Folks, I started my '88 F-150 (4.9 straight 6, 4-speed manual) and heard a light knocking sound. Thought it might be a lifter that hadn't had its oil yet. Drove the truck 100 feet, and the noise became far worse and the engine quit. Now the starter spins but does not engage. I'm guessing either broken starter gears and/or a broken flywheel.

Had the truck only two months. No problems until now. Starter looks new-ish.

Any ideas?

 

Maybe the starter didn't disengage. You'll have to pull it and look.
Anything else is wild guesses.

 

It would take a hell of a failure to destroy a manual flywheel.

 

I'd agree. Probably just chewed the bendix, or overevved it.

 

Maybe the starter/flywheel isn’t the issue. Here’s more to the story:

Have had the truck for about two months. '88 F-150 (4.9 straight 6, 4-speed manual), ~150K miles. Ran great. No problems until yesterday, when the right front brake seized up. Pulled over, saw lots of smoke – that lovely burned brake smell. My son the tow truck driver (a flatbed) loaded up the truck and hauled it to my home. He offloaded the truck, and I started it and drove 30 feet to park. Got a good nights sleep, thinking I’d tackle the brakes today. This can’t be related, I guess, but I mention it anyhow.

This morning I started the rig and heard a light knocking sound. In driving 100 feet to the garage, the noise became far worse – heavy knocking -- and the engine quit. At first, I though the starter spun but did not engage – or that’s what it sounded like. Turns out that he engine is turning over, but won’t start. No unusual noise – no knocking -- except the engine seems like it’s spinning slightly faster than usual in trying to start.

I’ve had a lot of vehicles over the years – for example, a ‘65 Ford Falcon and a ’70 International Harvester (which I still drive) -- but never any trouble like this. Well, at least my truck and I are home. <grin> Any idea of what might have happened?