Starter went out about a week ago, just finally got around to getting underneath the truck and pulling it out.. this was an interesting find.

It broke the top of the housing off, blew a hole in the wall of the starter, took a chunk off of the gear and it was stuck via magnet in the extended position. RIP starter #2.

 

Wow. That's so metal.

 

Yeah, and the new starter we got to replace it was broken out of the box.

Starter #4 going in. I'm gonna name my truck the Starter Eater

 

You sure your engine and transmission aren't gaped or on a bind.

 

Yeah, replacement starter worked for about 5 turnovers and then the bendix stopped engaging and just started spinning. I'm gonna look at the flexplate once I take this new one out just to make sure the teeth aren't chewed

 

I accidentally put a bolt thru the bell housing and tightened down and forced bolt against the block and put everything on a bind. Destroyed the starter and flywheel. After about a week.

 

Look to a Motorcraft replacement. Or a reduction starter.

 

How did you accidentally end up putting a bolt through your bell housing?

Also, checked the flywheel and it was totally fine. A few chipped teeth, but nothing mangled or ground down, so we're good there. New starter is a NAPA starter and it cranks faster than the old one ever did, and seems to be a much nicer product from the start.

 

One bolt thru the he'll housing one bolt thru the block. On older stuff anyhow

 

They make starter shims to get the gear mesh perfect. Kinda trial and error.

One thing to check as well is to see if the starter bolts have the knurl on them. this helps the starter from torquing off of its axis and having failure.