Starter Clicked then Smoked

[Angry Possum]

My starter was replaced about 2 years ago. Today when I went to start it up, it had a heavy click but did not engage. Battery was good and I tried jump starting it. I tried tapping it with a hammer when my son tried starting it and then I seen smoke coming from the starter area. So I'm assuming it's the selenoid.

Some Questions. Is it an EZ job to replace it, and what starter do you recommend. My car parts store here has a BBB starter. I researched it and it has decent reviews. Your thoughts. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

1993 Ford Ranger 4.0 XLT SC 4x4

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

So, this is part of why I started buying from AZ. When they say ”lifetime” it means as long as you own it. With parts being generally crap anymore, I like that.

My 95 F-150 I actually replaced the starter in their parking lot.

On a 4.0 ranger it is annoying but not super difficult.

 

[Terrys87]

I have not done a 4.0 starter but usually starters are not to bad to do. Part quality is low now a days. If you can find a mom and pop store that still rebuilds starters and alternators is how I like mine done. Usually about the same price as a rebuilt. I have had rebuilds bad out of the box several times.

 

[Angry Possum]

In what I'm watching on you tube videos there's the smaller/thinner ignition wire that people have had problems with. My starter has 3 wires.

 

[Angry Possum]

Also there's a seperate starter solenoid shown in rockauto's website, does anyone know if my truck has that also?

 

[Angry Possum]

So, this is part of why I started buying from AZ. When they say ”lifetime” it means as long as you own it. With parts being generally crap anymore, I like that.

My 95 F-150 I actually replaced the starter in their parking lot.

On a 4.0 ranger it is annoying but not super difficult.

What is AZ?

 

[Terrys87]

AZ is for Autozone. Oreilly has same or similar warrantties. I like both but Orielly is 1 mile from my house and Autozone is 15 miles from me. Napa used to be the best parts store in the past but they have gone down hill lately as well as all others. Rockauto can be hit or miss on part quality. There are numerous other parts stores online.

I do not recall seeing a 4.0 in my life. If I have I did not pay attention to it but it has a good reputation so dont know if it has a seperate starter solenoid. I would guess yes, as most Ford has them on the passenger fender for years.

 

[Angry Possum]

AZ is for Autozone. Oreilly has same or similar warrantties. I like both but Orielly is 1 mile from my house and Autozone is 15 miles from me. Napa used to be the best parts store in the past but they have gone down hill lately as well as all others. Rockauto can be hit or miss on part quality. There are numerous other parts stores online.

I do not recall seeing a 4.0 in my life. If I have I did not pay attention to it but it has a good reputation so dont know if it has a seperate starter solenoid. I would guess yes, as most Ford has them on the passenger fender for years.

Thanks for the clarification, I didn't know AutoZone had lifetime warrantee on Starters. It's good to know.

 

[Curious Hound]

The starter “relay” is on the inner fender. The starter “solenoid” is on the starter motor itself.

When you turn the key switch to start, it energizes the starter relay. That sends power to the starter solenoid. The solenoid does 2 things. 1. It closes a set of relay contacts to energize the starter motor. 2. It pushes the bendix gear out to engage the flywheel so the motor can spin the engine.

these days, i would generally not recommend replacing the starter solenoid by itself. Just grt a new starter and it will come with a new solenoid.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Yup, AZ is Autozone. They’re not really better or worse than anywhere else, but they don’t hassle you on warranty stuff. Advance Auto around here will argue with you rather than give you a warranty replacement. I took a battery in that froze because it wouldn’t hold a charge and had to argue with a manager because their tester said it was a good battery, it just needed charged. When it’s a block of ice because it can’t hold a charge overnight in the winter… it’s not a good battery, there’s an internal short somewhere. I don’t care what your tester says. AZ doesn’t even question me anymore, when I say it’s bad, they hand me a new part.

There is one AZ, three Advance, one Napa, one Hovis Auto Parts (they have like 3 stores around plus a junkyard) and a couple little independents all within like 8 miles of me. The independent shops don’t have a whole lot of new stuff and usually buy any new parts they sell from one of the bigger stores. But if you need something old and obscure, that’s the place to go. The one independent shop was able to dig me up two stock valve springs and keepers when I accidentally fried the springs with a torch.

The hardest part of doing the 4.0 starter is that it’s above the front driveshaft for a 4x4 and you don’t have a lot of space to work. I disconnect the battery, sometimes pop the front driveshaft off the front diff, pull the two mounting bolts and drop it down to where I can see what I’m doing to get the wires off. Installation is the reverse. If you don’t disconnect the battery, you will probably get sparks, ask me how I know.

 

[Angry Possum]

Ok, I removed the starter and found that the larger thicker positive wire that goes to the starter, the connection tab broke off. I think this is the part # f37z14300c but it's obsolete. I'm wondering if I can:

A. Resolder the broken pieces back on.
B. Just replace the 1 wire itself that has that tab connection on it.

Photo enclosed and the tab that broke off is circled in red. Or if anyone can send me a link.

 

[Angry Possum]

I found this on rockauto.

 

[Angry Possum]

This is the bad wire. You'll see the tab piece broke off. It's circled in yellow.

 

[Angry Possum]

I'm wondering if I can use just this one wire, and but connect it to the existing wire off the battery. So I'm only just running one new wire.

 

[Curious Hound]

Ok, I removed the starter and found that the larger thicker positive wire that goes to the starter, the connection tab broke off. I think this is the part # f37z14300c but it's obsolete. I'm wondering if I can:

A. Resolder the broken pieces back on.
B. Just replace the 1 wire itself that has that tab connection on it.

Photo enclosed and the tab that broke off is circled in red. Or if anyone can send me a link.

View attachment 129935

Thats not the starter cable. That is the battery positive/alternator cable harness. It goes from the battery to the starter relay and alternator. You can put a new end on it. But I would recommend crimping it for a mechanically stringer connection than just soldering. That harness is available as seen in this screen shot.