Strange Grinding At Startup
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Bandera, Texas
Strange Grinding At Startup
Anybody had this problem before? Sometimes when I try to start my 98 EB Expy I get this terrible grinding sound. It sounds like the starter but I haven't crawled up under there yet. It won't let the engine turn over when this happens. I think when I move the gear selector all the way to the left in park it will then start but I am not sure if that really is correcting the problem. Any ideas before I crawl under her or take her to the shop?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2004
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Originally Posted by GoldenDually
Anybody had this problem before? Sometimes when I try to start my 98 EB Expy I get this terrible grinding sound. It sounds like the starter but I haven't crawled up under there yet. It won't let the engine turn over when this happens. I think when I move the gear selector all the way to the left in park it will then start but I am not sure if that really is correcting the problem. Any ideas before I crawl under her or take her to the shop?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2002
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Yep. Probably a sticking bendix drive on the starter. Bear in mind that the grinding noise you hear is the gear from the starter lightly contacting the teeth on the engine flywheel. This action will eventually grind away or chip the flywheel teeth, potentially hampering the ability of the new starter to turn over the engine. If the flywheel teeth are damaged enough, replacement of the flywheel will be required. Step 1 of flywheel replacement: Remove the transmission.
Don't allow the problem to get that far.
Don't allow the problem to get that far.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 383
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From: MA
I had the same grinding problem on my expedition with 5.4 while it was still under warranty. It happened very infrequently and dealer tried to start vehicle several times without grinding noise, but they refused to do a visual inspection of flywheel/starter. Consequently they did nothing. After I complained to Ford, dealer finally agreed to perform visual inspection and found that starter and flywheel were damaged. They ended up replacing starter with a rebuilt factory starter and replaced flywheel, all under warranty.
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