So I put everything back together after replacing the injectors. Fuel pump hums when I put it to the ON position, NO fuel smell, but when I crank, all I get is a "wheeee" sound (typically you hear the girly-sounding crank from the VG when you turn the key, but it "wheeees" pretty strong). I had this prior to starting the injector job with the old starter (I thought I had burned it out), and swapped it in with a newer one I sourced at the wreckers (it looks very new, so what are the chances it doesn't work?).

Battery resting volts is 12.6V.

SO I bought a new starter today, and it's still making a "wheeee" sound. Is there anything else I can look at before I strip the mods and junk it?

Here's a pic of the flywheel when I took off the starter, just in case anyone needs to see:

 

Weeeeeeee as in the starter is spinning freely/not catching the flywheel?

 

if the starter is going wheee, then chances of a locked motor are pretty much nil. if the starter were to just click, then MAYBE it would be a locked motor (been there, done that, sold the truck, they added oil and drove it)

 

Yes, exactly.

 

Sounds like a bad starter then..

 

Are you close to an Autozone? I know when my starter was bad, I had it verified there.

 

*Update* I have edited the above with pics. I put in a new starter and it still goes "wheee"

Any chance it's a seized torque converter?

If anyone has any input, please feel free to give it, as I am now considering dumping the car...

 

Does it have a grinding sound with it? I had this and it was the starter pinion gear not coming out all the way and spinning against the flywheel face. This can be tested for at your favorite auto parts store. As best I can tell from your picture of the starter mount hole, there's no teeth missing.

 

No grinding sound, just *wheee*

 

You're going to dump the car because of a starting issue?

Calm down a little,step away from it for a while..(helps me sometimes on difficult/problemsome jobs)

A few questions..

1. Have you done any work/mods/etc in the electrical areas of your car?

2. Have you tried boosting the car via jumper cables/running car?(weak battery maybe)(aka as volts don't mean squat sometimes)

3. did the parts store you got the starter from test the original starter before selling you a new starter?

4. Defective replacement starter maybe(long shot)

5.

 

If it's "whee-ing" then the pinion gear is not coming out to even engage the flywheel. I can't think of any reason for this other than a bad starter. Take it back and have them test it and replace it. I had good luck with an Autolite rebuild.

 

you sure you got the right starter?

 

Yeah, for sure. One I pulled off a VG at the boneyard. I recognized the writing on the starter, replaced back in Jan 07 by a guy I go to for starters and altys.

 

Bad starter. I just got done messing with a starter on a vg, the solenoid in it is bad. The solenoid throws out the gear and turn the flywheel. I think someone said that. But it's definitely bad.

I NEVER would get a starter from a junkyard just because the 3 year replacement warranties from most parts stores are worth it.

 

It has got to be the starter, on a VE there are two different starter for 5sp and auto tranny, but for a VG (look like that is what you have) have only one starter, take it out and get it test.

 

Okay, tested the starters, and both work and kick out. Thus, bad starters ruled out as originally thought.

It almost seems like the starter is working, but it's causing the flex plate to freewheel with the starter. This is royally messed up. Someone suggested possible broken timing belt.

 

Have a friend/helper try to start the car,while you are looking at the drive belts...If the belts are all turning while the car is being cranked,then the starter is in fact turning the engine over..

Try this then report back..

 

I still say it's the starter. It won't make a wheeeing sound if it's good. I found that if you jump out the started on the bench it seemed ok, but on the car was a different story.

If the timing belt was broken you would hear the pistons smacking the valves to oblivion.

 

I was thinking that, so I never mentioned it.

 

The problem I had with my starter was that it did push the pinoin gear out eventually, but it hung up a little on the way out. Then by the time the pinion gear did get all the way out, it was spinning too fast to engage the flywheel.
If the pulleys are rotating, you can check the timing belt by opening the oil filler cap, and looking in to see if the camshaft is turning when the engine is turning. If it is not moving, then you've lost the timing belt.

 

Thanks for the replies, gents. 92 Max, the engine isn't turning because all it sounds like is the starter freewheeling. I am going to remove the new one I installed tonight, and try to see if I can move the flex plate by hand. If it moves, it means I probably have no compression.

Another thought: Possible that the distributor is bad?

 

You check compression with a compression tester... Not turning the flex plate.

Other things to check.

-Is the coil wire plugged in? (the wire from the coil to the ditributer)
-If your maf plugged in?

Check your Engine control fuse (Engine Cont.) under the dash and the fusible link under the hood. That sucker looked fine to me one time and I ended spengind over 400 in replacing all ingition parts. Check the fuse and link with a meter.


Still no? Read the FSM.

 

Okay, update: I stick a screwdriver on the end to try to turn the flex plate, and it turns with the tool:



Is my crank cooked?

 

You know it doesn't take much effort to turn the flex plate...

You are looking at the situaion all wrong. I'm surprised you havn't checked your tire pressure yet for a solution... Yeah I'm done.

 

here's an odd Idea.
put some paint on the gear of the starter and then crank it for a minute.
pull the starter back off and see if the paint got transfered onto the ring gear.
if the paint transfered, then the starter works and is engaging the ring gear.
if no paint then you have to figure out why, but at least you will be at a point of definite knowledge.

 

I checked my tire pressure AND I checked my blinker fluid level.

Goon9, I honestly do appreciate all the input you've provided. I am quite familiar with my car, and because I narrowed it down to either a broken timing belt or broken flex plate, I marked the crank pulley with white-out, took out the starter again, and turned the flex plate teeth. Mark on the crank pulley stayed. I think it's broken flex plate.

 

Do ANY of the accessory belts turn when the car is cranked?

 

No, they don't.

Thanks for all your input as well, and to internetautomart.

 

if the belts aren't turning then you need to seperate the trans from the engine and inspect the ring gear, torque converter, crank flange to see what happened.

 

1 - turn the crank by hand (at the crank pulley - throw a wrench on and turn it)...is the fly wheel moving? is the TC moving?

2 - take out the distributor cap...is the rotor spinning when you're turning the crank pulley? if yes the "most likely" your t-belt is ok.

3 - when you turn the flywheel w/ the screwdriver did the TC turn with it? if it didn't then the bolts might be off the TC or something REALLY bad happened.

4 - try this...bolt the starter up to the electrical connectors from the car...ground the body of the starter to the batt or engine ground...then have someone crank the car and you're looking for the starter and the pinion move...it should move OUT and SPIN at the same time...if not then your starter or the electrical connections are messed up...are you 100% sure all the wires are in good shape?

good luck