I have a1989 Taurus with 62,000 original miles. It won’t start. Doesn’t grind when I try it , it more of a whirl. Battery new. If I can get it started, once it warms up I can turn it off, shop, and it starts. Help. I’m 74 yrs old, female. Used to have 1960 Falcon I could fix myself but now no garage, no tools. Wish I still had that Falcon!!
When a starter just makes a whirring sound, it means the Bendix in the starter is worn, and the starter requires replacement.
Tester
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Thanks, honestly knew that. Just hoping I was wrong.
When you take it to a shop tell them what it does and let them confirm that you need a starter . Just don’t say put a starter on .
Good advice above. At least your starter worked at one time anyway. I replaced a starter not long ago and the replacement starter whirled instead of cranking the engine. Faulty replacement part. Had to do the job over again.
Many - all? - Fords back then have a starter solenoid that is separate from the starter motor. If you are always getting some sound or action from the starter motor when you turn the key to Start, the problem is in the starter itself - probably the “Bendix” mechanism, named for the company that introduced it in the early days of electric starting cars.
It’s usually not a big deal to remove and replace a starter. For a DIYer, taking it to an auto electric shop for evaluation and repair is often a good way to go. For a repair shop, the down time involved in that means putting in a new or rebuilt starter and getting the car out of the service bay quickly makes more sense.