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loud momentary screech when starting

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Old Jul 4, 2019 | 10:08 AM
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Default loud momentary screech when starting

This noise used to happen every time before when I had all the old stuff in the engine bay, when starting the car there would be a very loud high pitched screeching noise when cranking the car with the key held all the way to the right while cranking. I thought it might be the old starter.

Once I got my car back from the shop it would just start right up every single time except last night when I started it and it made that loud screech again. What happen was the first time I cranked it, it made that screech noise so I let go of the key. I switched off the ignition and the 2nd time it fired right up.

Is this a starter issue?
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Old Jul 4, 2019 | 10:16 AM
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Usually it's a worn or loose V belt that screeches when the engine fires up.
Never heard a belt screech when turned by the starter motor.
Sounds like starter to ring gear not meshing properly.

What did they work on at the shop. ?

Last edited by bazza77; Jul 4, 2019 at 10:20 AM.
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Old Jul 4, 2019 | 10:25 AM
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screech while cranking? probable starter issue. or screech as soon as engine fires and you rev it to 2500 or so. second screech is alternator charging like crazy cuz it sees low volts of a battery that was just busy. but the belt is loose so it slips. the alternator load rarely gets that high while running. so the squeal goes away pretty quick depending on how loose the belt is.
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Old Jul 4, 2019 | 10:39 AM
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Originally Posted by bazza77
Usually it's a worn or loose V belt that screeches when the engine fires up.
Never heard a belt screech when turned by the starter motor.
Sounds like starter to ring gear not meshing properly.

What did they work on at the shop. ?
they did a whole top end rebuild with new carb, cam, intake, heads, distributor, starter, all pumps etc, still has the old v belt setup (new belts) not serpentine, new pulleys etc.

Last edited by titanle; Jul 4, 2019 at 10:39 AM.
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Old Jul 4, 2019 | 10:41 AM
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Originally Posted by derekderek
screech while cranking? probable starter issue. or screech as soon as engine fires and you rev it to 2500 or so. second screech is alternator charging like crazy cuz it sees low volts of a battery that was just busy. but the belt is loose so it slips. the alternator load rarely gets that high while running. so the squeal goes away pretty quick depending on how loose the belt is.
Well it happened when I first cranked the motor so I immediately let go of the key, switched off and on and then on the 2nd attempt it started right up. Before the rebuild it would happen every single time during cranking and when the motor fired up it stopped.
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Old Jul 4, 2019 | 11:19 AM
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sounds like a starter or starter alignment issue. harder fix than tightening a belt. any shims between starter and block? remove 1 at a time. if starter needs shims it sounds like it is gnashing it's teeth when cranking.shim too much and it slips and screams.
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Old Jul 4, 2019 | 11:30 AM
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Originally Posted by derekderek
sounds like a starter or starter alignment issue. harder fix than tightening a belt. any shims between starter and block? remove 1 at a time. if starter needs shims it sounds like it is gnashing it's teeth when cranking.shim too much and it slips and screams.
I'm not sure if there are any shims between the starter and the block, i'll have to ask my mechanic. The car will be going back to have the carb rejetted once the vettepack inserts are installed so I will address the issue at that time.

is this something that can cause damage that should be addressed immediately?
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Old Jul 4, 2019 | 06:39 PM
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Originally Posted by titanle
I'm not sure if there are any shims between the starter and the block, i'll have to ask my mechanic. The car will be going back to have the carb rejetted once the vettepack inserts are installed so I will address the issue at that time.

is this something that can cause damage that should be addressed immediately?
IF the starter is not aligning onto the teeth of your ring gear, it's actually grinding metal each time it does it , and if it stops in the same place too many times....
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Old Jul 4, 2019 | 07:09 PM
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Guess I’ll go to the shop sooner than later. I’ll try starting it again today and see if it does the same thing.
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Old Jul 4, 2019 | 10:25 PM
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Originally Posted by titanle
they did a whole top end rebuild with new carb, cam, intake, heads, distributor, STARTER, all pumps etc, still has the old v belt setup (new belts) not serpentine, new pulleys etc.
Sorry I missed that they did work on the starter ? well if you told them it had a problem and they were supposed to inspect /fix it , then ring them up and let them know what its doing straight away . If they are conscientious they should tell you to bring it back asap.
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Old Jul 4, 2019 | 10:28 PM
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Originally Posted by bazza77
Sorry I missed that they did work on the starter ? well if you told them it had a problem and they were supposed to inspect /fix it , then ring them up and let them know what its doing straight away . If they are conscientious they should tell you to bring it back asap.
No I meant all those parts listed were replaced with brand new parts.
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Old Jul 4, 2019 | 11:36 PM
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Originally Posted by titanle
No I meant all those parts listed were replaced with brand new parts.
Even more reason to let them know there's a potential problem with what they have done.
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Old Jul 5, 2019 | 10:36 AM
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Thanks for the replies everyone, car will be looked at tomorrow to see what that noise is.
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Old Jul 5, 2019 | 04:07 PM
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Too many dont know that a starter has to have proper gear mesh. Just popping a new one in without checking that can hurt those gears.

Youll know by looking at the teeth...if it still does it take your belt off then start it. If its only while cranking then-
Most times its a PS belt, one reason I got rid of the factory setup.
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Old Jul 5, 2019 | 05:26 PM
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Originally Posted by cuisinartvette
Too many dont know that a starter has to have proper gear mesh. Just popping a new one in without checking that can hurt those gears.

Youll know by looking at the teeth...if it still does it take your belt off then start it. If its only while cranking then-
Most times its a PS belt, one reason I got rid of the factory setup.
I don’t have power anything except for brakes. It is strange because in the time that the starter was put in the car has been started numerous times and this was the first time it happened.
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Old Jul 5, 2019 | 05:43 PM
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Originally Posted by titanle
I don’t have power anything except for brakes. It is strange because in the time that the starter was put in the car has been started numerous times and this was the first time it happened.
Yeah it's like a lottery , you might have a damaged area on the ring gear now , but just luck that it never stopped at that position .
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Old Jul 5, 2019 | 07:24 PM
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Possibly a bad Bendix drive on the starter.
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To loud momentary screech when starting

Old Jul 5, 2019 | 07:50 PM
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I wonder if maybe it was just a crappy starter to begin with, I bought on eBay for like $80. This is the description "SBC BBC Chevy 3HP Mini Starter Red - Dual Inline 153 168 Tooth 305 350 396 454"
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Old Jul 5, 2019 | 08:58 PM
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The gear on the Bendix should extend into the ring gear about three-quarters of the way.
The gap between the Bendix gear and the ring gear should be about the width of a paper clip.
The original starter bolts were knurled to hold the starter securely, what kind of bolts do you have on your starter?
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Old Jul 6, 2019 | 07:57 AM
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Hello

I saw your post about a screeching noise

I too have a 68 and it will make this noise on occasion.

I believe it is a belt in my case.

What I did to find root cause.

Started car by pumping accelerator twice, it would make the noise.

Once car was warm, I put it into neutral did not pump gas and it starts without making noise.

In my mind the torque of the motor overwhelms the friction coefficient of the belt and I have slippage thus the noise.

I need to replace pulleys and belt and set belt tension with belt tension gauge.

I see you had your pulleys replaced and belt I also know NAPA /Goodyear belts are much better than many others.

Hope this helps

Mike
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