1995 Ford F-150 Starter

Tiny
MIALEAH323
  • MEMBER
  • 1995 FORD F-150
  • 5.8L
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 96,000 MILES
1995 Ford 4WD 150. Good condition; perfect smog test results year after year. So, starter died ("clicks" when key is turned; got to be either starter or solenoid, right? In my day, the "bendex" bearing would fail and short out to the field coil in the starter; drain battery, etc.) I replace both solenoid and starter. I take vehicle out, and there is a "stagger" in acceleration, and the in-dash voltmeter swings to near zero. Smell of ozone? (Electrical). Unsure, I continue, and hear a "background noise" (uh, about half of the "roar" you'd get with a bad fan clutch. Audible, but hard to pin-point), that "winds down" when engine is turned off. After about ten minutes of operation, I see wisps of barely discernible smoke. Electrical "blue" smoke. From the starter.I swing under and starter is too hot to touch. So. Here's my evaluation. The starter which is Bosch and 100% new, the starter isn't disengaging, it's spinning with the motor. Why the in-dash voltmeter quit, I don't know. But my basic question is. What did I do wrong when I installed that simple-minded starter that it now is "bound" into the engine and won't release?
Thursday, December 5th, 2013 AT 11:35 AM

2 Replies

Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
If you had to put the solenoid to the starter check to see that it's in right an dno wires are touching any other ones. Ford voltmeters were notoriously bad. But try cleaning the battery terminal ends and if it's been ove 60k since new belt replace belt and tensioner.
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Tuesday, December 31st, 2019 AT 12:29 PM
Tiny
CJ MEDEVAC
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,005 POSTS
Sorta sounds like you got wires crossed up/ or touching where they shouldn't and your starter stays engaged even after it should kick back out of the flywheel when you release the key.'nuther words, the starter is either hung up and/ or constantly cranking

Does that sorta fit the symptoms?

The medic
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Tuesday, December 31st, 2019 AT 12:29 PM

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