So I just put a new starter in my 00 F250 7.3L yesterday because it would grind once in a while when I would try to start it. I was surprised how good the teeth looked when i pulled the old one out. Installed the new one and all was good for a day or two then last night I was leaving a friends house and hit the key and it grinded again . It has only done it that one time since installing the new starter (about a week now). Anyone have any ideas what the problem could be???

 

my moms 97 does this too. it's not all the time but i can't figure it out. i know it's not the starter. i think when you shut the truck off the flex plate stops just slightly out of line with the teeth on the starter. so when you go to start it the starter teeth just hit the side of the flex plate. if you figure this out. post up and say how to fix it.

 

It is your flywheel. Take the starter off and look at your flyweel teeth. They are prob. broke off so when you start your truck the starter hits them teeth and grinds on them. We had that happen to are tractor and had to replace the flywheel ring gear on it.

 

I was also thinking it was the flywheel so i removed the starter and got an inspection mirror in there and from what I seen there was no problems and like i said before it has only done it once since I changed the starter out. It was happen daily before that.

 

Sounds like the flywheel... Might have to roll the motor over by hand a few times to find it.

 

How was your teeth on the old starter and hope it doesn't happen again but if it does look at all your teeth on the flywheel.

 

The same thing was happening to me. I bought one of the cheaper starters I could find and it lasted about 8 months with it grinding against the fly wheel once and a while and then got worse. I exchanged it under the warranty then the new one lasted about 2 months but this one would just free spin but after I got it started in the morning it would be fine the rest of the day. I ended up going and getting a good NAPA one and haven't had a problem since.

 

Well not sure what the final cause was but it still has only done it that one time. Hopefuly it was just a fluke.