Grinding When Starting
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Grinding When Starting
Hello everyone! First time posting on the site, so bear with me when I (inevitably) break some unwritten rules!
I own a 75' F100 with a 390 in it, and haven't had any issues with starting it, but as Murphy's Law states, if something will go wrong it will. I go to start it and I must have held the ignition down for a little too long and started to hear a grinding noise. I'm assuming it's the starter, but could it be the fly-wheel? Is there an easy way I can check? Or should I eat the $60 and install a new starter? Thanks!
I own a 75' F100 with a 390 in it, and haven't had any issues with starting it, but as Murphy's Law states, if something will go wrong it will. I go to start it and I must have held the ignition down for a little too long and started to hear a grinding noise. I'm assuming it's the starter, but could it be the fly-wheel? Is there an easy way I can check? Or should I eat the $60 and install a new starter? Thanks!
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jul 2005
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Welcome to FTE!
You can remove the starter and inspect its drive gear teeth, or post up a pic of them here.
You can also see the driven gear teeth on the flywheel/flexplate through the starter hole. If you can get yourself into position to turn the crank with a ratchet and socket and still see the teeth, then you're good to turn the engine over a full revolution and see if there's any broken teeth. Alternately you could use your phone to take video of the flywheel while you turn the crank, or you could get a helper to turn it.
But if you have an automatic and the flexplate cracked or something, you won't be able to see that without dropping the transmission.
You can remove the starter and inspect its drive gear teeth, or post up a pic of them here.
You can also see the driven gear teeth on the flywheel/flexplate through the starter hole. If you can get yourself into position to turn the crank with a ratchet and socket and still see the teeth, then you're good to turn the engine over a full revolution and see if there's any broken teeth. Alternately you could use your phone to take video of the flywheel while you turn the crank, or you could get a helper to turn it.
But if you have an automatic and the flexplate cracked or something, you won't be able to see that without dropping the transmission.
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New User
Joined: Jan 2019
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Welcome to FTE!
You can remove the starter and inspect its drive gear teeth, or post up a pic of them here.
You can also see the driven gear teeth on the flywheel/flexplate through the starter hole. If you can get yourself into position to turn the crank with a ratchet and socket and still see the teeth, then you're good to turn the engine over a full revolution and see if there's any broken teeth. Alternately you could use your phone to take video of the flywheel while you turn the crank, or you could get a helper to turn it.
But if you have an automatic and the flexplate cracked or something, you won't be able to see that without dropping the transmission.
You can remove the starter and inspect its drive gear teeth, or post up a pic of them here.
You can also see the driven gear teeth on the flywheel/flexplate through the starter hole. If you can get yourself into position to turn the crank with a ratchet and socket and still see the teeth, then you're good to turn the engine over a full revolution and see if there's any broken teeth. Alternately you could use your phone to take video of the flywheel while you turn the crank, or you could get a helper to turn it.
But if you have an automatic and the flexplate cracked or something, you won't be able to see that without dropping the transmission.
For context too I just did an oil change and put 10W-40 into it with that lucas oil stabilizer that is super thick (guy at the shop talked me into it). Could that be a factor as to why my truck still won't start? Or should I keep chasing the flywheel problem? Thanks.
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So I changed the starter and it still won't start. Now when I try to turn it over it sounds normal, however every half a second or so I hear a churning noise. Is this the flywheel? It seems like I'm getting gas to the carb but it won't turn over regardless... Where should I check next? Or should I send it off to a shop?
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
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From: Waterloo, Iowa
Be careful when trying to start an engine, see that it is kept in good tune and it will start instantly with a flick of the key, by grinding on the starter it puts a tremendous abuse on the battery, starter solenoid relay, and the starter itself. The alternator can get smoked trying to recharge a near dead battery too.
Engine starters like these technically have a duty cycle of approx 10 seconds on, 30 minutes off. Nobody hardly follows this, but they go through lots of starters if they don't. Not trying to lecture you, but save you some $$.
Engine starters like these technically have a duty cycle of approx 10 seconds on, 30 minutes off. Nobody hardly follows this, but they go through lots of starters if they don't. Not trying to lecture you, but save you some $$.
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Before I had this issue it was a legit flick of the key and then it would start up. 3 months and no issues at all. That's why this is so frustrating... I keep on cycling my ignition then pulling my starter to see if if there's anything wrong on different parts of the fly wheel, but I haven't found any yet. Still have a knocking noise every half a second or so when trying to turn the truck over, any ideas what that could be? I doubt the starter is bad as I just got it, but I have heard some horror stories about them being re-manufactured badly.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Apr 2012
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If the engine turns over like it should, are you getting fire at the plugs, remove the dist cap, turn the engine to tdc #1, is the rotor pointing at #1 plug with tower? the timing chain may have failed.
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1. Is this an automatic?
2. What was the condition of the gear on the starter you took out?
3. Did you inspect the flywheel/flexplate teeth as outlined above?
4. Is the engine itself turning over or just the new starter?
5. Have you inspected the cap as outlined above? Are you sure the truck is getting spark?
2. What was the condition of the gear on the starter you took out?
3. Did you inspect the flywheel/flexplate teeth as outlined above?
4. Is the engine itself turning over or just the new starter?
5. Have you inspected the cap as outlined above? Are you sure the truck is getting spark?
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