69 starter problems

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Oct 7, 2007 | 10:29 PM

noshoes

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69 starter problems

i have a 69 f100 with a 300 6cyl and a c4 transmission. i replaced the starter and it worked great for awhile. then it started to make a grinding noise. i then replaced the the solenoid and the flexplate. then i rethreaded the starter bolt holes. after all of this it worked great for about a month. i went to start the motor and the starter got stuck. i replaced the starter again and turned the key and it the starter would not turn off even after i took out the key. i am down to my last nerve any information or ideas would be greatful.

Oct 7, 2007 | 10:44 PM

Freightrain

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From: Ohio

Hmmmm, something sounds fishy. The starter sounds like the culprit on the grinding issue. The soleniod sounds like the other issue. You've replaced both, but that don't mean they were good(the first or second time).

What's with the rethreaded hole? Were they cross threaded or what?

As long as the starter gets into the pilot hole, it should be fine. Unless you're pulling it off center when tightening the bolts. Make sure you both pulled down even(should be hard to not get it right actually).

I suppose you disconnected the battery to get starter stopped? If you hook it back up, will starter start turning without key? Either the solenoid or the key switch is at fault. I know my '67 was a bit stiff at the key and you really had to "turn" it back after you started it. Never stuck, but it wasn't sprung hard enough anymore to really pull back to run position.

I'm just throwing ideas as not really sure what to think as I'm not there to see what all is happening.

Oct 8, 2007 | 03:26 AM

The_Ryan_Lilly

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After all the work that you have done, It sounds like you have a solenoid that is getting stuck, Or a starter that has a defective... I'm not sure what it is called but it is the spring loaded plate thing that pushes the gear of your starter back when power is removed. Im thinking It is probably the solenoid, the most unreliable pare on these trucks, Thats why I have four extra in my garage.

Oct 8, 2007 | 08:21 AM

TigerDan

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From: The hills of No. Calif.

Hi and Welcome to the site!

Do you have the block plate in place? (the plate which goes between the block and the bellhousing and also shims the starter out from the bellhousing)

I once had a similar problem, I never did find the cause of the misalignment but out of frustration I wound up doing a little grinding to move the starter away from the flywheel a tad...not the most elegant solution but it worked.

Last edited by TigerDan; Oct 8, 2007 at 06:45 PM.

Oct 8, 2007 | 12:23 PM

Freightrain

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From: Ohio

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Ryan_Lilly

The starter BENDIX is the gear portion of the starter. Usually when they fail it won't PUSH the gear out and engage the flywheel...thus giving you that familiar ZING sound of a free rev'n starter.

The solenoid on a Ford is up on the fender, the Chevy is mounted directly ON the starter. That is why theirs fail so bad when hot. It is just the large SWITCH that tells the starter to turn on.

Oct 11, 2007 | 02:56 PM

The_Ryan_Lilly

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I Bendix thank you. I put an old starter on my truck once... when power is applied to the starter, the bendix is pushed forward to engage the flywheel teeth, then moving forward to engage the flywheel, it also compresses a spring, when power is removed, the spring expands pushing the bendix gear back to its resting position. Anyway on this old starter I had not realized that the metal plate that sits between the gear and spring had broken and the spring no-longer pushed the gear away from the flywheel when power was removed. Ill see if I can find it and take a picture.

That is probably a very odd situation, I think that the OP's problem is with the solenoid.

My truck actually started itself once because of a bad solenoid, I had a just started my truck, but then realized I had to run inside for something, so I shut it off and took the key out. About a second latter the truck began to crank on its own and started and continued to spin the starter! I unplugged the battery quickly, to stop it and smacked the solenoid a few times with a big wrench. It still works fine now, But I keep a big wrench handy!

Last edited by The_Ryan_Lilly; Oct 11, 2007 at 03:10 PM.

Oct 19, 2007 | 07:17 PM

baitmaster

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From: nevada

I've prob had 5 starters on my '72 390 in the last 20 yrs. The last starter I bought was a Jegs mini starter. Real bearings in it, supposed to last several times longer, along with being more heat resistant. I had always had fire cloth wrapped around my starters to keep the header heat away. So we'll see how long this one lasts, at least it will be much easier to get off, about half the size of the big 'uns. Sure spins the old girl over smoothly.