Hi guys-When I go to start my truck, I can clearly hear the starter spin, but that's it!! The motor does not turn over. I think I know what's going on, but before I start to "repair by replacement" I thought I would run it by you all. Thanks in advance for your help, and thanks for your gracious assistance in the past. Regards, Flapjack.

Sounds like the solenoid isn't engaging the flywheel. New starter unit.

Can't just the solenoid be replaced, if that's the case? Thanks.

Napa usually has a large breakdown of parts.
Was able to get a brush set for a 84 ranger I once had, cost about $4.00.
Cheap conpaired to the price of a rebuilt starter, aprox. $100.00 at the time.

Hope the starter isn't underneath the intake manifold like on my Titan.

Most likely bad bendix in the starter, may try having someone crank while you give a few "taps" on the starter with a hammer to see if it will engage. A new starter is in order provided your flywheel isn't missing any teeth.

hope the flywheel gear isn't stripped

They are pretty integrated these days.

If it's old enough the bendix or solenoid has gone bad, the rest isn't far behind. Better to replace the whole starter with a rebuilt.

reminds me of the '03 F 350 I had and the starter had two mounting bolts, when one worked loose it sounded like that cause it wasn't engaging the fly wheel. Had to retighting mounting bolts and good to go.

Titian isn't a real pick-up, the OP said it was a Ford F-150.

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Carpriver.

Replace the starter and look at the flywheel teeth.

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A republic if you can keep it

I had that happen on my F250 with under 60,000 miles. I replaced the bendix with a new one for $15. All starters you will buy are rebuilt and they have a lot of problems with them. I figured I was better off with my 60,000 mile starter than something out of a truck with 200,000 miles on it. I wouldn't buy a rebuilt starter or alternator from Advance. NAPA does a little better job. A new bendix can be gotten anywhere.

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Luke 22:36

Pull the starter and rebuild it

Just for jollies google "f150 starter failure". There's pages of suggestions. I would not buy a cheap rebuild from a discount chain. NAPA is a good source.

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SOS USA

What year is that F-150? What motor does it have in it?
If you heard the starter motor turning it's probably not a solenoid. My guess would be the bendix not engaging the flexplate or could be stripped teeth on the starter or the flexplate. I would remove the starter and check for missing teeth. If that checks out... take it to your local parts house and have them test it. I agree with the other posters that said don't buy a cheep rebuild. If your planning on keeping it and u can pony up the cash buy a ford oem from the dealer.

Solenoid........................Auto Zone.

As others have said, check to make sure starter is tight, and ensure your battery is not low (sometimes a low battery will click or spin a starter, but not push it out fully) if all this is good, you gotta swap it out..... good luck!

I was going to suggest you swap out your starter with a rebuilt so you aren't crawling underneath in a foot of snow in the dead of winter, but I see that's not an issue for you!

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paws for friendship

Check your connections. Even at the starter. Sometimes oil will work it loose.

Charge the battery then do a battery test.

Then your probably gonna have to replace the starter.

Most rebuilds have a lifetime warranty.

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Dum vivo cano

Even the starters you buy from Ford are rebuilt. AFAIK, you cannot buy a new starter.

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Luke 22:36

I am going to disagree. You can purchase a brand new, never installed starter from your local Ford dealer. While they are not cheap, they are, in fact, brand spankin new. The guy at the parts counter will ask you if you want new or reman!!

I have a 95 F-150 with a 5.0l and replaced the starter with a remanufactured unit from O'Reily Auto Parts about 2 years ago and still going fine. Oh, and it does have a lifetime warranty, so if it fails, all I need to do is crawl under and remove and I get a replacement for nada!!

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NRA Life member

Thanks everyone-it sounds like I have a bendix problem. I will have to alter or change the headers in order to access the starter, and it was one of those now or later, but definite tasks, so it looks like it's time to do a permanent fix. Thanks again, Flapjack.

The information I had was from the '80s. I had a friend with a V8 Maverick. He ruined the starter trying to jump start a car with timing chain issues. A week after his timing chain (gears?) were fixed the starter went out. He told me he begged the Ford parts man to sell him a new starter. He had several starters on that car till I arranged for him to buy a used starter.

OP, if your starter doesn't have a lot of miles, I would put in a new bendix.

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Luke 22:36

It's been years since I turned wrenches, but unless the memory is completely shot, the solenoid is what sends the electricity to the starter. If the solenoid is shot, it goes "click". If the solenoid is good it sends juice to the starter motor, which starts spinning. If the bendix is good, it shoots forward and the teeth on the bendix engage the teeth on the flywheel, and the starter turns the engine over. uh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh. If the bendix is bad, it does not engage the flywheel, and the starter motor spins. eennnnnnnnnn.

If it goes "click" you got a bad solenoid. If it goes "eennnnnnnnnn" you got a bad bendix, and if it goes "uh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh" the problem is not in the starter.

I just had mine replaced. 300 bucks. 120 of that was to rebuild the starter. Damn. Last one I bought at the parts house and put on myownself, in 91 on a truck I no longer have, was 32 bucks. If this one cost 120 to rewind, what the heck would it cost to buy? Weeeellll, that's a super heavy-duty racing starter (I knew that) and when I had it put on, in 2001, it cost me 300 bucks (I didn't remember it being that much, but that's 12 years ago), and now they are 500. Okay. 120 to rebuild it ain't bad, then.

150 to pull it and replace it. My mechanic mentioned four different times, over the course of this R&R, "Have I mentioned lately how much I hate your headers?"

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I always take precautions

What's all this talk of Bendix on a starter? I thought Noah had the last of those. These days the starter gearwheel is permanently engaged in the flywheel gears and the starter has an internal clutch device.

Yeah, they don't have keys anymore, either, but mine's still got one.

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I always take precautions

If you have a starter alternator guy local. Go to him with your starter. Have him rebuild it. No more problems for a long while.

CAN THIS BE TRUE!!!! Next you'll tell me there's no place to put a hand crank.

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SOS USA

I'm bettin you got a "flat spot" on yer flywheel. and the starter gear is working correctly, only its not hitting any teeth on the flywheel to turn the motor.

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UNDER THE CONE OF SILENCE

Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but....