Newbie Starter Problems.

[Buyerz]

I just picked up an 84 capri with a 5.0 5spd in it. I just got it so i dont know much about it but im having a problem with the starter. It seems to turn over healthy but it makes really loud bangs every couple of seconds. (rerererBANGrerererBANG) I put a new starter in it today and it didn't solve the problem. I dropped it back out and checked the flywheel...looks like its brand new all the teeth are there.

I looked at the starter mounting bolts and they thread into the bellhousing fine and tighten up but are they souposed to fit loosely into the mounting ears on the starter its self? Im under the assumption that ford starters usually dont need to be shimmed, but i may be wrong. Otherwise once it gets going it runs fine. The probelm seems intermittant where maybe 1 times out of 10 it will start without making that terrible banging grinding noise? Any ideas? Thanks

 

[jrichker]

Pull the starter out and inspect the starter Bendix drive. You may find evidence of it sticking, so clean it up and spray it down with WD40. If you find that the Bendix drive is damaged, plan on replacing the starter. If is sticking and the WD40 didn't fix it, replace the starter. Most auto parts store will test the starter for free.

While the starter is out, paint a white mark on one flywheel gear tooth. You are going to inspect the flywheel gear teeth for visible damage. Put the transmission in 5th gear and move the car slightly. Inspect the teeth and move the car slightly again in the same direction. You may need to mark the flywheel gear with a magic marker to be sure that you don't end up checking the same teeth over and over again. Continue to do this until you see the white marked tooth appear. This is an indication that you have made one complete revolution and had opportunity to visually inspect all the flywheel gear teeth for damage.

Here's a simple way to mark the flywheel gear teeth so that you know which ones you have already checked. Mark the first tooth you can clearly see through the starter mount hole. Then mark the last tooth you can clearly see through the starter mount hole. Put a number between the two marks, then rotate the engine until only the last mark shows. Then do the mark and number routine all over again, but increment the number by 1. When you get to the white mark, you know you have looked at all the teeth.