2000 Ford Explorer 5.0 v8 starter whirring but motor isn’t cranking

[andrew 2000 XLT V8]

This issue just started today I went to start my truck and it wasn’t cranking at all but I was getting a loud whirring/ grinding sound from the starter area when I got home from work I removed the window on the bottom of the bell housing and inspected the teeth on the flywheel and everything looks normal no broken or worn teeth. I had someone attempt to start it while watching the flywheel and it would whirr/ grind and then the flywheel would jump and turn a little it starts eventually if I keep trying but it has been getting longer and longer throughout the day to get it to start just got sure if this could be an issue with the starter or starter solenoid or flywheel or what. Also the starter was replaced 7-8 months ago last may thanks for any hints/ ideas about what it may be

 

[J_C]

If the teeth aren't shredded off the flywheel, then yes it is a problem with some part of the starter/assembly, either not pushing the pinion out to engage with the flywheel or teeth sheared off the pinion. I can only assume when the starter was put on, that it was aligned properly. If not then it could have slowly worn down the teeth, but I wouldn't expect it to catch after a few tries then. That it engages eventually, points towards the former possibility.

Some starters have a 12 month or longer warranty... If this is a DIY repair, I'd go ahead and pull the starter, inspect pinion teeth and see if there is resistance to pulling the pinion forward... you can also connect a battery with jumper cables, or take to an auto parts store to test it, though "sometimes" if it's sticking, the jarring from removing it can make it work for a while, as can hitting it with a hammer while still installed to get it to engage while trying to start the engine.

 

[DintDobbs]

@andrew 2000 XLT V8 That sounds exactly like when my starter broke about 5 years ago. It would start to crank the engine, then fall off and you'd just here the starter motor spin free. Replaced the starter, and no issue since.

You might have just bought a poor instance; nab one from a junk yard or a parts store, and see if you can identify the failure point on your current one.

 

[410Fortune]

Was the starter that was installed 7-8 months ago a reman?

Remans are mostly garbage

First check battery voltage make sure holding it’s 12.2 or so
Then visually inspect the large and small wires going to the starter, everything tight?

Starter is still tight to engine?

If so it’s time for a new starter I recommend not reman

 

[CDW6212R]

Ditto, it's probably either something wrong with the prior installation of that starter, or a poor quality unit.

I had both of my last 98 Explorers fail to start while on the job. The black one was just an old original starter, but my white one had loose starter bolts, one being gone. I managed to get my black one to start and never shut it off the rest of the day, while the white one happened in a customer's driveway. They were home and enthusiastic to help fix it, found an odd spare bolt to use, whew their tools were scattered and low end brands(you know what a box full of sockets looks like)?

I used a spare OEM starter each time which I had rebuilt locally. The last time(2020) they charged $80 each, from $50 the prior time.

 

[andrew 2000 XLT V8]

Thanks for your replies it was in fact the starter and yes it was a reman starter it was still under warranty so I took it back and paid the difference for the brand new not reman starter starts better than it ever did with that garbage reman starter thanks again

 

[andrew 2000 XLT V8]

Also when I pulled the starter the gear spun freely with zero resistance so at that point I was 100% positive it was the starter