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My 2006 E250 has a chronic starter grinding problem. Sometimes it will go weeks without an incident. Other times it will happen multiple times a day. I replaced the starter, no change. Replaced both the negative and positive battery cables with 2 awg marine grade cable along with new battery terminal clamps and a new 10 awg solenoid signal wire, no change.
What is it doing? Mine makes a noise for a split second, right after I start it. Usually only when cold. I thought it was idler or tensioner pulley , but I replaced all that and came to the conclusion it's the starter. I haven't changed mine yet because the top starter bolt is a biotch.
Well, typical grinding of the pinion not engaging the ring gear properly. I thought that maybe I had a bad spot on the ring gear so I had the flex plate/ring gear replace. No change. :headbanging:
I was at the lumber yard early one morning recently and it happened.
An old guy who was picking lumber near by came over and said "Oh, I hear you got the same problem I do. It's the neutral safety switch. Ya gotta step on the brake pedal while you start it. Design flaw."
Despite replacing both battery cables, terminal clamps, battery, starter and ring gear, this has continued to be a chronic problem. Most recently to the point that on a couple of occasions, I was concerned that I was not going to get the van started.
So, here's my solution (hopefully)
I bought an old style fender mounted starter relay.
I removed the battery and battery tray.
I disconnected the windshield washer fill tube from the tank.
I removed the ground stud that's just in front of and a little to the left of the battery. I cleaned all mating surfaces of these two items.
Assuming you have the ground strap from engine block to frame installed it's a bendix issue. These starters have an issue with wear and the bendix will not kick out. Was the starter you installed a reman unit or a new?
Then, I chased the starter mounted solenoid trigger wire back up to the connector, disconnected it, (yellow wire) spliced it a new section of 10 awg wire to it and ran it to the s terminal on the new relay which I mounted using the ground stud and one self tapping screw.
I ran 6 awg marine grade wire from the battery to the new relay and then to the starter mounted solenoid. I also ran a new 6 awg ground wire from the battery to the ground stud/base of new relay.
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