Starter problem

[buffstuffington]

hello, i have a 1988 ford ranger 4x4 manual shift, the man i got the truck from told me it needed a new starter but the starter would work sometimes it just kinda had a grinding sound, so i just rolled it off the other times when it didnt work . i decided to start driving it to work so since the trans. went out in my brother in laws 1988 bronco ii i asked if i could get the starter of his since he had just purchessed it a week before the trans. went out, so i put it on and i get a the same grinding sound and we took it off and noticed that the end of the starter had a place were im assuming the flywheel is grinding on it but the flywheel looks fine both starters have the same little grinded place on them but the new one has a bigger spot,

is it possible i could have 2 bad starters or whats the deal?

 

[cocoasranger]

Make sure the steel block-off plate between the trans and engine is there, and that it is the correct one, since the plate locates the starter in relation to the flywheel. The starter bolts don't locate the starter, they only hold it on the bell housing.

Not much chance two starters in a row would be bad and have the same grooving.

 

[holyford86]

bench test the starter and make sure that the gear is popping it out to make contact with the flywheel, you can accomplish this with a set of jumper cables. If all seems well then make sure that the engine and trans are tight together, I had a similar problem only to discover that the transmission had partially removed itself.

 

[Cyberbeer]

Partially removed itself how? Do you mean the bellhousing bolts backed out or something else?

 

[holyford86]

Partially removed itself how? Do you mean the bellhousing bolts backed out or something else?

Yep, 4 out of 6 bolts fell out, the remaining two were finger tight,

 

[Cyberbeer]

Damn, were there no lock washers on the bolts? My starter started grinding recently everyone once and awhile. I know one of the bolts isnt a direct replacement, guess I better get down there and check em.

Do you happen to know the pitch and length of the bell housing bolts?

 

[buffstuffington]

thanks

thanks for the help guys