Hello all when I turn my key the starter makes a grinding noise and only will sometimes start, and I am wondering if I need to replace the entire starter or if something simple is wrong. Another question is doe a 66 f-100 come with dash lights for the speedometer, the only light I have inside is the dome light which comes on by turning the light switch. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Eric J. Bayer

 

Eric it does sound like you may have a starter going bad. Try rotating the light switch slowly counter clockwise while pulled out, you may have your lights dimmed out with the **** fully rotated clockwise.

Hope this helps

John
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Be sure your starter is not loose on the engine. I had the bolts back out on my 65 and it sounded like it was grinding.Also might want to just try changing thr bendix gear in the srarter

 

You may have a bad bendix on the starter. Another possibility is the fly wheel teeth could be chewed up, be sure to check this when you take the starter out. If your flywheel teeth are badly damaged, you will have to replace the flex plate, if you have an automatic. If you have a manual trans, you have to remove the flywheel and either replace the ring gear or, I have knocked the ring gear off on some and flipped it over, heated it, and fitted it back on. This effectively gives you a new ring gear.
Dash light are controlled by a rheostat built into the light switch, and sometimes this will burn out. Also check all your bulbs in the back of the instrument cluster. It is apparent that, you are not versed in mechanics. The lights are a simple job, one you are most likely capable of doing. The starter problem is a little more complicated. I would suggest you find a mechanicly inclined person to help you with this. Advice from e-mail is helpful, but we cannot judge the wear on flywheel teeth without seeing said teeth. All such teeth will have some wear, so it is hard to state where, wear ends, and failure is possible.
Rich