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Grinding starter, car won't start

B

Berkel

Hard-core CEG'er
Joined
Oct 8, 2005
Messages
2,121
Location
Toledo
Hey guys I made a thread about this years ago on my other SVT.. but the solution isn't fixing the problem this time.

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When I turn the key, I get a loud grinding, like the gear is slipping. It's a loud zzzzzzZZZ!

If I put the car in 5th, and rock it back and forth, it will then start fine.

After shutting the engine off.. it will grind again on the next start.
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I repeated this process about 3 times and it happened every time. Could it be a bad starter shim or something? Or maybe pull the starter and lubricate it?

I read some things about voltage.. so I tightened down my loose neg terminal.. worked great twice, then back to grinding.

I start a new job in 13 days and was hoping this damn SVT would last at least another month.
 
You tightened a loose battery connection and it worked, get the battery checked. Parts stores can run one for free for you, and also start/alt test at the same time, I recommend a bench test of the starter however, pull it and get that tested too.
 
DanMyers said:
You tightened a loose battery connection and it worked, get the battery checked. Parts stores can run one for free for you, and also start/alt test at the same time, I recommend a bench test of the starter however, pull it and get that tested too.
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I guess that's a good point. The battery is only 2 months old though. It has about 12.6V, and about 14.8V running. I do get "low volt" on my radar detector when I'm cranking though. Can't remember if my old batteries did that, though the cold weather doesn't help. I'll push start it and run it to a parts store tomorrow. I do know my negative battery connection is slightly too small for my negative terminal. I guess I expected the "click click click".. not grinding.

Thank ya
 
My mustang had this problem... It was a combination of a slightly bad spot in the fly wheel and a bad starter. New starter worked great for about a year then started to wear out the gear on the starter. Might just be that the starter is getting weak and not engaging fully... I also had that on my old SVT. I got a new starter and never had the problem again. It would only "pop out" every couple of times but sounded really bad when it didn't.

I would have the battery tested then maybe look at replacing the starter. Just my $0.02.
 
Jbalch said:
My mustang had this problem... It was a combination of a slightly bad spot in the fly wheel and a bad starter. New starter worked great for about a year then started to wear out the gear on the starter. Might just be that the starter is getting weak and not engaging fully... I also had that on my old SVT. I got a new starter and never had the problem again. It would only "pop out" every couple of times but sounded really bad when it didn't.

I would have the battery tested then maybe look at replacing the starter. Just my $0.02.
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Thanks guys. Gonna check out the battery tomorrow. I read lots of threads of people replacing the starter that didn't fix the problem.

I was gonna sell on CEG but now I might just hand it over to a dealer. Too many problems this year. :cry:
 
So this grinding sounds, is it more like a whirring? Like an air drill going off? Does the car feel like it's not shaking (as if the starter were hitting the flywheel) when you try to start it and it makes that sound?

If so, starter solenoid. What's happening is that the solenoid is going bad, in which when the power goes to the starter, the solenoid is not kicking over the starter gear, thus spinning freely as fast as it can (which is that whirring sound)
 
Sounds to me like a damaged flywheel. No point in dancing around the subject, guys.

Every single time you do that, you take even more chunks out of the flywheel, and it will keep getting worse.

Pull the starter and inspect the flywheel teeth. You'll have to have someone else rotate the crankshaft slowly with a big wrench on the pulley. If you see a shiny edge on the flywheel ring gear, then that will confirm that you're hosed.
 
Could just be buildup in the starter - there a bunch of threads on this. I had the same issue from time to time, started getting worse - took off starter, cleaned and put back - no more problems.

Damaged fly wheel is possible, but would mean that the damaged part was lined up with the starter teeth every time - not likely.
 
Well, it could be damaged teeth on the flywheel sure, but the bendix gear on starters is actually designed to be weaker than the flywheel/flexplate so it wears its teeth off before anything, they do that for that exact reason.
 
Hey guys

I bought a lead shim to make the battery post thicker, and the car started up 3 times in a row, no problems :shrug:

I'm also reading 13.1V now instead of 12.4V.

