My Brother has a 99 F150 5.4L automatic 4wd and he just broke his 2nd starter in the year he has owned the truck, The one that just broke he installed right around Thanksgiving time. It broke in kind of a wierd way I've never seen, the gear that engages the flex plate broke off and fell down in the bellhousing. Now we have to figure out how to retrive it, he pulled the plug off the bottom of the housing and felt around and couldnt find the gear. We are thinkin we might have to split the trans from the engine to remove the starter gear, unless somebody has a suggestion on something to try first. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Brian

 

Try using a probe with a magnet on the end from both the hole where the starter mounts and the plug in bellhousing. May not work but give it a try.

Might terminology about the probe may not be accurate, the one I am talking about is mounted on a flexible shaft about 15 inches long. Some are merely magnets on a telescoping shaft.

 

They worked on it last night, still cant find it tho. They are thinkin that it fell out the hole in the bottom because the plug wasnt in it. They said you can see where it beat the crap out of the torque converter where it was rattling around inside on the loose, got lucky it didnt get in a bind and make a new hole to go through tho. They took the starter back to where they got it from and they said they had a batch of bad starters come in that were assembled wrong, the shaft was incorrect not having the snap ring groove to hold the gear on letting it work its way off causing this problem. He is hoping to finish it tonight because we are suppose to get another 4 inches of snow tonight on top of the 3 or so we got yesterday. something about the Camaro doesnt do to hot in snow considering it will bottom out on a 20oz pop bottle laying on it's side. Thanks blacksierra for the suggestion.

Brian