Posted on 06/23/2010 9:31:45 PM PDT by hsmomx3
Sorry but I really need some assistance.
We had suspected that the starter was going bad in our 2000 Buick.
On Friday afternoon, when starting the car, it made this very loud squeeling type noise (almost felt like nails on a chalkboard) that stopped just as the car had started. Then about an hour later, it did not start. The battery was fine.
Called to have it checked and repaired and he did some diagnostic testing, checked the battery, starter and he said it was definitely the starter and put a new one in.
Yesterday, that squeeling noise came back but this morning, it did not make that noise. Had it checked again and started it up several times for the mechanic who said it sounded fine.
Tonight, that awful noise is back.
What could this be?
I appreciate your help as I am tired of auto repairs.
Try one other thing first. Get in the car and turn the A/C on but on low speed. Then put the key in the ignition and turn it only to where the instrument panel lights come on. If you hear the noise then I am almost 100% you have a bad fan motor on the A/C/heater. The motor may works a few more weeks or even months but the noise you are hearing s worn bearings if that’s what it is doing. I read your post several times and if the noise begins when the key is turned on that pretty much ponts to the A/C fan motor. The noise might last a few seconds or 30 minutes.
The starter has teeth that engage with teeth on the flywheel of the engine. My guess would be that the teeth on the flywheel have worn down to the point that they are unable to engage with the starter teeth. Since your starter has been replaced, its teeth are probably fine. Did you have a chance to inspect the teeth on the old starter? Replacing the flywheel is a pretty major job, unfortunately.
Car-fu ping
A/C clutch and power steering unit are the next and not so cheap areas to look into.
Do not spray oil on that belt.
It could be a combination of problems, so the starter is fix but the noise continues....WD40 is basically diluted mineral oil.
It’s gonna take a whole lot of diluted mineral oil to make those belts slip on the pulleys. Belts are probably so dry that they suck up any excess. If the screeching goes away he probably won’t even bother buying new belts but he will continue getting nickle and dimed to death via planned obsolescence.
I am not spraying anything anywhere. The mechanic is going to come look at it again. Today, it did not make that squealing noise but instead it was more like a loud popping noise. Very strange. Only did it when the car was started.
OKay let me see if I can phrase this properly.
Mechanic took new starter out, replaced it with another and car made that same darned noise when turning the key.
He said flywheel, etc. all looked fine on the outside. He did ask if I had the transmission worked on and I said yes but it was back in March and we have had no problems whatsoever.
He told me to call the trans. place, have them take it out and check the flywheel internally.
If there was a problem, wouldn’t this have shown up way before now? We knew the original starter was going bad because it was not turning over the last several weeks like it should but was not making those noises.
The noise started right when the original starter went out.
I am so confused, I am not sure what to do.
Today, it took at least 6 times to start the car as it did not want to start. Finally, it started. I turned it off and tried again, same thing.
A few hours later, I went and started the car on the first try but still with that awful noise.
Your thoughts, please.
His car is a Chevy Vega. I owned one so I know. That car would start, on its own, when I was in the house and the car was parked in the drive-way. Weird but true.
When you say it did not want to start, did the car make any noise during those failed attempts? Or was there really bad grinding sounds and the engine didn't turn over?
And if I'm understanding you say that when it did start you had the grinding noise as it was starting.
The noise started right when the original starter went out.
Can I read this to mean that the noise started when the replacement starters where engaged? I strongly suspect that the starter needs to be shimmed to align with the flywheel. If you had a replacement transmission installed, the shop that installed the tranny probably shimmed the started to match it at the time. The installed transmission may be out of spec just a bit.
A couple references about shimming a GM starter (these are discussions about chevys, same applies to Buick)...
how to shim a starter and more instruction.
The folks who installed your starter should know about shimming starters. But since you've tried them twice, I'd suggest you ask the transmission shop to listen to the car start and diagnose the problem for you.
Since you had the transmission replaced, that makes the odds of starter/flywheel being out of alignment much higher necessitating the use of shims.
When it did not want to start I turned the ignition and all of the lights came on and there was a click, click, click noise but no screeching noises.
When it finally turned over, it did not make the clicking noise but instead made that loud screeching noise just at start up.
Oh, and the mechanic who put the starter in said that when it is on tight, that is when the car does not want to start but when the starter on on loose, it will start and make that screeching noise.
I called the transmission people and I am bringing the car in tomorrow so they can look at this.
Thanks. This has been a real headache.
Was he supposed to have a shim kit with him when he put the starter in? All I saw was a starter he put in as he did this at my house.
When the starter is on loose, it probably aligns as if it were shimmed so it's more likely mechanically to start than if it is tightly in place. But that's a good way to hasten the demise of the flywheel teeth. It bothers me that your mechanic would make such a statement- shows he's inexperienced.
When it did not want to start I turned the ignition and all of the lights came on and there was a click, click, click noise but no screeching noises.
If the mechanic left the starter 'loose', then it probably isn't sufficiently grounded and the solenoid will kick in and out as its robbed of power by the started motor. That may account for the clicking noise you're hearing.
When it finally turned over, it did not make the clicking noise but instead made that loud screeching noise just at start up.
That's the sound of the flywheel teeth being beat up by a cockeyed or mis-aligned starter.
I suspect that the transmission folks will have this issue resolved within minutes of your arrival.
From the symptoms you've described, he should have brought a shim kit and left the starter back at the shop. :-)
My car is finally running great.
They sent another mechanic out who this time, tested my electrical system.
The fuse box was loose and he tightened that and then started the car with no problem and no noises. I was shocked.
Then I told him that the other guy did not tighten the starter and left it on loosely so he tightened it, and started the car up again and it started and no noises.
It was that fuse box!
The transmission stuff was perfectly fine.
All of this aggravation for about 9 days.....car is working fine tonight. I am so glad this is behind me now.
Check for a corroded cable between the battery and the starter. That will lower the voltage and up the amps. Your starter will “squeal”. It will also fail on all other systems.
:^)
It was checked and all looked good. Thanks.
The fuse box was loose and he tightened that and then started the car with no problem and no noises. I was shocked.
...shocked - no pun intended, right? :-)
It’s this small black box under the hood with all of these green and red fuses????
Car still working great.
Hey, I am shocked as well but grateful it was nothing more serious.
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