weird noise on startup.. help?

[marQ_deLa_cruz]

so sometimes there's a weird noise when i start the car...it's very random...not necessarily just on morning starts...it does it when i auto start or when i start myself..sounds like a grinding noise on start up.

below are a couple of clips i recorded off my iphone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3k9MyL1KfR0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20hjmEdmxrQ

help?

tia
mark

[Remi Raymond]

Links don't work but is it your starter continuing to engage after the engine has started cranking correctly?

[marQ_deLa_cruz]

hmm. not exactly sure.. i'm not mechanically inclined much so unfortunately i can't answer that question

i just did the copy/paste thing off my iphone so it may have not worked due to mobile site.. i'll try again later since i can't do it here at work computers

[Brett Haviland]

sounds like a bad starter to me... lots of mitsu's i see make the after start noise.  I think its due to the drive not pulling away from the flywheel fast enough, and/or the bearings/bushings in the starter are going bad so when it spins up like that after the engine starts it makes a gawd awfl grinding/screaching noise sorta as the starter spins really fast for a sec.

[John Hartman]

and, my car has done this now for 8 years as has Jasons.  It has NEVER failed to turn over, so unless you want to get rid of the noise, you can leave it.

/Disclaimer: if it quits its on you for not taking care of it, don't blame me/

[marQ_deLa_cruz]

edited the link so it works now

john and brett..just to make sure..you guys WERE able to see the vid and hear the noise? and your comments were made after the fact right?

john..so it makes that same noise as well for you? and like you said, it's been fine for 8 years..(disclaimer understandably accepted)

from scale of 1-10, how necessary it is to have it fixed?
..as well, if it DOES fail to turn over, does that mean it's really bad then?...or what if it fails to turn over...then few mins and tries later it starts again...thoughts?

[Greg Durban]

My grey car I had in the spring would make the exact same noise right after the car fired up damn near every single time. It still started faithfully and I never had any issues that I was concerned about.

If your starter fails to turn over and then a few minutes later will work and start the car then in my experience it means your starter is going. Not sure if this is what you meant by that but just my .02. Good luck with it whatever you decide to do.

[CamWeiss]

Fix it scale: 0/10.

Mine's done this since the day I bought it (five years and 90k). It's never been a problem.

The starter (clutch packs? I dunno) isn't disengaging properly, but at this point it's just a sound. Don't worry about it.
If it really bothers you, or it gets significantly worse, than think about getting it done.

[Dan Silburn]

Mine also use to make that sound never had a problem with it either!

[daniel Dee]

Starter bendix.......(aka starter drive).  Clutch pack in starter drive.
Used to replace them in v8's all the time but now it is probably easier to get the starter rebuilt
or get a used starter.

[Greg Durban]

it is probably easier to get the starter rebuilt
or get a used starter.

And also on that note, it only takes about a half hour to change out your starter if the noise bugs you that much.

[marQ_deLa_cruz]

being that i'm really not that mechanically inclined, and based on what you guys said, i'll probably join the majority and have the noise there..it doesnt bug me THAT much anyway.

thanks for all the replies! glad it's more common than i thought but really more of a minor inconvenience to the ears lol

[Brett Haviland]

yup..  I know a few members cars that make the same noise, including my 93 colt.

[John Hartman]

its not like the old starters.  On these I believe the noise is caused by a dry "nose" bearing/bushing.

And actually recently mine has been quiet? 

[Jason Harwood]

Both my starters made that same noise, but louder.
1 was brand new.