My starter has an intermittant noise after it kicks the engine over. It seems to have a dragging noise. Kind of when something spinning is out of balance, it vibrates.

This doesn't happen all the time. Is this a tell-tale sign that I will be needing to replace the starter? I went to Kragen and they want $267 for a rebuilt Bosch + a $90 core charge .

 

Don't know about symptoms, but if it turns out that you need to replace the starter, it isn't that hard to replace.

Just do a search for "replace starter" and you should get plenty of hits.

$267 is decent. And you get the $90 core charge back when you return your old starter.

 

I just went through the pricing on this....autozone has a lifetime warranty starter for $140+45 core. it may be an 8 or 10 tooth, but both will fit. takes about an hour and a half to replace yourself.

you can try regreasing the starter...the OEM grease dries out with age and keeps the starter from engaging/disengaging smoothly. this condition usually surfaces when its cold.

have fun.

 

Goto www.motorvate.ca and click on starter noise.

Cost of the parts needed for the job $2.00
Cost of your time spent ripping it apart $0.00 (if your cheap)

The feeling that comes over you when you save $200 on a new starter.... PRICELESS

 

You just need to regrease/pack the bearings. The grease the bearings in the starter come packed with from factory, eventually dries out. When it does, it needs to be repacked. Symptoms most often appear in the starter unable to release after the the engine is started. To fix, simply remove the starter from your car, disassemble (pretty common sense once you have it in front of you), degrease, and repack with a synthetic. I like the AMSOIL and the Motormaster synthetics. They come in tubes, just put on some gloves, and pack the bearings.

 

I know what I'll be doing this weekend. I'll try the repacking first. Thank you all very much !

 

Worst comes to worse, if when you remove the starter, and you find that is unsalvagable, you haven't really wasted money or time. Just go out, get a new/used/rebuilt one and slap it on.