Good starters for Automatic 200ci... Any out there?!?!

['68falconohio]

I've read a lot of posts about starter problems on here.
I replaced my starter last year when the bendix failed to engage all the way. Grrrrrrind. Bumped the key 3-4 times 'til it started and drove to Napa and got a starter and then to work where I could swap it without shutting her down. When I swapped engines a couple months ago I took a look at the ring gear and it looked fine, little damage in one spot.

Now, I started the car today and it engaged fine, started fine, but then either the bendix didn't disengage fully or the bearings in the starter are grinding/rattling while the starter spools down. No grinding when it engages, just when I want the little gear to get out of the way of the ring gear. Does it every time now. I've heard engines seem to stop in the same place on shutdown but this is a completely different engine than last year.

I'm thinking I pull the starter tomorrow at lunch and bench test the starter(in a bench vise, I don't feel like holding onto the 'little' guy). If it grinds when it's retracting, I've successfully used a starter for less than a year before it became junk.

If it's not the bearings in the starter, what is it?!?! Idle too high? I don't have a tach so the idle is ballparked. It's not high at all in park and drops some in drive, which it should.

This seem like a reasonable plan? Guys have any suggestions? Anyone found a better manufacturer for starters or are all the parts stores using the same manufacturer? Are there any mini-starters for these cars that could be better, did the 2.3L use the same starter? I noticed when swapping my starter last year and messing around with a buddy's Highboy that the FE starter looks strikingly similar.

Thanks,
Stephen

 

[Marine05]

What year is the block and what bell housing pattern do you have? If you have the big bell then a 2 bolt 302 starter will do perfect. As for the 6 bolts, couldn't tell ya, never had a problem with one.

 

['68falconohio]

What year is the block and what bell housing pattern do you have? If you have the big bell then a 2 bolt 302 starter will do perfect. As for the 6 bolts, couldn't tell ya, never had a problem with one.

Sorry, the block is C8. The starter's a high-mount with 3 mounting bolts. I'm pretty sure there isk 4 bolts from bellhousing to block.

 

[Marine05]

Checj these out. See if any tickle your fancy...


http://www.summitracing.com/search/...ine-Type/L6/Engine-Size/3-3L-200/?Ns=Rank|Asc

 

['68falconohio]

Thanks a lot Marine05! Also, I just found out Mike used to have the mini-starters but is now out-of-stock. He has some that are chromed, but that's not how I roll.

It's definitely the starter, I had an epiphany while sitting in my car a few minutes ago. I just bumped the key fast enough for the starter to engage but not start the engine, when the bendix disengaged it started grinding/rattling and the engine wasn't running. This tells me the idle speed isn't causing it to get stuck in the ring gear...I didn't think it could and my idle seemed good so score one for me, I hope.

I realized I can collect on the warranty for my starter and I'll just have to keep an eye on the little junkers 'til I can buy a higher quality one. Right now, it doesn't make sense for me to spend extra money on a starter when I am owed one.

 

[cfmustang]

FE block starters fit our engines???

 

['68falconohio]

FE block starters fit our engines???

1968 ford falcon w/200-C4 is the same starter as a 1975 F-150 2WD w/360....I can't recall what trans. option he picked for truck when I had him look it up(assuming C6).

AutoZone part number for both starters-- #3131

 

['68falconohio]

Starter swapped. No more bearing grindage. AutoZone had me as buying the last starter in November 2008, soooo, it almost made it a year. :roll:

 

[LaGrasta]

Granted the auto parts stores may not have high end starters, but for what they cost and the ease of replacing them, you can hardly shake a stick at them. Add in the warranty and I have no problems.
After 6 years and 40,000 miles I'm on my second starter from Autozone; it was free as the original was a lifetime warranty!

 

['68falconohio]

LaGrasta,
I see your point and it's valid, but my Falcon is my only mode of transportation and it's driven every day of the year. Downtime's a PITA. And if the AutoZone starter chews up my ring gear, I'll be extremely angry. I also bought the lifetime warranty starter so it was Free minus hassle of waiting in line at AutoZone and borrowing a car to get there.