Need to vent after starter swap

[runningred92]

So went out Wednesday morning and my truck wouldn't start. Did all the necessary troubleshooting and tracked the problem directly to the starter. I got the first bolt on the bottom off fairly easily even though the whole stud came out without the nut spinning. Then until dark yesterday I worked on getting the second upper bolt off. Sprayed numerous times with PB Blaster heated it with a torch did everything I could and it just wouldn't budge. I eventually got the dremel out and cut the bolt head off (oh that was about 2 this afternoon.) So took the starter to get bench tested and the first test it passed so I had them run it again and it did fail. So needless to say I have the new starter on after way too many hours spent on 1 freaking bolt. Any ways job done the Ex is back on the road and my wallet is a little emptier than it was a couple days ago.

 

[runningred92]

Oh and the guys at NAPA told me they don't make starter rebuild kits anymore and buying the individual pieces was more expensive than a new starter.

 

[mr cribb]

Oh and the guys at NAPA told me they don't make starter rebuild kits anymore and buying the individual pieces was more expensive than a new starter.

Bullsh.. I looked at at the starter rebuild kit in LMC truck catalog just recently.

My catalog is old but they still sell it here's the link: http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/fex/full.aspx?Page=88

$40 for repair kit vs $150 for the reman. I just watched the powerblock guys do a starter rebuild last weekend I think.... this is the way I would go if I had a backup vehicle, and I could afford for the X to be down.

 

[safn1949]

We used to rebuild starters and alternators all the time back in the 80's but they stopped doing it,used too much time and a reman had a warranty that the shop didn't pay for.The parts place did.

It ain't that hard to do....

 

[runningred92]

I even looked at the NAPA website before I left and it said they had them in the warehouse. So I went to the warehouse to get it bypassing the closest store because they would have said they could get it in a couple hours or I could go pick it up. The guy was an ass didn't even want to test it cause it was "dirty". Oh well new starter is in and all is good. I know I wont be using NAPA anytime soon. I will continue to go to Advance or Orileys cause the Zone is on my list as well.

 

[YoungMounty]

Good to hear your Ex is back up! Those bolts can be pesky at times. Sorry to hear about the NAPA story, I stick with O'Reilly's for parts like that cause I've had family members work there and multiple friends working there as well and their customer service is always top notch. All that really matters is that your Ex is good to go!

 

[delexploder]

I hear ya the second gens are just as fun and I had the same problem finding starter parts so i grabbed a milk crate of "bad" ford starters from the scrap pile and now I have a lifetime supply all the small bodied starters will work they just have diff. noses

 

[Tony H]

how did you get the upper bolt out after cutting the Head off of it?

 

[runningred92]

Tony- The bolt hole on the starter is between a 1/2in and 3/4in so once I cut the head off the bolt and pulled the starter the bolt was exposed by that much. I just clamped a vise grip on it and for some reason it just broke loose very easy and I backed it the rest of the way out with my hand.