so when starting up for the past month or so, i'd thought i heard a faint grinding noise, but it would still start religiously. leaving work today, i turn the key and it's grinding... sounds like when you try starting a car that's already started. got a couple of buddys to push as i let clutch out/turned key and got it started. i immediately figured toothless flywheel. when i got home, i killed it and tried starting it again. same thing. the starter could possibly be on the same spot of the flywheel but that got me thinking that it was probably the starter instead of the flywheel.

any thoughts are appreciated.
beau

 

The starter might be loose,or the gear on the starter might be worn or stripped-lotta teeth on that flywheel,kinda doubt if that's your problem right now.
If you don't get the starter squared away soon,the flywheel COULD become a problem too,and changing it is a fairly large investment in time and money.
Jack her up and check the starter bolts-if they're tight,it's time to drop the exhaust and pull the inspection plate on the bottom of the bellhousing to see what's amiss-and hope it's ONLY the starter.

 

thanks for the quick repsonse. yeah i'll be pulling it apart this weekend to see what's going on. worst case scenario it gets an aluminum flywheel and a new clutch. hopefully i can avoid that and just get a damn starter.

 

I doubt if it's the flywheel. I'd start by making sure that all the bolts are tight on the starter mounts. Then I'd take each wire off the started & clean w/ a wire brush & then reinstall & tighten all the wires. If it's still doing the same thing, I would take the starter out & have it checked out @ a RELIABLE shop. Good luck.

 

the more i think about it the more i think it's the starter. the only reason i'm thinking flywheel is because it was an intermittent problem from the beginning. once again, thanks for the replies.

 

Sounds like the starter to me; like it is not engaging fully, could be loose alignment problem or bad drive or solenoid. If it is installed correctly you probably need to bench test it.

 

You better start praying that the starter didnt break off the starter mounting pad on the engine block.

Ask me how I know this!

My #1 cylinder developed a coolant to cylinder leak, filled up #1 cyl with coolant.
"Murphys LAW states that anytime that a cylinder fills with fluid, it will be at the end of the exhaust stroke so the engine can build up enough momentum to cause the starter to break off the block when it hits non compressable fuuid!"

The threaded boss on the pad broke right off and the screw fell out. Now I have to have it TIG Welded back on. Thats next on my list.

 

Here is a link to what happened to me
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...broken+starter

 

Im expierencing the same issue. Did you remove the engine to weld the part back on??

I need to come up with a plan.

Bill

 

funny you post this... i just read CARRJET's thread before i noticed both of your posts on my thread about this issue. i was praying it was just the starter. now i'm praying it isnt the block. i dont think that the starter mount on my block is broken being that my problem was intermittent. i've noticed a faint grinding noise coming from the starter for the past month. this issue with the block seems like something that would happen once and leave you stranded. i'd like to do the work myself and i dont really have a convenient workplace to keep my car for any length of time and do the job myself... and i dont have ANY aluminum OR tig welding experience. this, of course, isnt how i want to learn either.

i hope you find a reliable, cost effective way to resolve your problem. hopefully you DONT have to pull your motor! i ordered a starter today and am going to tear it down on saturday assuming i can get a couple of buddies to assist me in a push start to get to a lift!

 

Ive been push starting it for MONTHS! I hope you have better luck than me. I can get/borrow a welder and I have LOTs of aluminum welding friends!

Theres always a slim chance you have a bad/defective solenoid or Bendix. Let us know what you find.

BC

 

haha i hear that. the issue started tuesday. we went to the track wednesday. i wasnt going to let a starting issue stop me from getting some times on a cold clear night like it was! first time at the track too, so there was motive to get there.

 

NEITHER. MY BRACKET BROKE OFF THE BLOCK LIKE CARRJET AND BILL C. TALK ABOUT SUCK. LUCKILY i have the piece that broke off. i saw it fall when i pulled the starter. i am calling someone to come weld it for me due to both my lack of aluminum welding experience and proper equipment to follow through with welding it myself. the motor is in the car and i plan on leaving it there. i guess i'll find out when whoever i call comes to look at it. i bought a delco starter hoping/thinking that was the problem. the starter i pulled out seems to be fine but is a reman. i guess i'll throw the new delco in there anyway. not a good way to start the new year.

