Noise when starting that annoys other people

[Jim Bowen 1]

ever since i've had my car it makes a funny groiny noise when you start it, it reminds me of when you try to start a car thats already running. A mate says its my starter motor overrunning or something about a solenoid. I don't know much about what goes on in a starter motor etc

 

its never been a problem, car starts but always makes this noise, which i'm told is annoying my friend neighbours when i leave his house late at night.

 

would it need a new starter motor?

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

it sounds dry mate,pull the starter out and lube it up :norty:

[moneypit23 0]

Leave earlier and tell his neighbours to get a life!

 

Yes, its this kind of problem solving which means my own car runs like spanners in a tumble dryer.

[colinstubbs 0]

The starter is not disengaging when the motor kicks into life, get another one from the scrappy

[Critical_Mass 10]

Risk of fire?

[Jim Bowen 1]

not sure?

 

its done its nearly every time i started the car since i bought it, which is 2 years now and probably started at least 5 times a day

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

does it start then grone after you let go of the key?

[dinkus 10]

I think there's a video of this floating about on the forum somewhere and I'm sure a search for starter and solenoid would find something.

 

But essentially - yes, as has been said - it's the starter solenoid not disengaging quick enough, but not sure it's actually going to cause any problems other than making an annoying noise.

[steveo29 0]

g60 had a sticky starter, theres a elec garage in newport that took it apart and sorted it for cheap

[Jim Bowen 1]

does it start then grone after you let go of the key?

 

 

yeah the car starts and then the noise happens.

 

well i guess its confirmed what was suspected, i bet these parts cost a fortune from VW :lol:

 

i might just leave it :norty:

[red-rado 0]

I would get it sorted. If they stick on, they can overheat and cause a fire.

[Jim Bowen 1]

so is it a starter motor i need? or are there other bits?

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

its just a dry bush,pull the starter off and lube it up with a oil can....thats it!

[Critical_Mass 10]

Do it before it sticks on.

[coolrado 0]

It's not an electrical fault that causes this, its just a dry or gunked up starter release mechanism, when the key is turned it triggers the starter solenoid, the starter solenoid pushes the gear on the starter motor outwards and at the same time closes a larger electrical contact which supplies power to the starter motor to spin it, when the sprung mechanism that pushes the gear outwards becomes dry or the grease just gets old and sticky the mechanism becomes slow to return to its rest possition, this and sometimes a worn out end bush causes the groan noise that you get imidiately after the engine starts as the gear on the starter is being spun by the flywheel, as has already been mentioned, it's best to remove the starter, dismantle it, clean all the old sticky grease out and re-lube it with some new grease (not too thick or sticky as it will cause the same problem), It's usually worth replacing the bush at the end of the starter shaft as well as they tend to ovalise a bit and they are a cheap part.

 

if it's been doing it for this long it will just be dry or gunked up.

 

when the starter solenoid is knackered or has welded itself shut the motor will keep spinning itself until it or the solenoid burns out, it will usually only do this a few times before it welds itself permanantly shut and burns itself out.

 

Leaving it until the point where the mechanism is so dry or gunked up that it wont return at all can also cause it to burn out though.

 

I have probably refurbished about 15 of these style starters from various cars and it's a pretty simple job.

[Critical_Mass 10]

Ah so no real risk of fire.

[Jim Bowen 1]

very helpful post there 8)

 

is it very involved getting the starter motor off, i don't even know where it is :lol:

 

if its as simple as lube needed then its going to be ace, everyone hates that noise and i get a bit embarrassed sometimes as everyone looks around and they probably think "ropey old car"

 

they're probably right though :lol:

[Jim Bowen 1]

just looking at the starter motor section in the bentely manual and there's a warning about it which puts me off, same as must things :lol:

 

its says something about the starter motor installation requiring precise alignment of the engine, the following procedure will cause this components to shift position unless an engine support is used?

 

but the rest looks quite easy, just unbolting it

[mattkh 0]

Hi

What car is it ?

[Jim Bowen 1]

its a 1995 vr6

[Leonard 0]

My starter motor has run for an extra minute ever since I have had the car ie 7 years from 40k miles. Should it not do this? I assumed it was just the norm???