I've been having problems with my truck starting lately... we put a new starter in it, solenoid, and still had problems. we then flipped the ring gear on the flywheel because it was well wore out. now it still wont start. it varies on the day it seems. one day it will start with minor grinding noise, the next it will either just grind or grind and then you can hear the starter drive just spin without making contact with the flywheel. I've been told to possibly shim it? or even shave the flywheel so the gears are rounded instead of flat. but id rather not do any filing on the ring gear because with my luck id mess it up completely. any ideas on what it might be?

 

I take it the problem began out of nowhere? Or has the problem always been there and has gotten worse?

Josh

 

Are you sure the starter is correct for the application? Did someone maybe leave the block plate out? Or I've even seen people switch from a manual to auto or visa versa and cut the block plate since a lot of time manuals and autos take different block plates. In the case its missing all togther, damaged or cut I'd bet thats your problem since the block plate is what aligns the starter to exactly where it needs to be.
Also there is never any shimming required, this is not a Chevy.

 

it gradually got worse. like it would work a little less and a little less untill it just doesnt work at all. you can hear the starter trying to work though.

and im almost positive its the right starter. since its the only one with that bolt pattern that bolts up correctly. its a rebuild also. since the original came apart. and the block plate as in the piece of metal covering the flywheel? its still there. and uncut/damaged as far as i can tell. i looked everything i could think of over when we had the tranny out to swap ring gears. it was slightly bent though we straightnd it. its all a little scuffed up and banged up under there though from it being a field/work truck

 

well to join in, if nobody minds I have a 78 F-250 custom that has a 4 speed with a 460. I also have that grinding noise and I just replaced the starter and ring gear, the flywheel's straight nothing wrong with it but my scatter shield has been cut so i got a shime for the starter or spacer that is the same thickness as the scatter shield. and what do you know the same problem i think is starting to reoccur right know its a slight, slight grindish noise but last night it caught n jammed but didnt mess anything up any answers would be appreciated.!!!!

 

Are you sure you have a starter with the right amount of drive teeth ? I think there are 2 different ones.

 

yea i think so i didn't know there was 2 different starter drive teeth amounts!

 

Technically, you're not supposed to have to shim the starter at all (on Fords at least). In practice, sometimes this has helped. However, it's worth your time to double-check that you were given the right starter. I also highly advise against using discount price remanufactured starters; they have a reputation for wearing out flywheels. There are definitely some things where it doesn't make a difference if you use the cheapest thing you can find, but I consider a starter something for which it is well-worth paying top dollar.

 

where would you find out what the correct number of teeth is for the starter gear?

 

well i do know that u can count the teeth on the ring gear and then have the parts house put it into the computer thats how they found mine so thats why im pretty sure but not positive that it's the right starter.