1997 f150 110K. 4.6L. Wierd noise on start up. Been progressivley worse. After I turn the key to right before the engine turns over it sounds fine. But as soon as engine catches it sounds horrible. Hard to describe. Its a coarse sound, not a squeak. Sounds like something mechanical that is flopping on its axis when spun. By flopping I mean take your average push lawnmower wheel and take it off and remove the bearing. Then put it back on and spin it. That kind of floping from side to side. Wow...thats a horrible description. I'm kidna worried everytime I start it up that I am gunna mess up the fly wheel. It goes away once engine is running...so new starter motor? If I start the engine when it is warm there is no noise so I figure something is cracked.

Another noise problem....
Also goes away once it is warm. Sounds as if a support bracket somewhere in the exhaust system is broken free and some pipe is rattling against it. Goes away once warm. Checked entire exhaust system from exhaust manifold through to the outlets...nothing. Also it only makes this noise when in gear. And, when i hit the gas it increases the rattling sometimes, when cold. Only reason i posted bout this second noise is because I didnt know if they could be connected. It sounds like the noise is around the exhaust manifold area, but heres the thing. Once the temp gauage reads out that it is at normal operating temp, this noise dont go away til a few minutes later...so I thought it'd have to be farther away from the block than exhaust manifold. But then again, I dont know where the temp reader is. Sorry for the long post.

 

I'm thinking that maybe the starter bendix is not retracting and hitting the flywheel. It could be the cause of both noises.

 

Is there anything that I can do about the bendix or is it something I should just take to the shop.

 

Actually, more importantly, will this mess up anything if I want a little bit longer to figure out more about it.

 

General rule of thumb is fix it as soon as you can, because the longer you wait, most of the time, the worse it gets, and sometimes the worseness spreads and makes a whole world of worse!

 

It can wear the teeth on the flywheel than it will soon need replacing which can get costly because the tranny must be pulled. The starter needs to be pulled and inspected ASAP. The Bendix is the geared part that goes out to mesh with the flywheel and is supposed to retract when the starter is deactivated. The spring is probably broken. Starter replacement is the easiest way to repair it.

 

Ok, that what I need to know, thanks. My biggest fear was that I could be damaging the teeth on the flywheel like you said. I think Ill be taking it to shop in the morning.

 

Put new starter in today, crap. Other two sounds are gone. NEw one sounds worse though. It lets out a loud squeak on start up. ??? Am I suppose to grease something I didnt know about?? Or will this go away or what.

 

So I hooked wirees up to the truck and ran them to the starter so I could get juice to the starter without having it engage the flywheel, and the starter sounds perfect....not good news.

 

You may have done damage to the flywheel already, and the new starter teeth contacting the flywheel may be causing the noise. the teth on the flywheel and starter should mesh perfectly or it will cause a noise and prematurly wear out the starter.

Lance

 

The little bit of the fly wheel that is visible where the starter mounts seems fine. Is there anyway that I could be setting it in wrong when I am bolting it back up? I mean I putting it back in the way it should go,but is there anyway it could be sitting wrong. Is there one bolt that I should put in first?

 

some vehicles use a shim on the starter ( it fits between the starter and block it bolts to. Did one come off of yours?? If not you may want to try one to see if it helps. normally they are only about1/16 thick. it mainly separates the starter from the fly wheel so it won't clash so hard with the fly wheel. some thing to look at. Wish I could hear it it would help alot more.

Lance