Starter Grind On Start-up - a closer look

32704 Views 77 Replies 42 Participants Last post by vmxjia, 2 mo ago

sxy2003

Discussion Starter · Nov 23, 2008 (Edited)

8

I have had a grind issue on start up at cold temperatures. Right after the engine starts, I heard a loud screeching sound similar to turning the key for too long. This issue only occured when the car cooled down for a long time (like starting it first thing in the morning).
So I replaced the starter and decided to disassemble the old starter to attempt to figure out why it grinds in clod temperatures. In short, I think it's pretty clear that it's the solenoid.

Ready to be taken apart:

Closer look at the gears inside. Normal wear and tear, teeth are still good (on all gears). Surprised to see them in good shape.

Looking at the rotor, brushes, housing. Nothing out of ordinary, everything is good!

Taking off the solenoid:

Solenoid seems to be working well. But as you can see, there is some wear on the sides of the piston, showing something is not right.

I put it in the freezer for an hour to duplicate the cold start condition. After trying to compress/release it a few times, I noticed it produced screeching noise, as well as hesitation to pull back. So I believe I found the problem here...

Note that when starting a car, the engine relies on the starter to immediately pull the gear away, and if the solenoid hesitates at all, it would in fact produces screeching noise forcing the gear back into the starter housing. Also playing with the gear that engages with the flywheel has made me to believe that even if solenoid fails completely, the rotation of flywheel would force it back into the housing.

See less See more

61 - 78 of 78 Posts

rensoyka

· #61 · Apr 3, 2010

some people have reported problems where the flywheel ring gear becomes loose so it turns and grinds on the rest of the flywheel, sometimes catching and sometimes not. you need to remove the inspection hatch on the tranny and have someone crank the car while you look at the flywheel turning.

could also be poor connections not allowing full current to reach the starter so the starter pinion teeth aren't being held firmly against the flywheel ring gear teeth.

FDCenteno

· #62 · Apr 4, 2010

I just dont see how with the OEM starter I never had this issue. The connections are basic and simple. I have solid connection on the fat nut and snap in connector. where is the inspection hatch on the tranny and Do I need to take off the starter to see this? If so how do I crank the engine without the starter?

rensoyka

· #63 · Apr 4, 2010

you don't take out the starter, the hatch is visible if you're lying on your back under the tranny. another person should sit in the car and turn the key unless you have a remote starter setup. and you did say that you had problems with the original starter.

FDCenteno

· #64 · Apr 4, 2010

Yeah, I had a typical starting problem during ignition with my OEM starter.. during start up it sounded weak like the battery was dead (had a 1 day old battery) but after banging on the starter it would fire up strong. The OEM unit never made a grind with my flywheel. Its weird.. So laying on my back the tranny insp hatch is at easy access? will there be any fluid that will come out and do I need any special tools?

rensoyka

· #65 · Apr 4, 2010

2 ten mm bolts, no fluid as it opens into the clutch bell housing

JM-RSX-S03

· #66 · May 1, 2010

My RSX-S has the exact same issue. Anyone know how much it cost to get it repair? How much is the OEM starter cost? How much cost for a mechanic(non-dealer) to fix this? Any information is appreciated. Thanks so much.

2005_Copperhead

· #67 · May 1, 2010

I was wondering what that was this past winter. Was embarassing as hell and annoying.

JM-RSX-S03 said:
My RSX-S has the exact same issue. Anyone know how much it cost to get it repair? How much is the OEM starter cost? How much cost for a mechanic(non-dealer) to fix this? Any information is appreciated. Thanks so much.

Damn, and I thought my lurking days were bad!

kev3d316

· #68 · May 1, 2010

See less See more

Cb7-R

· #69 · May 4, 2010 (Edited)

rensoyka said:
some people have reported problems where the flywheel ring gear becomes loose so it turns and grinds on the rest of the flywheel, sometimes catching and sometimes not. you need to remove the inspection hatch on the tranny and have someone crank the car while you look at the flywheel turning.

Happened to me.(I made a thread about it, somewhere on this board)) I let the starter grind issue go on for too long and it eventually seperated the ring gear from the rest of my flywheel. I now have an Autozone reman going on 1 year now with no probs. (Also now have an ACT 11 lb. 1 piece flywheel.)

03-GMC

· #70 · Jun 15, 2010

rensoyka said:
some people have reported problems where the flywheel ring gear becomes loose so it turns and grinds on the rest of the flywheel, sometimes catching and sometimes not. you need to remove the inspection hatch on the tranny and have someone crank the car while you look at the flywheel turning.

could also be poor connections not allowing full current to reach the starter so the starter pinion teeth aren't being held firmly against the flywheel ring gear teeth.

