Starter Problem?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 114
Likes: 2
From: Carmel NY
St. Jude Donor '12, '14, '17
Starter Problem?
Hello all. Have a 2002 stock coupe. Two or three times in the last several months I'd go to start the car and only get a click. Turn the key off and try it again and it starts right up. Good battery and tight connections. Didn't check the starter connections. Parked the car today after a ride and a strange whirring and clicking sound came from under the hood after I turned the car off. It lasted for maybe 5 seconds. Started the car again, turned it off and the same thing happened. Went through 3 more starting cycles but the sound didn't return. Sounds to me like the starter pinion gear is partially engaged with the starter ring gear. Thanks for any help in advance
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 10,747
Likes: 447
From: EAST TENNESSEE
Sounds to me like your on the right track. I just went through the same problem,mine made a chattering sound under acceleration,turned out to be a broken starter bendix(pinion gear)spring. Good luck
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 6,644
Likes: 479
From: OK
Hello all. Have a 2002 stock coupe. Two or three times in the last several months I'd go to start the car and only get a click. Turn the key off and try it again and it starts right up. Good battery and tight connections. Didn't check the starter connections. Parked the car today after a ride and a strange whirring and clicking sound came from under the hood after I turned the car off. It lasted for maybe 5 seconds. Started the car again, turned it off and the same thing happened. Went through 3 more starting cycles but the sound didn't return. Sounds to me like the starter pinion gear is partially engaged with the starter ring gear. Thanks for any help in advance
IF you have HEADERS they are really hard on starters... HEAT
Last edited by 73Corvette; May 25, 2016 at 06:30 PM.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 382
Likes: 53
This one is supposed to be pretty good:
Acct Suspended APR 2026 by request
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2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
C5 of Year Winner (performance mods) 2019
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,150
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
My starter started to click sometimes. I cleaned the connections and it still did it. At that point I was pretty sure it was the starter itself so I replaced it. I had to pull the header to replace the AC compressor so it was good timing.
Uses 2 longer bolts which is less likely to break and it should come with the longer bolt.
Uses 2 longer bolts which is less likely to break and it should come with the longer bolt.
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Burning Brakes
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I just got this one yesterday and installing it tomorrow. I also got this wrap as a precautionary measure, I have headers.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 6,644
Likes: 479
From: OK
Excessive heat in the engine bay may contribute to alternator failures as would poor connections, bad grounds, etc... anything that causes heat...but, no need to worry about them or change them unless your having issues
Acct Suspended APR 2026 by request
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2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
C5 of Year Winner (performance mods) 2019
my oem starter was good up until the time I changed it, I just swapped it out while I was doing my clutch since I was right there and I have seen enough horror stories of the starter taking an ear off the block that I didn't want to risk it happening, and for a little over $100 it was a no brainer for me... if you ever do headers I strongly recommend having them ceramic coated, it really helps keep temps down in the engine bay and can help extend the life of surrounding parts by not transferring so much heat to them... I would also cover the wires going to the starter with some heat barrier while you're there, thermo-tec makes some really good stuff in my opinion