Soul crushed and seeking advice on starting problems

[Li'l Work Truck]

That sounds terribly frustrating, as we rely on quality parts to keep things going, but if remans have such a serious case of the Idgaf, we now have to be engineers. I have to say though, the collective efforts being raised to help address TacoBelleGirl's issue is unlike any forum of which I have been visitor or contributor. Amazing!

 

[TacoBelleGirl]

They didn't really call it OBD1 even though it is for ford, but it'd be located near the passenger side firewall in the engine compartment and look like

Hey sorry I should have been more specific since you and a few others were saying similar.. I had previously jumped the terminals for make the engine light flash the codes and looked at them. At the time the codes were for the transmission neutral switch due to the wiring being broken which I repaired while doing the work on the flywheel and also code 42 for the HEGO heater (02). That also had damaged wiring and after replacing the sensor the code went away.

I was going to send you a DM asking if/where I could drop off the book the next time I'm in Sandpoint, but I don't think I'm allowed, at least I can't find a place to do that.

It let me start one with you so you should have gotten a notification or something about it. I'm not sure how much value I'll get out of the book without the ability to get a healthy crank out of it though. You might want to hold onto them until I make more progress on that front.

i currently have two 4.0 vehicles. one is a plow rig explorer that i got because of this issue. they popped a fresh clutch system and several starters and murdered the flywheel twice....so now its my problem.

Wow so the exact same issue as what I have been seeing then.. That's kinda crazy. On one hand I am not thrilled that it's a quality control problem, but on another I am happy that it at least probably is not my fault.

i have not attempted the plate modification yet. but the starter situation is one or the other and i do not remember the order. i do suspect there is a casting issue with the starters and figure its hit or miss on nearly immediate total failure enough that they just dgaf....

the point of this is dont give up yet, there was some data on the phone that indicated starter changes around 97 with some other casting changed and the 8 bolt flywheel was coming into play...i know rangers could be 6 or 8 till 99 or so from physically working on them.

So just to confirm then, the theory is that it's a problem with the starters themselves and not the flywheel? Would it be crazy to try and find an older used starter? lol.
You mentioned trying a starter for an automatic, was that a solution for some of the people you had helped?
Either way though give up I will not now that I have that added info. Thank you!

That sounds terribly frustrating, as we rely on quality parts to keep things going, but if remans have such a serious case of the Idgaf, we now have to be engineers. I have to say though, the collective efforts being raised to help address TacoBelleGirl's issue is unlike any forum of which I have been visitor or contributor. Amazing!

Right? I have been mind blown by how amazing this community is and now I have also been mindblown by just how awful replacement parts can be.
Ford ranger people are cool people in my book

ty y'all and I am glad I get to be here with you

 

[mtnrgr]

I've read thru what everyone has said about your issues with your truck. These individuals who know these older 4.0 engines have more experience than I do. Im more of a 3.0 owner.

I can provide some advice on the starter. I owned a 1994 ford ranger 3.0 5spd for 31 years until it was totaled last summer..not my fault. Thru the years I've always used motorcraft starters..better quality. As the decades went on, ford starters became to expensive. I checked with junkyards and found a two ford oem starters from 93-97 3.0 rangers with a manual transmission.

Fast forward to 2023, i needed a starter and went looking at oem new, rebuilt or used. Found nothing local, got on ebay and found a nos 3.0 starter rated for a 93-97 3.0 aerostar.. well all aerostar vans in the 90s were automatic. Internet research, talking with ford local and in Detroit. Ford in Detroit did say a starter from a 3.0 automatic will work on a 3.0 5spd. That was my question..I bought the starter to install it, and was still going good until my 94 was totaled. I have a 97 3.0 5spd ranger now, and I have spare starter from a 3.0 automatic I picked up last year from the junkyard.

Long explanation, what i did discover is a 4.0 automatic transmission starter will not work on a 4.0 5spd transmission. The same with a 2.3. The 3.0 starter is the only one that will work on both. My suggestion is instead of buying a new or rebuilt junk from the auto part store. Go where the real junk is and find a good used oem starter from a vehicle at the yard. Then have it tested at the store to make sure it's good.

For your needs, I say any ranger from 91-99 4.0 5spd will work, it all the ohv engine. Any 91-99 explorers 4.0 5spd will work..just make sure 95+ explorers has the ohv engine not the sohc engine. Most 4.0 5spds were in the explorer sports of those years. Get a starter from a 5spd trans only, not an automatic.

Hope this helps

 

[TacoBelleGirl]

I've read thru what everyone has said about your issues with your truck. These individuals who know these older 4.0 engines have more experience than I do. Im more of a 3.0 owner.

I can provide some advice on the starter. I owned a 1994 ford ranger 3.0 5spd for 31 years until it was totaled last summer..not my fault. Thru the years I've always used motorcraft starters..better quality. As the decades went on, ford starters became to expensive. I checked with junkyards and found a two ford oem starters from 93-97 3.0 rangers with a manual transmission.

