Starter issues
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Starter issues
I’ve replaced the starter on my 78 f150 three times since the beginning of the year. When it happens it makes a grinding sound and the housing breaks off the end of the starter and lays down by the flywheel. Any comments on troubleshooting what may be going wrong or recommendations on what starter to use?
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Pa.
I’ve replaced the starter on my 78 f150 three times since the beginning of the year. When it happens it makes a grinding sound and the housing breaks off the end of the starter and lays down by the flywheel. Any comments on troubleshooting what may be going wrong or recommendations on what starter to use?
Tuned
Joined: Mar 2010
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Which engine is in your truck? Has anything been swapped? I have had some bad results with chain store exchange starters--their application listings are not always right and their staff are often not helpful with our old trucks. I have had much more success rebuilding the original Ford factory starters or getting a remanufactured Ford starter from a Ford dealer. It's not as easy as exchanging at the parts store, but the results are better for me.
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not at all, it still turns about the same speed but it won’t catch on the flywheel.when I took it off today it was clear that the gear on the starter wasn’t engaging on the flywheel, and no damage was done other than some grinding on the edge of a few teeth on the flywheel, but the previous replacements actually broke off the housing of the starter.
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New User
Joined: Aug 2021
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Which engine is in your truck? Has anything been swapped? I have had some bad results with chain store exchange starters--their application listings are not always right and their staff are often not helpful with our old trucks. I have had much more success rebuilding the original Ford factory starters or getting a remanufactured Ford starter from a Ford dealer. It's not as easy as exchanging at the parts store, but the results are better for me.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Pa.
Have you inspected the ring gear to include the entire circumference for broken teeth? If there are more than a couple teeth missing consecutively in any one area you will keep eating starters until you replace the ring gear. This will require you drop the transmission and pull the flywheel or flexplate depending on whether you have an automatic or manual transmission ..
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I went through this with the "Lifetime" Advance Auto starters, replaced one in the parking lot and it broke off first start. Make sure you are getting a quality starter, if I costs under $70k it is probably junk.
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From: The Shenandoah Valley
Have you inspected the ring gear to include the entire circumference for broken teeth? If there are more than a couple teeth missing consecutively in any one area you will keep eating starters until you replace the ring gear. This will require you drop the transmission and pull the flywheel or flexplate depending on whether you have an automatic or manual transmission ..
In the '70s I replaced a flex plate with ring gear on a '70 CST-10 402 with Turbo 400 by removing the driveshaft, undoing trans linkage, supporting the tail shaft, pulled the driveshaft, and used two really long bolts through the bell housing at lowest point on each side into engine, slid trans back just far enough to let me remove the bolts from the crank and drop the flex plate downwards.
In the earl '90s I help a mechanic buddy replace the flexplate in my '89 Chevy Caprice Classic police car essentially the same way. Car was out of warranty, Sgt let me take it to him, I just helped as he is a buddy and I used his lift sometimes for personal stuff.
My '77 still has the original starter and starter friendly low compression 351M.
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Have you inspected the ring gear to include the entire circumference for broken teeth? If there are more than a couple teeth missing consecutively in any one area you will keep eating starters until you replace the ring gear. This will require you drop the transmission and pull the flywheel or flexplate depending on whether you have an automatic or manual transmission ..
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have you found one that lasts longer?
Moderator & parts slinger
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: S/W Missouri, Polk county
Are you 100 % sure you are getting a starter for the transmission you have? You do know there is a difference in a manual and automatic trans starter. Also I believe there is possibly a different tooth count on the starter/versus (flywheel?) I am quoting, so not sure. Do you have a 302, 351M, 400, 460? Auto or manual trans?
Said by a VERY old FTE member.
And from Number Dummy:
D7AZ-11002-A (replaced D1AZ-11002-A) .. Starter Assy (Motorcraft SA-701-A).
1971/79 400 & 1975/79 351M FoMoCo Passenger Cars...which only came with A/T.
1977/79 F100/350 & 1978/82 Bronco & 1980/82 F150/350 351M/400 with A/T & M/T.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D6PZ-11350-B (replaced C6VY-11350-A) .. Starter Drive (Motorcraft SD-302).
ALL A/T & M/T 1967/79 FoMoCo V8's except 429/460 / ALL A/T & M/T 1980/89 F100/350, Bronco & Econoline V8's (gas) including 460.
Said by a VERY old FTE member.
D7AZ-11002-A (replaced D1AZ-11002-A) .. Starter Assy (Motorcraft SA-701-A).
1971/79 400 & 1975/79 351M FoMoCo Passenger Cars...which only came with A/T.
1977/79 F100/350 & 1978/82 Bronco & 1980/82 F150/350 351M/400 with A/T & M/T.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D6PZ-11350-B (replaced C6VY-11350-A) .. Starter Drive (Motorcraft SD-302).
ALL A/T & M/T 1967/79 FoMoCo V8's except 429/460 / ALL A/T & M/T 1980/89 F100/350, Bronco & Econoline V8's (gas) including 460.
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From: Pa.
@tbear853 Yes anytime you can avoid having to drop the transmission I would be in favor of 
In the case of a manual transmission I've always wanted to inspect the clutch plate, pressure plate, pilot bushing given what a pain it is to do it in first place, Here in this problem I think it's going to take some close inspection to include part #s to get to the root of the cause of why the problem began in the first place. I think with the help of you and the FTE forensics team we'll hopefully get it sorted so it doesn't happen again, I'm thinking at the moment it's more than inferior starters though. 
In the case of a manual transmission I've always wanted to inspect the clutch plate, pressure plate, pilot bushing given what a pain it is to do it in first place, Here in this problem I think it's going to take some close inspection to include part #s to get to the root of the cause of why the problem began in the first place. I think with the help of you and the FTE forensics team we'll hopefully get it sorted so it doesn't happen again, I'm thinking at the moment it's more than inferior starters though.
Tuned
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 387
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Rebuilding is easy assuming the armature, housing, and nose cone are not damaged. It's a case of disassembling the starter and replacing small wear items most of the time. Brushes, starter drive, & bushings. A rebuilding shop that specializes in rebuilding starters & alternators will do a better job, meaning that if any other parts need replacing they will do that as well.