Starter troubles. Please help!

Thebrownmule · Mar 20, 2014

Ive searched and cannot find what i need so i figured i would write a post. If im not in the right section please move me as im new here.

I have a 88 ranger with a 2.9 v6. Its 5 speed 4wd.

I bought this truck a couple months ago and have had nothing but troubles ever since. The day after I bought it the starter went out. Replaced with a reman from advance store and it lasted a month. This one didn't want to kick out to engage. Replaced again and this one lasted about 2 weeks until it wouldn't engage at all. No spin no kick out no anything. Replaced this time with one from oreillys and noticed when I was putting it in the flywheel had teeth missing. Drove for about 2 weeks or so and wouldn't grab flywheel teeth. I took the trans out, replaced flywheel clutch pressure plate etc. And started right up. Here it is 2 days after I get it all back together and now the starter just grinds and won't turn the motor over.

I've read on here sometimes that shims help and also to try putting a starter gear from an escort. Does anyone think either one of those is the problem?? Or is there something I'm missing??

Thanks guys.
Tbm

Ps first time poster

RonD · Mar 20, 2014

The correct starter motor for an '88 2.9l would not have the starter relay built-in, newer starters do.

There should only be 1 wire hook up on the starter motor, if there are more then they gave you the wrong starter motor, and this can cause your issues.

'88 will have a 3 post starter relay on fender near battery.
Battery + ---------Starter relay------------------Starter motor
Key switch-----------/("S" post)

Yes, I have read that shims can help.
Can't see Ford goofing up like that but could be that non-OEM starters have slightly different dimensions, but close enough for 90% of the vehicles, unfortunately you got one of the 10% vehicles.

Thebrownmule · Mar 22, 2014

The starter has one wire. Tried shimming last night to no avail. Put on new starter and all cables, solenoid to starter and battery to ground. No luck. Still wont spin the motor. Going to go to federated and get a new starter not a reman and see if thats the problem. I also checked the voltage across posts on the solenoid and it reade 12.8 like the battery. Put the voltmeter on the battery while cranking and it read about 11.8. Is that a normal drop in current? Just really confused right now. I feel as if ive replaced everything but nothings helped

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RonD · Mar 22, 2014

If starter is turning, voltage should drop to about 10.0-10.5v, when it gets down to 9.5v is when battery charge is getting low.

11.8v wouldn't mean much, bad cable not carrying amperage maybe or bad starter.
Cables can corrode under the insulation, so "look good" but can no longer carry the high amps required.

You can use jumper cables to test starter while it is out, but watch out, lots of torque in these motors

Thebrownmule · Mar 25, 2014

Okay so over the weekend I spent a lot of time working on the truck. I got another starter from federated and got the battery charged. Battery read 13.4 when I reinstalled it. Put in the battery and the starter at the same time and the truck fired right up. No grinding and starting exactly like it should. Every successive start after that, the grind has started to come back. So I thought it may be a battery problem so I went and got a new battery for it. The grinding noise is still coming back. Slowly but surely. Anybody got anymore ideas???

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RonD · Mar 25, 2014

Ring gears are often different for flywheel(manual) and flexplate(Automatic), so they use different starter motors.

alwaysFlOoReD · Mar 25, 2014

I can do nothing for you but commiserate. I have one 88/9 Ranger that eats starters. I decided to scrap it out after the third starter. It was a cheap beater tho and I have better projects to work on. I read a lot of threads and tried most ideas with no luck. I finally gave up when I ran out of spare starters.

Richard

Thebrownmule · Mar 25, 2014

Ron d- i thought about that too. I checked around and noone lists but one starter for the truck. Guy at O'Reillys says that,the starters are the same from 83 to 91

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Thebrownmule · Mar 26, 2014

Bump

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Starter troubles. Please help!

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