What does a faulty starter sound like? (And how to avoid it)
An internal combustion engine needs four things to run: air, fuel, spark, and compression. When the engine spins, compression happens. If the engine is stalled, how do you restart it and get compression? That’s where the starter comes in. The starter is a large electric motor that turns your engine when you turn the key. The starter has teeth that mesh with other teeth on a flywheel or flexplate (depending on your transmission type).
Flywheels are very heavy, which made this a difficult task for some people. This means that significant cylinder pressure is generated by the piston rings sealing against the cylinder walls. This strong compression makes it much more difficult to start the engine by hand. As battery and electronic technology advanced, the electric starter became the obvious solution.
What does a defective starter sound like? A starter can fail in a number of different ways. Sometimes the starter will fail suddenly, but other times the failure is temporary as the unit slowly grinds to a halt.
1) A whirring noise (car starting problems)
When you turn the key to start the engine, the starter gear extends and makes contact with the teeth on the flywheel. If this doesn’t happen, or if you don’t leave it in gear long enough, you’ll hear a whistling noise. This whistling noise sounds like a household vacuum cleaner or electric fan.
2) Grinding
The most common noise you’ll hear is an unpleasant grinding noise. This is usually caused by the teeth on the end of the starter not meshing with the teeth on the flywheel.
3) Clicking (car won’t start)
If you have an intermittent failure, retrying may get the starter to work again. Do not try to start the engine too frequently, as this can cause the starter to overheat, resulting in a burning smell and a fire hazard.
4) Marbles in a can
If the starter motor won’t disengage from the flywheel after you start the car, you’ll hear a continuous grinding noise, like marbles in a can being violently shaken around.
5) Nothing
In some cases, the starter may simply give up without warning when it fails. If this problem occurs, you should ensure that another component is not at fault.
Pushing/pushing (hard to slip)
If you drive a manual car, you may be able to push it. To do this, turn the key to the “ON” position. Push the car at a running pace and put it into second gear with the clutch depressed. Then engage the clutch.
Once the engine is revving fast enough to idle, quickly release the clutch to prevent the car from stalling. The engine should now be running on its own. You may need to practice this a few times to get it right. Also, every vehicle is a little different. Some vehicles may even have a different gear selection.
Tap the starter
In most vehicles, the starter motor is located next to the transmission. Some starters are visible from the engine bay or by looking underneath the car.
If the starter is within reach, you may be able to start it again by tapping it with a solid object, such as a tire iron. This may indicate a bad connection to or within the starter. B. Defective starter solenoid. On those designs, this trick probably won’t work.
