Starter Issues

rojerts · Jun 28, 2010

So I'm on vacation and my starter goes out in my 89 B2, stock 2.9 EFI V6. Fortunately, I was on a hill so I could pop the clutch, after which I made my way to the nearest auto mechanic shop around for 50 miles.

The guy orders the new starter, and it looks like I'm home free. Then I get a phone call: "Your starter doesn't match the starter that the parts company sent me. The wiring is different (the old one has an extra wire), and the bolt pattern and bell housing are different from the starters in every other b2 or ranger out there, +/- a year."

Has anyone else had this issue? Did Ford install different starters?

Any ideas would be appreciated--especially because I need to get home by July 3rd (this Saturday) or my wife is gonna kill me!

country0001 · Jun 28, 2010

Pics would help.

alwaysFlOoReD · Jun 28, 2010

This info is from memory, and I'm getting old, so do more research. Ford did make different noses for manual vs auto, and how they clocked the 'solenoid'. You might be able to use the nose off the old one on the new body.
Richard

country0001 · Jun 28, 2010

I've got 2 90 B2's, one auto and one manual. The starters interchanged. The auto one is an early 90 model, so its more like an 89. I even used a starter from an 88 on it.

More than likely they are trying to sell u a 4.0 starter. Its smaller than a 2.9 starter. Since the flywheels are different on a 2.9 and a 4.0, that might be the difference.

Like I said, pics would help

Beef52751 · Jun 28, 2010

could you pop start it again and haul ass home without shuting it off???

adsm08 · Jun 28, 2010

The old one has an extra wire?!? The 2.9 starters (or at least the ones that I've dealt with) only had 1 wire.

necessaryevil · Jun 28, 2010

i think they just sent the wrong starter, i had a 84 crown vic 5.0; that used the same starter as my 87' b2 and a buddys 89 b2

rojerts · Jun 28, 2010

I appreciate all the responses. Unfortunately, getting pics will be hard being in the middle of nowhere without a digital camera. But I'll try.

To answer Beef: I plan on popping the clutch and heading home without shutting it off, if this can't be solved by the mechanic. But, it's an 8.5 hour trip--so it would be nice to avoid that scenario.

I'll try to get some pics, and post them.

Ranger Kip · Jun 28, 2010

necessaryevil said:
i think they just sent the wrong starter, i had a 84 crown vic 5.0; that used the same starter as my 87' b2 and a buddys 89 b2

Universals! Now I can pick apart a police car in town for parts! :icon_rofl:

SquashMan2009 · Jun 28, 2010

Sounds like a 4.0L starter too me, i just swapped from a 2.9 to 4.0 and remember having what you described, bronco II starter will work as well.

adsm08 · Jun 29, 2010

necessaryevil said:
i think they just sent the wrong starter, i had a 84 crown vic 5.0; that used the same starter as my 87' b2 and a buddys 89 b2

I thought about this recently when smokeater was having start issues. I was going to send him my old 2.9 starter. The problem is that that only works one way, the 5.0 starter will work on a 2.9, a 2.9 starter won't start a 5.0.

rojerts · Jun 30, 2010

Well, the mechanic figured it out. He used a starter off a 92 Ranger, which was identical to the broken starter. I'm the fourth owner, and wonder if the first or second put in a newer 2.9 from a ranger. I'll have to check the VINs between motor and dash to see if they match up.

Thanks for everyone's help!

adsm08 · Jun 30, 2010

That could explain things.

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