Fast forward to 2023, i needed a starter and went looking at oem new, rebuilt or used. Found nothing local, got on ebay and found a nos 3.0 starter rated for a 93-97 3.0 aerostar.. well all aerostar vans in the 90s were automatic. Internet research, talking with ford local and in Detroit. Ford in Detroit did say a starter from a 3.0 automatic will work on a 3.0 5spd. That was my question..I bought the starter to install it, and was still going good until my 94 was totaled. I have a 97 3.0 5spd ranger now, and I have spare starter from a 3.0 automatic I picked up last year from the junkyard.

Long explanation, what i did discover is a 4.0 automatic transmission starter will not work on a 4.0 5spd transmission. The same with a 2.3. The 3.0 starter is the only one that will work on both. My suggestion is instead of buying a new or rebuilt junk from the auto part store. Go where the real junk is and find a good used oem starter from a vehicle at the yard. Then have it tested at the store to make sure it's good.

For your needs, I say any ranger from 91-99 4.0 5spd will work, it all the ohv engine. Any 91-99 explorers 4.0 5spd will work..just make sure 95+ explorers has the ohv engine not the sohc engine. Most 4.0 5spds were in the explorer sports of those years. Get a starter from a 5spd trans only, not an automatic.

Hope this helps

Thank you for the advice.

So here's a fun fact. I just called my local ford dealer and they can order me a motorcraft reman starter. It is quite pricy but they have exactly one of them available which is more than I was expecting. It's $250 but I am considering it

 

[superj]

Someone ranger swapped the front of your van, ha ha ha, thats awesome.

My parents had an e150 from wheb i qas in kindergarten till 10th grade. It sat in the driveway for a few years so i was politicing to get it as my first car but they have it to my uncle who trashed it, like everything else he ever had. I was bummed because it was such a cool van.

78 e150 with inline 300 and autotrans. They bought it on oahu when we lived there and brouhht it back to austin and socal when we moved back. It was a cross country cruiser for a family of 6

 

[superj]

Like this, but brown

 

[Dilligaf1]

Thank you for the advice.

So here's a fun fact. I just called my local ford dealer and they can order me a motorcraft reman starter. It is quite pricy but they have exactly one of them available which is more than I was expecting. It's $250 but I am considering it

Ouch. Get a junkyard starter and just rebuild it yourself.

 

[bobbywalter]

I've read thru what everyone has said about your issues with your truck. These individuals who know these older 4.0 engines have more experience than I do. Im more of a 3.0 owner.

I can provide some advice on the starter. I owned a 1994 ford ranger 3.0 5spd for 31 years until it was totaled last summer..not my fault. Thru the years I've always used motorcraft starters..better quality. As the decades went on, ford starters became to expensive. I checked with junkyards and found a two ford oem starters from 93-97 3.0 rangers with a manual transmission.

Fast forward to 2023, i needed a starter and went looking at oem new, rebuilt or used. Found nothing local, got on ebay and found a nos 3.0 starter rated for a 93-97 3.0 aerostar.. well all aerostar vans in the 90s were automatic. Internet research, talking with ford local and in Detroit. Ford in Detroit did say a starter from a 3.0 automatic will work on a 3.0 5spd. That was my question..I bought the starter to install it, and was still going good until my 94 was totaled. I have a 97 3.0 5spd ranger now, and I have spare starter from a 3.0 automatic I picked up last year from the junkyard.

Long explanation, what i did discover is a 4.0 automatic transmission starter will not work on a 4.0 5spd transmission. The same with a 2.3. The 3.0 starter is the only one that will work on both. My suggestion is instead of buying a new or rebuilt junk from the auto part store. Go where the real junk is and find a good used oem starter from a vehicle at the yard. Then have it tested at the store to make sure it's good.

For your needs, I say any ranger from 91-99 4.0 5spd will work, it all the ohv engine. Any 91-99 explorers 4.0 5spd will work..just make sure 95+ explorers has the ohv engine not the sohc engine. Most 4.0 5spds were in the explorer sports of those years. Get a starter from a 5spd trans only, not an automatic.

