Starter issues.
 

Have an 02 ranger 2.3. Bought with 170k plus miles on it. I have had starter issues with it almost as long as I have had it. I on my third starter and am having issues once again. Took the starter off today and took it to the parts store and had them test it and the machine says it’s fine. They other day I bump started it and it was making a loud noise that sounded like grinding. Almost like the starter engaged after it was running and didn’t disengage. At a loss here and really need some assistance. Any suggestions?

Welcome to the forum

Assuming manual transmission from "bump start"?

What did the older starter motors look like, their gear in particular?
Did they fail electrically?
Or did they spin but not turn engine over?

I would look at the ring gear, the gear on the flywheel that the starter motor gear slide into to turn the engine over

I would also check if there are TWO different starter motors for your engine, manual trans starter or automatic trans starter

Previous starters were electrical failures. Don’t remember any extreme amounts of wear on them. Yes it is a manual transmission n it. I have never seen a second starter motor on it. What I can see of the flywheel and everything looks intact and undamaged. Am starting to wonder if there is a bad relay or switch but it clicks when you turn the key like its trying to kick the starter in but nothing happens.

Wiring diagram attached

When you turn the key to START the ignition switch sends 12volts to Fuse #24 in cab fuse box
That 12volts passes thru that fuse to the Clutch switch(manual trans)
If clutch pedal is down all the way(and switch is closed) the 12volts goes to the Starter Relay's Coil

If PATS(passive anti-theft) has previously Grounded the starter relay's Coil , then the 12volts activates the starter relay and it closes, this sends a different 12volts from Fuse #11 in engine fuse box to the starter motor's solenoid/relay

The starter motor solenoid moves the starter motor's gear out to engage ring gear
This movement of the gear also closes contacts between battery cable and starter motors brushes, causing motor to spin, and engine to crank

A fast flashing "theft light" on the dash means Starter Relay is NOT Grounded, so no crank
Have a look at Fuse #24, 7.5amp

Starter relay is in the engine fuse box, if it clicks, with key in START position, then the 12volts is making it that far, and relays is grounded

Have you been buying the same brand of starter motor?
If so switch brands, it is not that uncommon for 3rd party parts to fail early

sorry it’s taken a while to get back. Work gets in the way sometimes.
I believe it the same brand from Autozone. Checked fuse and everything else. Hear the click but still nothing. Took it back off and hooked cables to it and arced it and the bendix extended. Trying to get this fixed to see if it is even the noise I have been hearing.

Pull out the starter relay in the engine fuse box and see if click goes away

Gear went out but did the starter motor spin?
I would test that the motor spins as well when activating the solenoid/gear extender

Not sure if Ford still uses Bendix type drives, just FYI
If there is a starter solenoid mounted on top of the starter motor then its not a Bendix drive
Point of the Bendix drive was that the torque of the starter motor activating would push out the drive gear so you didn't need the old foot pedal to push it out
So a Bendix drive starter motor would just be the starter motor nothing on it
The added solenoid pushes out the gear when activated, AND it also connects larger battery cable to the starter motors contacts, so its a solenoid and a relay
The relay part can fail, so gear moves out but starter motor doesn't get connected to battery