I had a 99 350 5.7 who keeps eating starters. I replaced the flywheel with a new one. Still keeps eating them. Not sure what to do next. We have used shims and the bolts are tight. Using starter bolts brand new. This truck needs to be my daily driver again and starters are getting expensive.

 

Welcome from Florida. What is going bad on the starter? Is it eating up the gear or is it an electrical problem with the starters?

 

Pull the housing away from the flywheel. With a screwdriver or pry bar engage the starter bendix. Check the mesh on the fly wheel to starter. Go from there.

 

It seems to be the mechanical side. Not electrical. It starts making a grinding noise when trying to turn the truck over after a few times doing this the starter is done.

 

Are you sure that you are getting the correct starter? Did you replace the flywheel before this trouble started or after?

 

The flywheel was replaced after going through 3 starters. I have tried both starters that will fit my year truck. Both have the same issue. Unless there is a third option that I don’t know about.

 

If you still have the original starter, I would have that rebuilt and see if that works. There are starters for those years that have 9 teeth and 11 teeth. Have you tried them both?

 

Did you replace your 1st starter because of the same problem? I assume stock motor/transmission. Was the original flywheel damaged, and did the new one look identical?

 

I don’t have the original starter. That went out in 2010. Lol. Stock motor and transmission. The fly wheel was replaced after the 3 rd starter died.I don’t know the number of teeth on them.

 

How long did it take to go through 3 starters? Did the flywheel show visible damage to the teeth?