seschenburg

Just a couple of random thoughts...

...if the starter and flexplate are grinding you'll see damage on the starter gear. No damage, no grinding.
...you may be able to remove the inspection plate at the front of the transmission and use a mirror and light to see how the two line up. This might tell you if you need a shim or not.
...you could paint the starter gear with something, maybe paint, then start the truck and see how it wears off. If it wears evenly and centered then your problem is elsewhere. Of course you'll get some rubbing at the leading edge when the gear shoots out to engage the flexplate, so allow for this when you inspect it.

88xlt

It sounds like the drive(often called the bendix) in your starter just suddenly went bad. I would remove the starter and look in there at the flexplate before you ever turn the engine to make sure the teeth on the flexplate aren't damaged. Turning the engine some as you did was the right thing to do, but if the starter still grinds, the drive in the starter must be bad. No shims needed on a Ford starter, and especially if the starter was working good to begin with.

forrest411

I agree, you shouldn't need any shims. If it was a problem with the teeth on your flexplate I would think it would have popped up much sooner than 6-7 weeks. My guess is that it's the starter AGAIN. I ran a parts store from 1990 to 1999 and I can honestly say that parts today suck! They slap a lifetime warranty on them and people think they are good parts. Absolutely not the case. Try to find the best starter you can and go from there.

Good luck

hawaiidisney

I rotated the engine and it still grinds. The fact that it did fine for 6-7 weeks and then out of the blue, it did nothing but grind is what has me confused...I thought, "surely another starter hasn't gone bad" but that sounds like the most likely culprit...especially since I rotated the engine and it still grinds. I'm going to take the starter off this afternoon and take it to O'Reileys to get it checked. If the gear in the starter went bad, does that mean it isn't popping out to engage the flex plate? I know I have a couple of damaged teeth on the flex plate (see pics at the beginning of this thread)...and figured the flex plate just happened to stop where the starter would engage the flex plate in the area of the damaged teeth...but rotating the engine didn't help so...I feel certain if I take the starter to O'Reileys to have it checked and the gear pops out like it should, they will not warranty the part and give me another one...the last starter I took to them to test, they said it popped out but it struggled to do so...and they did warranty it..so I guess I am hoping the gear on this one doesn't pop up or at least struggles to engage...I'll report back once I find out about the starter....as always, I truly appreciate everyone's input!!!

Chris_1

iTrader: (1)

Isn't it maybe just about time to do something about your flex plate ?

Manuellabour247

This. As many times as you've replaced the starter, it's about time you replace them both to start with new instead of bandaiding the problem. If the flywheel is damaged from the few bad starters, it will continue to destroy starters in the future.

hawaiidisney

As a matter of fact it is. I got an estimate today. Remove and install a new flex plate and rear crankshaft seal...parts, labor and taxes for $540

seagiant

Hi,
Sorry you are having problems!

I would suggest you get out of places like Auto Zone, ect....

And try to find a good, Mom and Pop, Auto Parts Store!

These old type Ford starters HAVE to produce a lot of torque and need to be in perfect condition to work well.

The newer type starters have "planetary gears, set up to help with the load.
'
The old type are just a single Bendex.

The selinode (sp) is on the right fender.

The hump on the starter is the throw out mechanism for the bendix!

I have had good luck with the Delco-REMY brand of starters and alternators!

Good luck!