So should there be any play in the flywheel ring gear?

sxy2003

Discussion Starter · #71 · Jun 15, 2010

kev3d316 said:

ha- ha!

fuel-n-fire

· #72 · Jun 16, 2010

IloveK20A2s said:
just turn the key to II for 30 seconds or so then crank the engine... gets rid of the grind everytime for me

Seems to work for me too.

When it did make the noise it was after the car started too.

headaike

· #73 · Aug 19, 2010

kev3d316 said:

are there 2 versions of starters for the RSX?
this one on the above picture is a Mitshuba?
and the one from page 1 is a DENSO?
Can they be used for any Year and For base or Type-S, automatic or manual?

sxy2003

Discussion Starter · #74 · Aug 20, 2010

headaike said:
are there 2 versions of starters for the RSX?
this one on the above picture is a Mitshuba?
and the one from page 1 is a DENSO?
Can they be used for any Year and For base or Type-S, automatic or manual?

Different ones for type S and base. Reference acuraoemparts.com

ivtecdaly

· #75 · Aug 20, 2010

Yea, your right. The cold is what causes the delay. Expand/Contract

larryboy

· #76 · Mar 30, 2011

FDCenteno said:
I have a 2003 base RSX and months ago began having a starting issue. It all started the first cold day of the year and sounded like my battery was goin bad. I would turn the ignition foward, let prime, start, then the engine would crank slowly acting as if the battery didnt have the juice to crank. I would wait five secs, sometimes less, sometimes more, and would fire right up like a new battery. ( battery is a oreileys super start not even 1yr old.) the problem continued to get worse til I would have to jack up the car in a parking lot and bang on the starter while my wife cranked and finally would start. I first went to auto zone bc they were the closest and ordered a starter. after replacing the starter now it fires up everytime strong but sometimes makes a grinding sound similar to holding the key too long. sometimes its so bad it sound loud and takes several tries. I took back the auto zone starter, got my full refund and put in a oreileys remanufactured starter. I am still having the same grind/ugly start as with the autozone starter. People say "its still the starter, sometimes you get a bunch of bad ones keep replacing it".. but this has never happened to me in other vehicles I've replaced tthe starter in. Even with auto zone and oreileys starters. My question is what could this be? At first it was a really weak start, now strong start, another new battery but grindind sound is there and sounds damaging!! This happens cold/warm/hot.... pretty frequently actually. sometimes its like I gotta be quick and precise when starting up my car. As if I just flick the ignition forward really quick to avoid this. Also....somepeople tell me, "maybe the flywheel is missin teeth in certain parts"... but it cant be. never EVER made this sound until I replaced the starter. even after replacing the the first replacement starter( the auto zone brand) I inspected the bendix, and what I could see on the fly wheel gears. Everything on both ends looks fine. My car is well maintained, not raced, or neglected and has about 111,000+ on the odom. It sucks if this is just bad luck on buying starters bc it not a quick fix.. takes me a couple hrs to replace a starter an my RSX and also I have had my starter, alternator, and battery tested often with this issue and everything tests good. Even at diff locations to make sure there doin the tests right.... I'm running outta options and cant afford the car to go to the shop or dealer. Any more help or advice would be greatly apreciated.... thanks

I read in a similar thread that it could also be the solenoid. If you buy a new starter doesn't it come with a new solenoid?

Murderjetz

· #77 · May 10, 2011 (Edited)

sxy2003 said:
As for saving money - so far I didn't find where you can buy just the solenoid. However, stumbled across this forum http://www.hondacarforum.com/acura/3484-integra-starter-solenoid-rebuild-experience.html where a guy repaired his solenoid for like $25. It's cheap because all you have to replace in the solenoid are the contacts and the plunger (the part that sticks)... Might want to try that, though the solenoid is sealed, so might have to get creative how to repair it (or ask the guys before ordering from them).

Has anyone tried this? I was about to order those parts but I don't know how I'm supposed to go about repairing the RSX's starter if it's sealed up.
Would it be better to just replace the whole starter?

EDIT:
Also, in the case that I would just replace the whole starter, do the base models and Type-S have different starters?

vmxjia

· #78 · 2 mo ago

IloveK20A2s said:
just turn the key to II for 30 seconds or so then crank the engine... gets rid of the grind everytime for me

Yo dude i actually been trying what you said for 3 days straight cold start no grinding. I would do that at first wait at least 10 seconds but it would be soon enough so i did 30 and so far it hasn’t grinded i don’t wanna jinx myself yet tho haha. Because if it’s the flywheel damn gonna be an expensive cost

61 - 78 of 78 Posts