldn't get it going, tried jumping solenoid, tried hitting the starter itself. Nothing. No biggie, got it replaced. Would have done it myself but the bolts looked very corroded, being 14 years old, and didn't want to deal with a snapped head. Everything was fine until I went to leave work this evening. Turned the key and got the ol' one click then nothing. Went out, hit the new starter a few time and it started this time.

I'm not sure if it was a refurbished starter or not that was put in (looks brand new). I know refurbished starters are notorious for failing. My concern is that something else might be going on to cause the starter issues. I read it could be bad ground or bad flywheel but I'm not sure what either of those mean as it pertains to starters. Very well could a bad new-starter but I want to have my ducks in a row when going back to the mechanic just in case.

Thanks in advance for any help, y'all

 

The invoice your mechanic gave you should clearly state if you got a new starter, a remanufacturered one, or if he rebuilt your old starter.

Have you checked how good your battery is?

 

I will check the invoice to see. It is in my office and not at home. I do know it was $220.

I have not checked the battery for charge but I did make sure the terminals were clean and cables secured when this originally happened.

If it were the battery, would the symptoms I had yesterday hold true? I.e would it one click/hit the starter then work?

I appreciate you taking the time to reply.

 

Easiest way is to check it with a voltmeter. A fully charged battery will read 12.6v. 12.2v is roughly half charge and 11.8v is completely dead. If you get a reading such as around 10v after being charged, I'd suspect a bad cell but it doesn't seem likely in this case. When cranking, it should read above 10v.

This whole situation smells like a chinese 'remanufactured' pile of dogs**t. It's a bad spot on the motor's commutator, which is a defect in workmanship thanks to it being chinese garbage. Any competent person who rebuilds a starter would true the commutator on a lathe to ensure the conductive surfaces are all the same height and will engage properly regardless of position.

RX7s have a well known similar issue, referred to as "click-click-start" which is normally traced to a worn out ignition switch. being unable to provide sufficient power to the starter solenoid after 25 years. The common solution is to have the ignition switch trigger a relay to engage the starter, exactly as Ford has done here. So it's not your ignition switch.

Perhaps one of the more experienced members could write/record a short how to video on replacing the starter? I for one would like to see it, specifically detailing how to remove the mounting bolt on the side nearest the exhaust manifold. It's the only place I got stuck on it.