Well, I no more than finish putting on new tires and replacing the A/C unit and it looks like she now has a starter issue! Hooked everything up after replacing the a/c system and she fired up with cool air blowing! The next morning my wife told me she (the expy) was dead and would not start. All the lights/accessoried will come on but she won't turn over. I pulled the solenoid (relay) up on the firewall just to be sure and that did not help. So I am guessing it has to be either a locked up engine (impossible since it was fine last night) or that the starter is out. Does this sound correct to everyone? I "beat" on the starter with a hammer and it did not help either. All the connections are tight, the lights and accessories come on, the relays are clicking, etc.....

If I am on the right road, I can't quite figure out how to pull the starter on this truck. Any ideas??? It's the 5.4L and I was able to locate the battery cable and disconnect from the starter and then I found the one mounting bolt right next to that. There seems to be one more bolt on top that I can feel where the starter connects to the bell housing. The six inch socket extension is too long with the 1/2" deep socket on and too short with a regular socket.

I know this will be simple once I get the starter off and sure don't want to pay the stealership $$$$$$$ for something I should be able to do in half an hour. As always, thanks for y'alls help.

 

Just a thought - if the solenoid is kicking in, make sure power is *getting* to the starter.

Similar happened to me a couple of years back on my 98 EB5.4. On the advice of the shop at the time, before replacing the starter they ran a replacement lead (the heavy red one) from the block on the firewall to the starter.

It seems the original had a defect or damage and salt corrosion set in - there was no conductor left.

The original doesn't come out - they chopped it off and routed the new length by an accessible path...