I NEED HELP GUYS! This noise is very annoying hahaha!

My maxima had the infamous startup noise clanking, which I assumed was from my starter. It would 95% of the time make the noise and usually take a couple extra seconds to fully start up. So I bought some lithium grease and began taking everything apart. I removed the starter and took it apart. I took the 2 bolts out of the starter and seperated the two pieces. The black motor I did not touch at all. The other part that has the 3 small gears along with the single large gears I took apart and re-greased everything. I also greased the other part of the starter, the part that actually goes into the engine and is exposed when you pull the starter out. What I wasn't able to do was pull out the entire assembly to expose the internal gearbox so that I could regrease the really small shaft that is not exposed. So I greased up what I could and put it all back together and reinstalled everything. When I started it up it made the noise still, although not quite as loud, but it now starts up super quick and does not hesitate.

So the car starts up perfectly fine now, but it still has the very annoying noise. Is there something you guys think I possibly might have done wrong? Also do you guys know how to pull out that entire gearshaft out of that housing? I tried for about 15 minutes straight and couldn't figure out how to get it out of the housing.

Thanks in advance guys!

 

i'm not really sure if i follow you, usually the problems that people experience when the starter needs regreasing are hard starts (or no start) and a 'whirring' gear-type noise from the starter. The clanking that you're hearing, does it sound like a chain rattling? are you sure it's not coming from the passenger side of the car? does it go away shortly after your car is started? if this is the case, the noise that you're describing sounds like a problem with your timing chain tensioner. i've also noticed that i get that rattling sound on startup when my car is due for an oil change.

 

Well man I'm not really sure now that you mention it...is it just the tensioner that could be bad or the timing chain itself? How can I check to see if this is the problem?

 

typically the chains themselves last the life of the car, but the tensioners sometimes need to be changed. to be honest, i'm not sure how exactly to go about testing the tensioner, usually people can tell just by listening to the engine run. check out this thread, does your startup noise sound anything like the noise in the video clip in the very last post?

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....ight=TENSIONER

 

No that is definitely not my sound. Mine only lasts a second or two and its not super harsh, I mean it doesn't sound like it's coming from the engine itself. I'm pretty sure its the starter. It sounds like a chattering, although it is loud, but again only for a brief second or two...any more thoughts?

 

Make sure to clean the spline shaft really well. The gear that engages the internal engine ring gear rides on the spline shaft. If there is any drag (due to dried grease) the dis-engagement will cause the noise.

 

Is there another write-up for this other than the one that's on motorvate? That one doesn't explain how to get the entire gear assembly out of the housing and I couldn't figure out how to do it on my own. Can someone help me with this?

 

good question from a i wish i could help you but i just bought a new one, i didnt even touch mine after i pulled it out.

 

lol n00b...this is my second maxima...let's not get started haha

 

yeah try this :

http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~microso...ter/index.html

 

That write-up shows the gear assembly coming out with ease because he doesn't even say how to pull it out. Mine would not budge. Maybe I'll have to take it off and play with it again I'm not sure.

Is it at all possible that no matter how much I clean and regrease it, my starter could be permanently damaged and always make that noise at start up?

 

man how bad does that stink ? after all that hard work its still doing it ? mine has been making that crappy noise for about 3 years maybe more. thinking about just buying a new starter but i never get around to it. that noise is the worst. if im in town and crank the car people try to figure out where that nasty sound came from. i should go out and make a video of the car starting to see if its what you are hearing. pretty sure it is though

 

Starting the Maxima VIDEO: Video highlights what I believe to be the nasty Maxima starter noise.

VIDEO
http://youtube.com/watch?v=FGWQgA86oHE

Starter Fix Link:
http://www.motorvate.ca/mvp.php/516

 

Yea you have what I have, except mine doesn't happen IMMEDIATELY after it turns over, more like a second or two after it turns over it makes that noise.

I tried to follow that motorvate write-up but it doesn't tell you how to get the gearbox completely out of the housing. I'm gonna have to pull it again sometime soon and see if I can get it out of the housing.

BTW why did you rev your engine after it started up? It makes the noise harder to hear...