Warm or cold engine I am getting loud grinding often now when I go to start the engine(5.9 gas). Usually starts up at second attempt though , but very annoying. Am I destroying any component along the way? Eager to fix upon suggestions..

 

sounds like the starter gear is not engaging with the starter ring on flywheel (manual trans) or flexplate (auto trans). continued grinding is bad and will may completely tear up something thats not completely torn up yet. i'd remove the starter and the dust cover and see what's going on.

 

That's possible DH, but usually the "starter drive" gets worn out...it's an overrunning clutch, the thing you hear "grinding" when you accidently hit the starter with the engine already running. It prevents the starter motor from being accellerated to engine speed if the engine is running and blowing it up as that's way too fast for it. The starter drive is a replacable component available from any parts place. Starter isn't very hard to take apart on these trucks.

 

ah. so, do you remove the starter from the truck to replace it, or can you do wiith starter still on the truck ?

 

Yes, it has to come off for that.