Hello to all you experts and gear heads,
I really could use your help fellas, I have a 2001 f350 7.3 powerstroke. The starter went out a few weeks ago and i ordered an aftermarket gear reduction starter hopeing for an upgrade for the old beast. To my surprise the starter continued to crank while the engine was running and when i shut it off. I figured it was the fender starter relay and i replaced it with a quality motorcraft one. The issue continued, so i purchased another starter, Ford brand this time. Instead of the starter trying to start the truck while it was running it decided to spin immediately(no key is present mind you), although it did not crank the engine. (Basically it just didn't engage, also the) I even tried to flip the power wires on the fender relay that come from the battery, same issue. Then i tried taking the smaller wire (it is part of the starter cable, and runs to the starter itself) off the starter, i touched the battery terminal and the same thing happened.

 

The starter motor ran without the starter drive engaging to contact the flywheel?

 

Ignition switch could be stuck. check small wire to start relay for 12 volts. If present back track. wiring diagram attached to help

 

yeah the ford starter did not engage it's just spinning but the other one did

 

do you thing over tightening of the starter solinoid post could cause this

 

Could the starter solenoid be shorted internally in such a way it energizers the starter all the time. Guess anything is possible. Disconect all the wires from the fender relay and touch the battery cable to the battery again and if it happens then the starter is probably shorted internally.


If it doesn't spin hook fender relay back up and Try pulling fuse 20 and see if it keeps doing the same thing. If it does it's in the ignition circuit.

 

Ok i disconnected the fender relay cables, all of them and the starter still spins...

 

Sure seems like the starter is shorted internally.

 

its not the starter, and its not the ignition switch. could it be the clock spring or the ignition module?!?

 

If you took all the wires off the fender relay and the starter still spins then it doesn't have anything to do with the ignition circuit. The starter has battery positive hooked to it and uses the mounting surface as a ground. If the solenoid on the starter is stuck closed that's all you need to spin the starter.


Edit: never mind, was thinking old school solenoid

 

 

 

never mind, was thinking old school solenoid with 2 wires

 

i figured out my issue. im laughing now but i sure wasn't earlier. I had the wrong starter and the bendix was hitting the back of the fly wheel housing and grounding, therefor completing the circuit when i connected the battery cable. I simply took it back and got the correct one and no problem!

 

That's good news. Thanks for following up