1993 Explorer Sport starter grinding?

[ljolley93]

I have a 1993 Explorer Sport, 5spd 4x4. About two weeks ago my starter went out, and i had to push start her to get her home. i bought a remanned starter from Advance, and put it in. When i took the old starter out, the haress holding the battery cable up beneath the oil pan snapped. Finished taking it out, cleaned up the contacts on the cables with a wire brush, reconnected the cables ot the new starter, and put it in. There were no shims, and i haven't read anything about needing them. But now, when the truck is running the starter is making a grinding noise that almost sounds like bad static on a tv or radio. I wasn't sure what it was, so i drove it a few times and then the starter stopped turning the motor over and just whirred. So i removed the starter again, checked the flywheel and connections etc, put it back on. Turned the key a few times and on the 3rd or 4th try it started. Same sound, but now its not quite as bad as it was. It seems like the starter isnt disengaging, but i dont know why. Should i exchange the starter, or coud i have maybe done something wrong in putting it in? I'm at a loss right now.

 

[ljolley93]

I forgot to add, after about the third time starting the truck with the new starter, the starter wouldnt spin just clunked and all of the lights/electric went out. So i checked the battery, when i lifted it and set it back down everything came back on and the truck started.

 

[awood]

I had something that could be the same noise you have. It was the starter continuing to crank, even though you've released the key and the engine was running. You may have something different, but if that's what you have, my issue was a worn positive starter cable that was shorting out on the frame.

 

[ljolley93]

was it the positive battery cable, or the smaller solenoid wire? As far as i know this starter doesnt need shims, there certainly werent any on when i took the old starter off. The cables are pretty corroded.

 

[awood]

It was the big cable.
If you can get under the plastic cover over the starter lug where the big cable attaches, an easy check would be to put a digital meter lead on that, and the other meter lead on the "positive" battery post. During cranking (that's important) you should have less than 0.5 volts. If you have more, your cable is bad. This is called a Voltage Drop test. See the following link:

http://www.fluke.com/fluke/usen/com...cleCategories/Electrical/DiagnoseVoltDrop.htm