starter problems

[Mike_Country_Boy90]

ok i have an '85 bronco II with a 2.8 v6 and for the past couple of years ive been having problems with the starter which didnt start until i replace the automatic transmission for a 5 spd manual and since then ive been having my problems with the starter ive already replaced the starter 6 times put on a new flywheel and replaced the positioning plate but once again sure enough the problem returned each time but the one thing i notice though was that if i pushed the starter as close to the engine i could get it and bolt it down it wouldnt grind until the third or fourth time i tried to start it again when it moved from where i had it and ive tried riggin it up to make it stay but nuthin i do will work does anyone have any suggestion or idea what the actualy problem could be i have asked friends that i know that have had bronco 2's in the past and they said it did the same exact thing for them

 

[offroadingranger]

It sounds like a misalignment problem. Have you tried shimming the starter out with a couple of thin washers? Actually I think you may be able to buy shims designed for use with a starter at auto parts stores. Are you sure that the transmission bell housing is aligned with the engine correctly?

 

[Mike_Country_Boy90]

ive tried shimming it out with washers but that still didnt work... the transmission bell housing is aligned i did think of that before and so i dropped the trani made sure everything was lined up right and put back in then it did it again so i replaced the the bell housing thinking maybe it was something to do with the starter mount but it still did the same

 

[offroadingranger]

Did the manual transmission that you swapped in come out of the same year and model truck with a 2.8L engine? If not have you tried buying a starter for the year, model, engine combo that the transmission came from; it may be different? Probably not though I'm fairly certain that all gen 1 Rangers & BIIs use the same starter.

 

[Mike_Country_Boy90]

the first transmission came out of a 86 bII with a 2.9 but the second came from a 2.8 but no the starters are the same between the 2.8 and 2.9

 

[fordblueblood]

On the older version of the site there was a post about others have the same issue and I was told that at one time Ford had a service bulletin about it. :icon_welder: There is a ten tooth bendix that you can buy for a Escort that will go into the Ranger/Bronco II starter but darned if I remember the year and model Escort it had to come from. If I recall it was VERY specific about the model. Maybe somebody else on here remembers it?

 

[yoyodyne]

I'm having the same problem with a replacement starter,too

 

[yoyodyne]

doing a quick web serch, i found one post that said use a gear from a 1.9l escort,another said use a 4.0l ranger starter

 

[yoyodyne]

I'm wondering if the Motorcraft starters have the same problem as the aftermarket ones.

 

[Forcus]

I don't know if I am reading it right but it sounds like it works great and until the third or fourth time when the bolts loosen up, or stretch, just slightly enough to change the alignment.

I'd recommend getting grade 8.8 or better flange bolts, doing away with any lock washers, and using Loctite Blue (Medium) threadlocker if this is the case. You may want to use a thread chase on the bolt holes just to make sure they are strong. Also make sure you aren't using a metric in a standard hole, or vice versa, since some of them are very close. Also use white out, or paint, to make an "indexing" mark once everything is tightened down, on the bolt head and on the bellhousing. That way you can tell if the bolts are still loosening.

 

[fordblueblood]

Forcus I had the same issue and I can assure you that it did it with the starter tightened correctly and with blue locktite. When it would start I would check to make sure the starter was still tight and it was.