Fourgates

Hi,

I'm new to the community. I have a 2003 F150 2WD with a 4.6L engine. Recently, I had a problem where I can't start the truck. It won't crank at all. The battery is good. I can start the truck if I use a screw driver on the starter solenoid. I've replaced the solenoid and it's still the same thing. The starter actually looks good too, but I thought I'd replace that just to see if it might fix it.

So I've removed the connection to the battery, removed the cables to the starter, and the 2 lower bolts. I reached up and found the obscure bolt that everyone is talking about and got that out with a flex head hatchet and a swivel extension. The starter is still solidly in place... I can't make it budge at all. Any advice? I really need to get this done soon.

Thanks.

Tony

RLXXI

There are only 3 bolts that hold the starter to the engine block, remove all three and if it's still stuck it must be corrosion holding it on, whack it with a hammer.

Leave that 3rd bolt out when you go back with new starter.

Fourgates

Thanks for the response. The starter actually looks pretty good with no sign of rust. I did hit it with a mallet a few times and did not seem to do anything. For what it's worth, I've removed all 3 bolts and was able to almost hang myself off it-that's how stuck it is. Maybe I need a bigger hammer? Really on there tight as if non of the bolts are out.

RLXXI

3 bolts period, You must live where they salt the roads. Whack that sucker harder, it will come out.

bubbabud

Your starter drive gear could be jamed into the flywheel remove the inspection plug/ cover and with a big screwdriver on the flywheel turn the engine backwards this will pop it loose. if this is the problem you want to check all the gear teeth on the starter and on the flywheel ring gear. also some ford starters had a steel strap or brace from the front of the starter to the engine block.

Fourgates

I think this might be what's going on. Can this also cause me to lose some power on acceleration? I've noticed that too. How do I turn the engine backwards? Thanks for bringing this up as I was completely at a loss as to how it could be stuck. I live in Southern California so it's never wet or salty. I don't see any corrosion under the truck.

Thanks.

bubbabud

This would not be the cause of a loss of power as the engine will not turn at all. on the bottem of the bell housing there is an opening it could have a metal plate or some times a rubber plug that you can remove to expose the ring gear just use a screwdriver on the teeth to turn the engine also you can try a socket wrench on the damper bolt at the front of the engine. I hate to sugest this but with the power loss there is a chance the engine might be frozen due to a bad bearing. thats a long shot but a posibility

Fourgates

Oh boy, that doesn't sound good. I'll give it another go sometime this week. Thanks for taking the time to explain.
Tony

mrgooden

I normally use a socket and a pull handle if I can get to the bolt that holds the harmonic balancer or a flywheel tool. I just don't like taking a screw driver to individual teeth of a flywheel. I have replaced a ton of starters, I can not say I have ever had one hold on as tight as you are talking about. You're sure you have all the starter bolts out and didn't maybe remove a bolt that was near the starter that you thought was a starter bolt? I'm not really sure how much room you have or how much your view is obstructed. If you are sure you have them all out, just use a hammer and a long screw driver or prybar to hit it where it meets the block. Just my 2 cents.

Richard

RLXXI

Yes that's true for older models but not in this case.

To the OP one of the starter bolts may be a stud with a nut holding something else on, you will also need to remove that stud.