Hey guys,

At times in the moring when I start the car, right after I turn the key and the engine fires up, there would be a weird noise that lasts like half a second. Hard to describe, but it sounds like a harsh pulling / grinding, kinda like if you stuck a pen into a running window fan.

Thoughts?

 

Starter noise? I get that sometimes when it's cold out. This is common on our Max's.

 

Not on the 2002/3s

 

It's the starter pinion gear not retracting fast enough. No need to worry though unless it gets stuck and then your car will keep trying to start all the time. You won't be able to turn it off without disconnecting the battery. My 00 SE does the same thing and I have learned to live with it.

 

my 02 does it once in a while... u could get it fixed. there is a TSB out there somewhere... but i don't trust the dealers taking my engine apart. i rather just live with it.

 

on what he said. Completely on-target.

If you want to re-create the sound (if...) just turn the key to the right with the car running.....is this the sound you are hearing?

 

Mine does the same thing and my dad's friend listened to it and said its the thing not retracting fast enough but he said not to worry if it only does it in the cold. He showed me where the starter is and it would be expensive to replace since its underneath the intake manifold. You can look between the air box and engine and lean forward and you can see the serial number and "hitachi"

 

I think this is the TSB being referred to:

http://www.infinitihelp.com/Ownershi.../NTB03-060.htm

Mine does it, too. Not sure if it's worth tearing the whole engine apart to fix though.

 

I actually pulled my starter off, took it apart, cleaned, and regreased it because the sound was happening too often. Ever since then I have not heard the sound come back, and its been over 60K miles.

I wrote up a how-to in the how-to thread.

 

i think my car is starting to do that but havent worried about it yet...

 

Starter was easy for me to replace since I don't have that stock airbox cluttering things up!

 

are you guys talking about the "VVVEEEEHHHHHHHHH" sound a split second after the first "VRVVRVVROOOOUUUUUUUUUUUMMMM" at the start?

if so, I too have the problem when its cold.

 

I get the same split second noise when igntion key turned. Not worried about it.

 

Is there a good way to differentiate between the pinion noise and the VTC sprocket noise?