Sky-Tec Starter Intermittent fail to engage

[hgerhardt]

It's most likely the cheap offshore-sourced solenoid that Skytec supplied with the starter. Just go get a new 2000 Ford Crown Vic solenoid and replace it. You can change out the solenoid with the rest of the starter remaining attached to the engine. It's a $20 part, so it's not even worth the effort to remove and send the starter back for repair/replacement. Just to be clear, this is the solenoid that's attached to the starter, and not the firewall-mounted one.

Just be sure to use blue Loctite on the solenoid attach screws at reassembly. And, the hardware is metric.

Heinrich

[Michael Burbidge]

I went through the diagnostics described on the Sky-Tec website. Voltages were all good. So I went to take the starter off in preparation to send it back and found the gear engaged. I don't think its supposed to be engaged except while the starter is engaged.

Sending it back. Hoping to upgrade to the NL series.

Michael-

[BillL]

I had worked as a mechanic on VW's but also nearly anything non-US. An independent mechanic chased me down and hired me ('73). One day a Caddy was towed in - I checked - shorted breaker points. Got a new Delco set from inventory and . . . ****!! - - it still would not start. Everything was good, it should have been the points. He listened to me griping and casually said, put another set in - I thought naaaa couldn't be - but he was the best in the area, so I did it, POW- ran like a charm. I checked the new set - sure enough - shorted, new right out of the box. I learned - never assume. Haven't since.

Good job in finding the issue.