So I had a thread about a week ago about the car not starting and all. Well went and got a new starter and starter relay and it fired right up. Next was to diagnose the wiring and find why my batteries drain, so I was going to take it to a shop tomorrow morning. Well I had it running earlier today and decided to go out and let the car run for a little bit. Get in and turn the key and it does the grinding sound again. I checked the starter relay and it is getting 12 volts to it from the battery and has good connection. I just have no idea what to do now. I'm wanting to get it started to be able to drive to the shop the last thing I want to do is tow it anywhere.
Here is a video of the noise:
View My Video

 

That noise is the starter relay buzzing. Put a voltmeter across the battery and check for voltage when cranking. it should not go below 9.6 V. if it does but there is 12 v static, you have one of the following problems:
Bad ground - most likely at the engine block
Battery load issues
bad cables
bad or un-grounded starter relay

 

Alright thank you dad thought it was a bad connection to the starter relay so I cut off the factory wires that connect to the front and used a circle open type connected and bolted it down. And no improvement. I'm about to have to leave for work but i'll be sure to try these in the morning.

Thanks

 

didnt sound like a starter relay much to me.

To me I hear a starter that's getting plenty of juice and spins up but is dragging on something and / or is only partly engaging the starter ring...hard to say without really being there.

Try this anyhow.

1) with the car doing just what it was in the video place a socket (I think 15/16) on the crank bolt that holds the damper wheel on.

2) rotate the engine by hand to the right as to make sure not to loosen the bolt.

3) Rotate engine about 90 deg

4) try to start it again.

 

did you check the teeth on the flywheel? Sound like it might be missing some teeth or not not fully engaging

 

that totally sounds like the flywheel is bad. I know because i bought one yesterday. my car did the same thing. It is a bad flywheel.

Or a bad bendix on the starter.

 

I was actually really hoping it wouldn't be the flywheel but I haven't checked it yet. I checked it friday when I took the starter off and the couple teeth I could see looked good. But I will get under there in the morning and check for the flywheel. Hypothetically if it is the flywheel is that something that could be done at home with a person that doesn't have much knowledge or skill? I know the motor and trans would need to be seperated but not sure how hard of a job it would be exactly.

 

maybe its spinning but not jumping out to meet the fly wheel? Is that possible ?

If not +1 on the fly wheel missing teeth

 

Take the starter to auto zone, they test starters for free, could be a bad bendix. I have taken off/put back on a flywheel without removing the engine, it was possibly the worst thing I have ever done. You need to remove the transmission and remove bolts that are torque to 80 ft lbs while under the car, not fun. Then you need to retorque after your done... Don't forget the flywheel only goes on one was, the bolt holes are NOT spaced evenly, took me 5 tries before I got it so that all the bolts fit.

 

IDK, hard to tell from the video, but to ME it sounds like the solenoid is jumping in and out.

I say make sure that the CABLES are good, and that the negative cable is grounded right at the block. Surely you have tried starting with jumper cables or a "Start" battery charger?

The flywheel can be checked by pulling the starter and inspecting the teeth as you turn the engine with the harmonic balancer bolt. (clockwise from the front, slowly so the compression leaks off, or more quickly by pulling the sparkplugs first.)