Still makes me wonder why rocking the car in 5th was able to get it to start. Maybe I was getting low voltage, so the solenoid wasn't able to force the bendix into position if it wasn't perfectly positioned or something?

So this grinding sounds, is it more like a whirring? Like an air drill going off? Does the car feel like it's not shaking (as if the starter were hitting the flywheel) when you try to start it and it makes that sound?

If so, starter solenoid. What's happening is that the solenoid is going bad, in which when the power goes to the starter, the solenoid is not kicking over the starter gear, thus spinning freely as fast as it can (which is that whirring sound)
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it sounds like this. Always sounded like grinding to me, or is that the starter just spinning by itself?

 
That video link is the sound of the starter gear not being kicked over to catch the flywheel and it spinning by itself. I've had two starters do that. Flywheel looked fine with both.
 
Yeah the Bendix not only needs to spin, but extend as well, that sound is it not extending, but even if it had if there wasn't enough amperage to extend it all you would have heard was clicking, the drive trying to turn but being too weak. Voltage is important, but the starter needs amperage, a voltage test tells you almost nothing, battery can have excellent voltage and not enough amperage and it won't start the car, that's why batteries are usually referred to by their CCA (cold cranking amps, momentary amperage available at 0 degrees) depending on the car the starter needs at least 200 amps to start the car even slowly, that's about average and will vary with compression, oil temp and viscosity, and engine configuration.

Subaru is the worst thanks to the flat configuration, inline and V engines have gravity to help, no such luck with a Subaru.

EDIT: BTW, you rocking the car more than likely moved the negative terminal around allowing a short term connection.
 
Just an update, cranks every time now, zero problems. I never would've thought it would be a voltage problem.

Trading in the SVT on Monday since I have no time to sell privately. I will still lurk :)
 
Berkel said:
Just an update, cranks every time now, zero problems. I never would've thought it would be a voltage problem.

Trading in the SVT on Monday since I have no time to sell privately. I will still lurk :)
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Bummer! You'll miss it I bet! ;-) I know I did! So I bought another one! Good luck
 
Jbalch said:
Bummer! You'll miss it I bet! ;-) I know I did! So I bought another one! Good luck
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Thanks dude! I shed a few tears as I sat in it tonight. I'm a sap.

Took my shift knob off as a memory and put the stock one on, I'll miss it for sure

100k flawless miles, after that, not so much :laugh:

W2gjuYu.jpg


I'm sure someone will snag it in Michigan and part it out. That's a custom mirko btw, not missing a huge chunk :D Looks weird from that angle. Paint is beat to •••• though
 
Looks like a nice car, what are you thinking of getting for a new ride? I've had my contour 11 years and I know I'd miss it even tho it's an SE and not as good of shape as it was in the past.
 
Jbalch said:
Oh man that thing looks niiiiice! I like the split mirko too! You want to sell just the Mirko by any chance? :)
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It was badly torn up. I shattered it about a year ago and ruined the gelcoat. I repaired it, but any sort of flex messed up the fresh paint up every time I repainted it :(

Sadly, I sold the SVT today, for WAY less than I wanted. I had better offers on random forums not even related to CEG :nonono: I'm moving out of state in 4 days and couldn't hold on to it to sell it privately.

Let's just say.. you'll see a dealer selling it for $1700, and they're making a huge profit. Sideskirts, headlights, and interior alone covers the cost of what I got for trade in.

It wouldn't start today, so I had to push start it to get it to the dealer. :cry: It's in michigan now though, so I hope someone finds it and parts it out. Lots of random features in it. Hell even the garmin molded into the dash has to be worth something :cool:

I bought this today

FfLlexk.jpg


It's a breath of fresh air, and so damn awesome :laugh:
 
Oh buddy... All I can say, as much as I hate too... YOU MADE A WISE CHOICE! That's got to be one of my favorite cars on the road right now and in the BEST color it comes in! Congrats on the new car... Though you may still miss the SVT every once in a while... Or NOT lol! Enjoy that Suby and treat her well! Sweet ride!
 
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