alright my starter has issues but i'm not sure if its the wiring to the starter, the solenoid on the starter, flywheel, or the starter itsself.

when i go to crank it sometimes it'll start right up and othertimes i'll turn the key the starter will kick over but it doesn't engage the flywheel and sounds like its grinding almost. sometimes it does this as many as ten times before it turns the engine over to start it.

i redid the hot cable off the battery the wire off the solenoid up top and the ground cable on the starter. also i pulled the starter off checked what i could see of the flywheel from there no chipped teeth and no shavings checked the mounting face on the bellhousing and on the starter no problems there. even adjusted the alignment of the starter a few times by loosening my bottom bolts and crankin down more on the top one then tightening the bottom ones back up.


i'm all out of ideas other than replacing the starter altogether. luckily its got a lifetime warranty on it, but heck i just put this one on 11 months ago.

and the starter currently on it is the third on it since i've had it. i replaced the starter that was on it when i bought(bought it in 06) it in july 07 and replaced that starter in november of 08 this seems to be an every year thing. except the original starter the solenoid on it melted down and on the second starter the hot bolt broke loose of its connection on the inside of the solenoid on the starter.

what do ya'll think?

 

I went through this a few years back with an older truck , at least 12 starters & 2 (ruined flywheels) . I put a ford starter in it & haven't had to touch it since (19 years )...


Oops , I forgot , I had to replace the cover on the bendix, it rusted out from age , that was 3-4 years ago ...

 

could it possibly be the brushes or windings in the starter not allowing enough electrical flow?

the factory keyless entry and the starter solenoid on the fender wall hiccuped earlier today. could that have anything to do with it?

 

The way you described it to me Id say its either the starter has bad teeth or the flywheel teeth are damaged and barely turns and you have to move it t find somewhaer it grabs long enough to spin the motor and start. Also if you keep going through starters with the same problem Id think flywheel.