Having a Tough Time Finding a Starter
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More Turbo
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 591
Likes: 54
From: Pennsylvania
Having a Tough Time Finding a Starter
On Friday, the "company truck" took a crap in the middle of a city on us. We had starter troubles for a while and finally it decided it didn't want to start anymore. After a tow home, I got the old starter out and went to my local Ford dealer (also my former employer) to investigate. We got a new one ordered, and here is where our troubles are.
The old one out of the truck has post-style electrical connections for the hot and neutral wires. The new one is exactly the same in every way, except the hot wire is a spade-style connection, not a post. We ordered an adapter offered by Ford, but the adapter was the opposite of what we needed. We're stumped, as is our parts guy. He's currently trying to order in a starter made for a 5.8L because it looks similar, but he's not really sure if it will work or not.
The truck in question is a '97 F350 Super Duty with a 460 and an E4OD with dual rear wheels. It's a former U-Haul truck, and the old starter that came out had already been rebuilt at least once by a local starter/alternator company. Has anyone else run into this before? Did the truck have the "wrong" starter to begin with and have it converted to the post style? Or what?
The old one out of the truck has post-style electrical connections for the hot and neutral wires. The new one is exactly the same in every way, except the hot wire is a spade-style connection, not a post. We ordered an adapter offered by Ford, but the adapter was the opposite of what we needed. We're stumped, as is our parts guy. He's currently trying to order in a starter made for a 5.8L because it looks similar, but he's not really sure if it will work or not.
The truck in question is a '97 F350 Super Duty with a 460 and an E4OD with dual rear wheels. It's a former U-Haul truck, and the old starter that came out had already been rebuilt at least once by a local starter/alternator company. Has anyone else run into this before? Did the truck have the "wrong" starter to begin with and have it converted to the post style? Or what?
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 7,961
Likes: 594
From: Greater Austin, Texas
I don't understand what you are meaning by "hot and neutral wires". There is no such a thing on a starter. "Neutral" is an AC term and your truck's electrical is DC. Please post a pic of your starter.
The only 5.8L starter that is going to bolt on your 460 would be for an old 351M but that would not be a gear reduction starter, which yours should have. A 351W starter is not going to bolt up.
The only 5.8L starter that is going to bolt on your 460 would be for an old 351M but that would not be a gear reduction starter, which yours should have. A 351W starter is not going to bolt up.
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More Turbo
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 591
Likes: 54
From: Pennsylvania
I guess I'm used to using terms for house wiring haha, replace "hot" with "red" and "neutral" with "black." I'll try to get a picture of the starter and the underside of the truck in a day or two.
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 793
Likes: 2
From: Vernon, BC
When you do order your starter make sure it is for the automatic transmission truck. On the 5.8 the starters for the automatic and the manual are slightly different. Not sure if it is true of the 460 or not but I wouldn't take the chance.
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 7,961
Likes: 594
From: Greater Austin, Texas
I guess I'm used to using terms for house wiring haha, replace "hot" with "red" and "neutral" with "black."
If you have 2 wires going to your starter, then the big one is the 12V from the battery. The little one is from the starter solenoid, it goes hot when you turn the key to start and tells the starter to engage.
For the little one, if you have a spade terminal or a post terminal, it doesn't make any difference. Just put on the correct crimp connector to match the starter connection and off you go.
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