To my dismay, my baby bertha will not start!

Loud, rough grinding noise when I turn the ignition, a little surge in the engine, but no dice. This is such a loud grinding noise that people 50 yards away in the parking lot where i got stranded turned their heads in horror.

Speculation: alternator and/or starter/ignition switch.

Worst case?: I will freak if it's the torque converter as I am restricted from doing anything more than basic work on the truck by landlord - (can't get it into the garage in the alley behind my house!)

Anyway, any thoughts on this, as always, warmly welcomed.

I got a case of beer and my handy friends, now just need to know what to do.


PS: 302 5.0 V8, C6

 

sounds like th starter exploded. you might start by pulline that out you might be suprised to find the starter gear in pieces. If it checks out ok then look at the flywheel teeth through the opening. also might check your tranny fluid, if its to low the converter can make a lot of racket.

good luck

 

sounds like flywheel/starter problems

 

good timing Burns

 

Thats what I said, gotta be quick. hehe

 

Okay, so I will check out the starter and see what the deal is - I just put in a new starter & solenoid in Sept. -- I'd think that would be a realtively short time to have it burn out or explode - But if it is what is toasted, then should I be looking at what's causing the starter explosions? I.e. ignition?

then just do the whole thing in one fell swoop (if that is, indeed what's going on) ?

How hard would it be to replace the flywheel if it's all chewed up?

Thanks for the quick responses!

 

to replace fly wheel you have some options 1. pull motor 2. pull transfercase/tranny . neither fun but can be done.

late

 

a f'ed up flywheel will make quick work of a new starter. The trans will need to be dropped.

 

The starter wasn't shimed or anything was it? Headers running close? Did you notice if the flywheel teeth were in good shape when you did the starter in Sept? I've seen people put the bracket for the tranny dipstick tube behind the starter instead of infront of it. Which puts the starter into a twist... Doesn't do the starter teeth or flywheel any favors.. Headers coulda baked it.
If the flywheel is junk it's going to be alot easier to pull the engine. Best time to "freshen" the ole gir up to....

 

yo,
As 79_250 suggested, shims are abig problem:
here are 2 articles on shims and the 10 tooth starter:
http://www.egrproducts.com/html/tech_tips.html

And a lot of after-market starters do break-down too often and too quickly.

 

Checked starter and flywheel, NOT the problem. The flywheel engages and everything spins - there's just the horrifyingly loud grinding noise and no turnover.

My buddy called his "master mechanic" friend, who said the noise may very well be that the alternator bearings are shot. He seemed pretty sure of it, but you know the fancy man wasn't offering to actually come down and check it out.

Anyone ever have this happen or can confirm the deduction?

We're lit now, and it's dark, so we won't be working on the truck for the rest of tha night.

 

To diagnose an accessory bearing, just loosen the belt(s) and try to spin the pulleys by hand. The water pump and the PS pump should drag slightly but turn smoothly, but the smog pump will probably take some effort and have 2 spots that are a little more difficult. The compressor pulley & alternator should freewheel.

 

&!@%# !@*$#^

 

OK, I'm confused. You say everything spins, but it doesn't turn over. Does that mean it does actually crank over, it just doesn't fire and run? If it isn't actually cranking the engine, I would find it hard to believe that a bad alternator bearing could be making any noise just sitting still.

 

MrWizard,

When the ignition is turned to start, the fans and all the
belts start turning, the engine lurches like it's about to turn over, but the grinding sound is continuous from the moment the ignition is turned and it appears to be coming from the area of the alternator - And it is LOUD and ferocious.

All fluids checked out OK, also.

I am baffled.