Hey guys I'm new here. Had my 98 silverado 7.4 for a couple years now. Had some starter issues and replaced. Now usually when I try to start it the starter motor will spin but solonoid won't engage, or only engages partly, in which case I hear the grinding. Usually it just spins. Try a few times and eventually it engages and starts truck right up. Just replaced battery (old one wasn't putting out good CCA) with no change. Cleaned all contacts, even added a dedicated ground wire straight from the battery terminal. Anybody got an idea of what could cause this??

 

I read you are talking about the bendix, not the solenoid? I'd suggest look at the condition of the fly wheel (old guy terminology for flex plate). Could be still the starter not engaging, the bendix is the spring gear that spins the fly wheel.

 

Are you thinking the flex plate might be missing or have damaged teeth? I haven't taken a look at it, but just thinking out loud here, wouldn't the bendix never be able to engage the teeth? Usually it just sounds like the starter is spinning with no contact with the flex plate. Then after a few tries, it starts up right away. Sounds like a bendix problem, but I just took it to Autozone today and it passed. I'm thinking it also might be the activating wire, or whatever the technical term is. Next step for me is to pull that wire out and inspect the whole thing.

 

I would replace the starter solenoid. They aren't expensive and that would also replace the bendix.

 

Yeah definitely cheaper than replacing the whole starter.

 

solenoid does two jobs one you cant see in the picture but the signal wire acts like a relay and pulls the plunger back kicking out the bendix of the starter and simultaneously connecting the two thick wires together at the back of the solenoid. One wire goes to the battery the other to the starter motor. you can break the plunger so only the starter motor starts but it wouldnt be an intermittent problem. sounds like theres some teeth missing (or worn down) from the starter or the flex plate