the ford dealer and parts house say i have the right parts so they send me on my way and say good luck. it seems like i need a bigger flywheel. it just grinds when i turn the key and does not start. after a few times it sounds like it is just free spinning. has anyone ever encountered this before?

 

Maybe the Bendix Spring is bad… wasn’t pushing the starter close enough to fully engage the starter and then couldn’t even more the drive.

 

you just described exactly what happens when the starter or flywheel teeth break off or like some chevy trucks, the starter is not shimmed right and the starter is not engaging the flywheel properly. either way you have a problem and it needs to be fixed

 

Did you put a new starter in? I've found this happens on my 7.3 after installing the starter. I simply loosen it a little bit and twist it away from the flywheel, has worked everytime on that.