Repair 7

Park your CRV on a flat surface away from traffic, turn the engine off and remove the ignition key.

Open the hood and locate the solenoid. It is connected to the battery through a red cable and is located on the inside of a small black box.

Attach the red wire from your voltmeter to the red wire coming off of the battery and going to the solenoid. Attach the black wire from your voltmeter to the black terminal on the solenoid.

Look for a reading that is consistent with the output of your battery. If the reading does not match the voltage of your battery, the solenoid needs to be replaced. If you get a reading that corresponds to your battery, the solenoid is just stuck.

Tap the outer casing of the solenoid with the handle of a screwdriver. This should knock the solenoid back into place. Close the hood and start the engine.

Open the hood of your F-150 and locate the negative battery cable at the battery. Loosen the clamp bolt on the cable end with a wrench then remove the cable from the battery.

Raise the front of the truck with a jack and position a set of jack stands under the front suspension to support the truck. Locate the starter on the passengers side of the engine from below the truck. It mounts where the engine and transmission meet.

Locate the wiring connections on the rear of the starter and remove them, using a wrench to remove the retaining nuts. Lay the wires aside.

Locate the two mounting bolts at the front of the starter. Remove them with a socket and ratchet, and lower the starter away from the engine. Slide the starter out from under the truck.

Remove the starter from the vehicle. Methods for removing the starter will vary depending on the type of vehicle.

Purchase a starter rebuild kit from an auto parts outlet. These kits can be purchased for less than $40 as of 2010 and include most of the parts needed for rebuilding a starter. But you may have to purchase the starter plunger separately.

Find the end cover protecting the plunger and starter contacts. Disconnect the starter motor lead and remove this cover using a ratchet and socket or a Phillips screwdriver. This will expose the plunger and the brass starter contacts.

Pull the plunger out of the starter housing and set it aside. Take care not to lose the small spring at the end of the plunger. Find the L-shaped brass contacts on both sides of the plunger. Use a small box-end wrench to remove the retaining nuts holding the left and right contacts, along with the insulators and washers.

Install the new left and right contacts in the housing, along with all appropriate washers and insulators. Place the spring onto the end of the new plunger and feed the plunger into the starter housing. Tighten the retaining nuts with a box-end wrench. Push the plunger in against the spring to verify it pushes the starter gear outward. The gear should retract when releasing the plunger.

Reattach the end cover to the starter housing. Secure the cover with the three bolts and tighten them with a ratchet and socket or a Phillips screwdriver. Reinstall the starter in the vehicle. Methods for re-installation will vary, depending on the vehicle.

Use a 10mm wrench to disconnect the negative battery cable. Place the cable beside the battery so it will not accidentally contact the battery posts. Use a 10mm wrench to disconnect the positive battery cable. Place the cable beside the battery so that it will not accidentally contact the battery posts.

Follow the wires from the starter solenoid to the starter relay. The starter relay has four wires connected to it. The two smaller wires are from the key switch. These wires turn the relay "On" so that voltage can pass through the starter relay to the starter solenoid. The larger wires route battery voltage from the battery to the starter solenoid.

Inspect the wires on the starter relay. The terminals should be free of corrosion, oil and dirt. Use an adjustable wrench to remove the nuts from the terminal posts. Remove the wire and connector. If you find corrosion on the terminals, sprinkle baking soda on the corrosion, dip a wire brush in water and scrub the corrosion from the terminal. Replace the terminal on the stud. Use the adjustable wrench to tighten the nuts on the terminal posts.

Place the positive battery cable on the positive battery post. Use a 10mm wrench to tighten the clamp on the battery post. Place the negative battery cable on the negative battery terminal, and use a 10mm wrench to tighten the clamp on the battery post.

Remove the negative battery cable from the battery with a socket and ratchet.

Locate the starter between the transmission cross member and the transmission. If you are not sure what it looks like, use the replacement starter as a visual reference.

Remove the nut that secures the positive battery cable to the back of the starter. The nut often rusts, using a pair of vice grips might be necessary.

Disconnect the wire harness from the solenoid. The harness has a small tab in the center of it. Push on the tab, and pull the harness off the solenoid.

Remove the three bolts that secure the starter to the bell housing. Pull the starter out of the bell housing. Inspect the base of the starter for any shims, which Ford sometimes uses. If you locate any, transfer them from the old starter to the new starter.

Slide the starter gear into the hole on the bell housing, and mesh the gear with the flywheel.

Secure the starter to the bell housing by bolting it in place.

Reconnect the wire harness to the T-Bird solenoid.

Reconnect the positive battery wire to the back of the starter. Use the new nut supplied with the replacement starter.

Reconnect the negative battery cable to the battery.