OK...this is my second starter on my 85....had it about 2 years now.....
Maybe once a week...it will make a loud grinding noise..sometime twice in a row...then start fine....it been doing this for over a year....

Has anyone experience this same issue ???

 

mine would do that when the starter was going out. It got more and more frequent until I had to just bump start the car. I'm guessing your starter is on the way out.

 

Ya you are right........I figured that the starter drive must be hanging up and not letting loose, returning to home.........

I would have thought after a year of this.......it would have died....

I will replace it and be done!!!!

Thanks,

 

Replace the ring gear as well.

 

I have wondered about it also if it is damaged.......but that is a major job....like pulling the engine??? Have you done this before ????

 

You'll have to pull the tranny. That's a couple hours of work your first time.

S

 

yeah it could be the bendix drive on the starter going out intermittently. the teeth could also be stripped. or on a more serious note, your flywheel could be missing some teeth. I'd start simple though.

 

Take the starter out and turn the motor with a socket on the crank damper pulley bolt (do not turn the motor backwards). See if the flywheel teeth are OK as they come around into view.

 

It could be a motor mount or transmission mount thats messed up. My starter did the same grinding noise. Sometimes you would here the starter spin it wasnt spinning the flywheel. Later found out it was a transmission mount that was completly disentegrated. The starter was also shot to since it was the orginal. Pulling the tranny out make sure you look at your flywheel and make sure its fin an no teeth are missing. I looked at my flywheel and the teeth were grinded smooth. A flywheel cost me about $80 new. The only place that has it is adavance auto parts.

 

damn, to replace a starter you have to drop the transmission...glad mines working fine

 

No, to lift the engine you have to drop the transmission. Thats what Sarin was talking about. If you look under the car in the front the starter is there in front. Not hard to do.

 

oh, crap stress and my reading at the same time dont mix...i'm a little gasoline buzzed right now, just pumped 14 gallons out of my car so if i ramble tonite that might be why

 

lol, yeah talking about start ring/flywheel replacement. Starter is easy as pie. 2 bolts and a harness.

S

 

make sure to check the flywheel when you pull the starter. It may be worn as well.

 

My starter also makes a grinding noise every once in a while and then it starts fine. Looks like I need another starter too. Yay.