Some background: Every once in a while, when I turn the key to start the max, it starts, but i hear an odd noise....almost like the starter doesnt dis-engage as soon as i release the key. BUT, it's not as harsh a sound as the started not dis-engaging, and it only does it when cold.

My car sat at 20 degrees F for 3 days, I started it, drove 30 mins, and parked it. Started it again 8 hrs later to move it...and it made the sound. 8 hours later, she won't fire!

When I blip the throttle while starting, there's SOME combustion going on...for like .5 seconds. But she wont fire. Havent had any codes, no codes now, fresh tune-up (plugs 5k miles ago).


Any ideas?

 

anyone?










........

 

You have 2 issues going on.

1) Your starter needs to be regreased or replaced. That noise is indeed the bendix gear hanging onto the flywheel once the car starts.

2) A crank with no start can be quite a few things. Crank positions sensors, or a fuel problem. Pull the plugs, if they are soaked in fuel, it's a crank position sensor.. probably POS that looks at the flywheel.

 

thanks. i'll dig deeper into it in the morning


i tried to start it again, and cranked for 4 secs with the pedal floored...and i got 'the nosie', but nothing else....

 

is it a clicking noise?

 

not really. very hard to explain. like a groan/grind/deep toned buzz...but subtle

 

WTF!!!!!! i towed it to the garage, and it fired the instant they pulled it in. it cranked for 3-4 seconds and he feathered the gas.


ideas?

 

When my starter was on its way out it was on the fritz for awhile...

Turn the key get nothing.
Turn the key get clicking.
Turn the key get slow turning over (but still started, acting like battery was weak but it wasn't.)

Then finally, no start ever. Good thing I have a 5-speed, had a few friends push me for a push start and had to drive home from school, get a new starter while my car was still running then change it in the morning...

This may or may not have to do with your problem though, just throwing out some similar symptoms.

 

i hear ya...but she cranked really well...lotsa power


the garage says there's a TSB (which i cant find) on cold starts saying to hold gas 1/3 way down and crank for 10 seconds. if no go, repeat.

sounds like crapola to me.

they put a little gas-line anti-freeze in there and pulled it outside, fired right up 4 or 5 times

 

interesting... when i said i had those symptoms, that wasnt consistent. it would happen once every couple weeks (one of those symptoms) then act perfectly normal, and then it just gave out without notice (the previous starts had been normal.)

when my starter has been working correctly my car starts much better in cold conditions then warm conditions... colder fuel probably is the cause of this.

 

:X my car s doing the same exact thing when it is REALLY REALLY cold out side. It`s done it twice already within the past month.

 

there's a TSB about that too i discovered. its the timing chain not being properly lubricated...after it sits a while the oil drains down, and it makes that nosie til the oil moves around

 

it doesn`t sound like chain noise tho...sounds more like u didn`t let go of the key soon enough after the engine started. I was thinking may be that little gear on the starter didn`t return soon enough/sticking

 

well, now im throwing a cel ...gotta check it out