Hope this helps

this is a thing. but this thinking is also a problem. a large majority of my family is or was in r&d and prototyping and development in the big three. if you look at all of the engine failures the last ten years in the big3 which is now toyota ford and gm with sometimes dodge...your faith in oem superior parts should be lowered from the 90's


myself and my younger brother that is still alive are the oddballs in that we work in different fields outside of r&d big three....

but because of these relationships and my actual access into certain facilities...i have a real real clear look at what actually moves in the pipeline...and how those processes are decided.

thinking that engineers know wtf they are doing or quality is highest at the dealer level...you are misinformed or just choose to believe in something that dont work that way anymore....sure...some of the engineers are awesome. but cost out determines part actuals.

the rapid prototyping technology now is a sword with many edges..

what those engineers want...and what we get...is not what really happens at the end of the assembly line....and getting parts down the road....good luck.

as to what i mentioned earlier..

in one case, the known workable parts i did use in my specific application on the b2...they were not necessarily actual motocraft parts...though that one starter may in fact have been a oem motorcraft starter...regardless...they were known working ok when i swapped the engine.

the fresh engine got fresh stuff...which should have been ideal. and it didnt work. difference being just the engine. exercise in frustration to be sure.

thing about the colognes is they will sometimes have crank shims...and if you have them they may need to stay on...just like the sac clutch verse std pressure plates...mixing and matching can cause a failure of proper operation...

so if you buy an already pulled engine and it had 3 shims that are now long gone....well...good luck figuring that out.

problem being this will cause more engagement not less in regards to the starter. which would cause it to drag a bit. i have only had that issue a few times, but those shims were on it when it left ford in a few cases.

but that is a different problem.

the problem i am referring to and i assume taco girl has...is lack of engagement....that is damaging the flywheel teeth.

in her case...both depth and radial

in my plow trucks case, engagement. peeling the edge.

all of these issues can simply be the result of a stretched or distorted separator plate....and i suspect this is probably the main issue.

getting separator plates for this application that are true and new has proven a no can do for me...though occasionally getting nos units happens..


going forward.

determining if its just a crap nose cone from the re-man....as not all re-mans are the same....and some re-mans are actual oem equipment suppliers at that...figuring out how to work with what is readily available is my goal.

getting a genuine new starter that is motocraft for a 4.0 is one thing. whether or not it will work with an aftermarket flywheel is another.

i know all of the stuff i got from oem ford parts outlet for pumps starters and alternators were all remans in regards to pushrod engines...

finding 4.0 manual starters at the junkyards i shop at is a low probability event....finding one with an oem starter is hitting the lotto for 4 numbers odds...

so it will take some more work to see what is doable with known parts and issues

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

this is a thing. but this thinking is also a problem. a large majority of my family is or was in r&d and prototyping and development in the big three. if you look at all of the engine failures the last ten years in the big3 which is now toyota ford and gm with sometimes dodge...your faith in oem superior parts should be lowered from the 90's


myself and my younger brother that is still alive are the oddballs in that we work in different fields outside of r&d big three....

but because of these relationships and my actual access into certain facilities...i have a real real clear look at what actually moves in the pipeline...and how those processes are decided.

thinking that engineers know wtf they are doing or quality is highest at the dealer level...you are misinformed or just choose to believe in something that dont work that way anymore....sure...some of the engineers are awesome. but cost out determines part actuals.

the rapid prototyping technology now is a sword with many edges..

what those engineers want...and what we get...is not what really happens at the end of the assembly line....and getting parts down the road....good luck.

as to what i mentioned earlier..

in one case, the known workable parts i did use in my specific application on the b2...they were not necessarily actual motocraft parts...though that one starter may in fact have been a oem motorcraft starter...regardless...they were known working ok when i swapped the engine.

the fresh engine got fresh stuff...which should have been ideal. and it didnt work. difference being just the engine. exercise in frustration to be sure.

thing about the colognes is they will sometimes have crank shims...and if you have them they may need to stay on...just like the sac clutch verse std pressure plates...mixing and matching can cause a failure of proper operation...

so if you buy an already pulled engine and it had 3 shims that are now long gone....well...good luck figuring that out.

problem being this will cause more engagement not less in regards to the starter. which would cause it to drag a bit. i have only had that issue a few times, but those shims were on it when it left ford in a few cases.

but that is a different problem.

the problem i am referring to and i assume taco girl has...is lack of engagement....that is damaging the flywheel teeth.

in her case...both depth and radial

in my plow trucks case, engagement. peeling the edge.

all of these issues can simply be the result of a stretched or distorted separator plate....and i suspect this is probably the main issue.

getting separator plates for this application that are true and new has proven a no can do for me...though occasionally getting nos units happens..


going forward.

determining if its just a crap nose cone from the re-man....as not all re-mans are the same....and some re-mans are actual oem equipment suppliers at that...figuring out how to work with what is readily available is my goal.

getting a genuine new starter that is motocraft for a 4.0 is one thing. whether or not it will work with an aftermarket flywheel is another.

i know all of the stuff i got from oem ford parts outlet for pumps starters and alternators were all remans in regards to pushrod engines...

finding 4.0 manual starters at the junkyards i shop at is a low probability event....finding one with an oem starter is hitting the lotto for 4 numbers odds...

so it will take some more work to see what is doable with known parts and issues

You know, now that I know this, I regret all of the flywheels that I’ve thrown on the scrap pile because I had no use for them over the years…

 

[bobbywalter]

You know, now that I know this, I regret all of the flywheels that I’ve thrown on the scrap pile because I had no use for them over the years…

yeah...makes two of us.