97 F-150 Starter Replacement

[El_Schaf]

My wife's truck wouldnt start when she tried to leave her job yesterday. [censored]. I knew it had some battery issues - had just acquired a new battery for it last weekend but hadn't installed it yet. So after my long commute back from work I gathered my tools, went to go get her from her job and check out the truck. Needed new terminals for sure. Replaced those, had to anyway. Tried to start with the new battery, nothing. Nada. Checked the connections to the starter and they looked Ok. Had to leave the truck there overnight and go back today to replace the starter at her job. This morning, it was rainy and cold. On the F-150 I have, there are only three bolts holding the starter on. 2 hours to get them off. 2 hours. FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, WHY DO THEY HAVE TO BE SO HARD TO GET TO?! New starter went on in roughly 20 minutes, the truck is ok. Starts, drives, (I bought us lunch at this point)I leave and go home in my vehicle to to check work e-mail. I also leave the lights on on the truck (idiot). She calls me a couple hours later and needs a jump. Her boss bails her out and she makes it safely home (now thinks I'm a moron), and I was spared another drive - but come on, this was a seriously [censored] day. seriously.

Does anyone else hate the starters on these things as much as I do? Moreover, the inaccessible bolts? GAH!

 

[The motor guy]

I don't think you've seen the end of it. Next she'll be wanting a new truck.

 

[El_Schaf]

LOL! Already happened. BUT, she's reasonable and understands bills, so she and I are both kinda winning like Charlie Sheen on that front.

BUT believe me, for awhile, she wanted something to better haul her horses. GOD. I'm not made of money... The old ford does it just fine for my dollar(not really, a 3/4 ton would be sweet)

 

[OVERKILL]

I did the starter on my dad's '00 Expedition in the Sobey's parking lot in about 30 minutes. A few good extensions and a universal and it wasn't bad at all. No where near the job of doing one in a fox body Mustang.

The Expedition should be the same as your F-150, so I'm surprised you found it so difficult. Assuming of course this is a 4.6L or 5.4L V8.

 

[punisher]

When I had to replace the three bolt starter on 4.6/5.4s, I usually got lazy and bought the transmission tech lunch to pull it out for me. There was that one bolt above the solenoid that always gave me problems.

 

[El_Schaf]

Originally Posted By: punisher
There was that one bolt above the solenoid that always gave me problems.


Me too, it was a big pain. I wish I had a tech to do it for me for beer or something. That would have been sold. I can see it only taking 30 minutes to get off if you knew your way around the vehicle, would be easy beer for them.

 

[Trav]

A real long 3/8 extension and universal going in near the front of the upper control arm will get the bolt near the solenoid pretty easy.30 min job or so once you get use to them.
The first one is always a PITA.

Wait till you need to change battery cables,now that's real fun.

 

[mattd]

Try doing a BMW E60 5 series V8 starter. 6+ hours labor. Need to remove exhaust and raise engine.

Either that, Chrysler 3.2 engine in intrepids. Need to remove engine mount and raise engine. major PITA.

Either way, i'm sure yours was not fun, either. Congrats on the success.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Trav
A real long 3/8 extension and universal going in near the front of the upper control arm will get the bolt near the solenoid pretty easy.30 min job or so once you get use to them.
The first one is always a PITA.

Wait till you need to change battery cables,now that's real fun.


Yup, that's how I did it. I have a couple really long Snap-On extensions that are older than time and have served me very well in situations like these.

 

[AdRock]

There are a ton of people with the 4.6's that just leave that one really hard to get to bolt out when they change the starter. It holds just fine in there with just the 2 bolts.

 

[The_Eric]

What makes it easier for me is to use my Snap-On 1/4 drive flex headed ratchet, swivel and extensions. IMO the 3/8 stuff is too bulky to be effective.

 

[JustinH]

I've always left out the third bolt on a 3 bolt 4.6L starter, no problems as posted above.

 

[scott37300]

I just did one on a 4.6 lincoln aviator and the third bolt isn't that bad if you have a good selection of extensions and a swivel.