Re-evaluating my decision, regarding an explorer starter upgrade.

[mr_manny]

Since owning my new-to-me B2, the starter noise has been the loudest I've ever encountered.
Having to crank her over a few times, moves the "starter upgrade" further up the to-do list.

I recently ordered a 94 4.0 automatic explorer starter, and read up on the proper wiring.
I was really surprised that the noise wasn't much better then my original.
I starting to think that the noise is associated with it being a budget starter.

I installed my original starter, and will go through the process of returning the new one.

Are the more $$ starters quieter?

Here are a few pics of the noisy explorer starter.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

How is your ring gear?

 

[Uncle Gump]

Agreed on checking the ring gear...

Also the engine plate.

 

[Shran]

If your starter isn't aligned perfectly it will make noise no matter what one you use. This is really common on any non M5OD manual transmission and C5 automatics. Basically most trucks made in '90 or before... A4LD automatics and M5OD manuals seem to be much better about starter alignment.

There are a lot of reasons out there as to why that happens and the flywheel ring gear, bendix gear on the starter and worn block plates being the main three. My own theory on why that happens is because the old starters are really heavy and the 4.0 style is not. If the old style is even a little bit loose or the wrong bolts are used, it start to tear up everything in short order because it's so frickin heavy. There is a lot of blame put on poor quality rebuilt starters and that is definitely a problem too but it's compounded a lot if everything else is trashed and won't line up right. The 4.0 style starter is so much lighter and not having the weight there to pull down on the bolts and block plate prevents problems in the first place... that's why you don't see 4.0's (or really any others past 1991) having this issue. JMO anyway

 

[SenorNoob]

My starter (4.0) was once so loose I could stick a screwdriver between it and the bellhousing and it still started fine with minimal noise. Crawled under the truck to look at an exhaust leak and was like WTF? It was a couple bolt threads from falling off...