 

THAT is a bummer! I'd read Bill Curlees posts about his broken starter mount,but I figured it was an isolated incident - Not so isolated,apparently.
If this happens much more,it's going to have to go on the "Common C5 Problems" list!
Hope the welder can help you out,wtf do you do if he can't?
I'm hoping for the best for you,Good Luck!

 

Well,,,let me tell ya... I read about 3-4 other people that it happened to them before mine broke and one person after my incident (now two).

This is caused by something causing the engine to lock up during the starting sequence. Its most likely a small coolant leak in one or more cylinders. I was lucky and saw the coolant gush out #1 cylinder when I rolled over the engine by pushing the car.
If yours broke off, I STRONGLY recommend figuring out what cylinder caused it and repair the issue or it will most likely happen again or worse.

I am going try to gusset the weak area that snaps off so the engine will lock up IF I ever have an issue again. When I pull that head off, I need to find a smoking gun or, I'm going to be really pissed.

BC

 

thanks for the replies and the support..

i'm thinking that being in the bodyshop for a long time with a weak battery didnt help...cranking it without actually turning over the motor may put some stress on that piece of the block with the starter constantly hitting and releasing without turning over the motor... just a hunch.

 

bill i hope you find the problem. i hope our welded mount holds up upon repair. if not, i guess it would serve as a good excuse to look for a bigger motor?

 

Did it sound like this? If so what happened is a piece of clutch got lodged between the starter and flywheel. The starter busted off luckily not off the block though and a few teeth were missing from the flywheel. I got a new light flywheel, spec 3 clutch. starter, slave and master cyclinder

 

that's an interesting problem. yes, mine sounded similar when i tried to crank it, but your grinding when turning the starter over may be a little louder than mine (perhaps more pressure on the starter against the flywheel). i've push started a number of times after it wouldnt start and it drove fine. i havent had any problems getting into or out of gear either. before i tore it down, i tried to crank it (very quickly of course). there is minimal wear on the part of the flywheel you can see when you remove the starter. i believe the flywheel will be ok, but am going to turn it 360* to make sure. i do not believe it was a clutch issue that caused this problem. i am not exactly sure what did. the car doesnt smoke at all, so i dont see why there would be anything in any cylinder to cause the motor to lock up upon starting.

i'm glad you got your problem resolved and upgraded parts in the process. i was initially thinking i was going to have to change the flywheel and did plan on upgrading to lighter flywheel/new clutch. now, i dont think i'm going to have to throw down the $$$, which works out for the better at this point in time. i'm just hoping i can get the bracket welded back onto the block without pulling the motor and i hope the weld holds.

 

Bill...

As you may remember from last year, mine broke off immediately after I washed my engine bay and tried to start the car (A4). I was pretty careful about where I directed the rinse water, but I had washed the engine bay out at least 30 times before without a problem?

I did get a high-pitched electrical whine which sounded like it was coming from the very center of the engine just as I turned the key (and never heard anything like that before or since), but it was too late to stop since I did not anticipate a problem. The first time I tried to start the engine did not crank - just the whine and lights flashed on the dash. The next try broke the block. We had EVERYBODY at the dealership investigating this problem (including insurance adjuster) as we tore it apart. Nobody could find any cause for why this happened "mechanically". The first thing they suspected was something got lodged between the flywheel and started gear, but nothing was in there and they were able to turn the flywheel with a long screwdriver. Once they got the engine out of the car they checked for water in the cylinders, bent push rods, etc. and everything looked perfect?

I still believe it had something to do with something getting wet (in my case) that caused the electronics to trigger the mechanical lock-up, but the Dealership said "No way". One thing for sure - I have not let any water get in the engine bay since!!!