Damsel in Distress! Starter?

[tutwilar]

I have a 2001 F350, DRW 2WD, 7.3L turbo diesel with about 228k miles, lots of highway miles, some towing gooseneck horse trailer.

Recent history... One of the older batteries were replaced about a month ago, the other is approximately 3 to 4 years old. The truck had been jumped several times over the past few months, as it had been sitting up/just used for towing once a week or every few weeks, prior to battery replacement.

Incident/Problem: Truck started fine after being parked at trailride for weekend (trailer lights were not plugged into truck for the wknd). Pulled about 20 miles and made a brief stop/turned truck off, for about 3 mins. When tried to start truck again, turned over key to let glow light come on/wait a second for the little ding, then tryed to turn over. The starter? made a "spin out" noise. It was not a dragging/lugging sound, like you getwith a low battery. Did attempt to jump the truck off twice, with an diesel Excursion and an diesel F250, to no avail. Tried the tapping on the starter, did not start. Still makes spin-out noise. Don't know how to test the jumping from Solenoid, that I read here. Does this sound like a Starter Solenoid, Starter, or worse situation, like flywheel issue?

To add insult to injury, the jack stand busted on the horse trailer and it had to be jacked up with the truck jack... But the reallllll insult, was my girlfriend had to pull my horse trailer home with her 4x4 3/4 diesel DODGE and a 1 ton DODGE Dually, had to pull the truck home..... I'm so ashamed! LOL! She did promise not to tell, since she was once pulled by a Ford! LOL

Aesthetic stuff... Crew Cab, Sherrod Custom Package, Ranch Hand replacement bumper and cattle guard and RH rear bumber blacked out, black running bars, midnight blue.

[ABOBB]

First of all:

Welcome to Powerstroke.org

One quick question.. does the engine crank over when the starter makes its "spin out" sound? Or is the starter not engaging with the flywheel??

[tutwilar]

It doesn't sound like it's trying to turn over (no lugging/cranking type of sound)... Just makes kind of a spinning/whining out noise from the starter???

[ABOBB]

You might want to check.. look at the belt or something while someone else turns the key for you. If the belts are turning, and it's doing what it sounds like... then there is an issue with your starter engaging the flywheel.

As far as remedies, I really can't help much there, but it could be something as simple as a broken starter bolt... or could be a messed up starter, or even a bad ring gear on the flywheel... lots of possibilities.

[tutwilar]

I don't recall the belts or anything turning, when the jump was attempted (I wasn't at they wheel), but standing aside. I'll test, to revisit that. If it's not turning, does that indicate bad starter?

I saw a picture in this forum, where the starter bolt was completely backed out/broken (long 6-10" ??? bolt), that appears to hold the starter on. Is this the bolt your referring to or is their a starter bolt that engages the flywheel or something? I'm a computer tech by trade, obvsiously not a mechanic... LOL

[ABOBB]

I've never had to work on the starter on one of these engines, so I am kinda speaking from general knowledge of engines, and starters..

I believe that if you were to lay under the truck, look upwards toward the starter, there would be two bolts that pass through part of the starter near the transmission bell housing, that fasten into the back of the engine block.

These are starter bolts... and yes these can break over time.

When one of these breaks, it allows the starter to pivot away from the flywheel, which keeps the starter from engaging the flywheel.

Under most conditions the starter does not engage with the flywheel. Engagement only occurs at startup.. at all other times the starter is dead weight along for the ride... but you really need it bad again when it's time to restart.

I would check those bolts first... checking them is actually a must if you have to take the starter out anyway. If they are not backed out, or broken.. then from what you describe, my next guess would be either a bad bendix in the starter, or a bad flywheel ring gear.

[outlaw07]

First off

I'd bet that it's the solinoid in the starter. If the starter is still bolted in tight then you prbably need a new one.

Sorry that you have to get introduced to the forum this way.


Jay

[pipelayerjdh]

I agree, the starter motor is working but the bendix is not engaging. It's most likley a bad srarter. Good luck!