Truck suddenly making horrible starter grinding noise?
 

Leaving my friend's house late tonight, after watching the Jets vs Giants game, go to start my truck and it developed a horrible high pitched grinding noise when I start it. I know the starter has shims, but these were installed a year ago with great operation. 87 silverado 305

I haven't pulled it apart yet, it's very late and I have work tomarrow morning. Should I be safe driving to work? Is this a symptom of a starter just getting old? This sound just developed randomly. I did get under the truck when I parked it to make sure the starter wasn't loose, it is tight.

Re: Truck suddenly making horrible starter grinding noise?
 

I had the exact same reaciton when i heard it the first time. I found that changing the tranny from park adn then back again, then trying to start it again always works. I still can't figure out why it does it....

BRAD

Re: Truck suddenly making horrible starter grinding noise?
 

Yea but it still makes the sound. I start it this morning, and it still has that horrible sound when turning over. Haven't looked at it yet but I don't think it could be a shimming issue. If it were, it would have been grinding all this year, not just suddenly.

I'm thinking hopefully just a starter going bad and not a bad flywheel.

Re: Truck suddenly making horrible starter grinding noise?
 

my mini starter went out and took my fly wheel with it. If it keeps grinding, inspect it before you do any more damage.

Re: Truck suddenly making horrible starter grinding noise?
 

prolly the solenoid on the starter is getting bad.. thump is right youneed to get that starter out before you damage the flywheel ...

Re: Truck suddenly making horrible starter grinding noise?
 

x2. If the solenoid goes bad the gear won't engage fully, making a big racket.

Re: Truck suddenly making horrible starter grinding noise?
 

I agree. I've had this problem before as well. If you don't fix it now, you'll end up having to pull the tranny to replace the flywheel as well. ...Joe

Re: Truck suddenly making horrible starter grinding noise?
 

Picked up a Napa Premium starter. Mechanic friend of mine told me to stay away for Autozone, Pepboys, and Advance Auto starters. I inspected the flywheel, looks fine. Will be putting new starter in Sunday. Hopefully it solves to problem and I will let you guys know the results! Thanks

Re: Truck suddenly making horrible starter grinding noise?
 

New starter solved the problem. Thanks guys! :metal:

Re: Truck suddenly making horrible starter grinding noise?
 

your firend is right abd out autozone and pep boys those idiots cant give you the right part properly rebuilt if their lives depended on it.. ive had no problem with autozone or napa but id do my best not to buy out of those other two
glad to hear it wall worked out

Re: Truck suddenly making horrible starter grinding noise?
 

Thats good. I will be getting a new started on my truck next week or two mine is doing the same exact damn thing.

Re: Truck suddenly making horrible starter grinding noise?
 

I'd almost guarantee the starter drive was cracked if there's no flywheel damage. What happens is when you engage the starter the solenoid pushes the drive out, then when the gears engage the resistance makes the drive skip and strip ove the internal gears. It happened in my Chevelle and had a local shop fix it.

Re: Truck suddenly making horrible starter grinding noise?
 

My 454 was making a horrible grinding noise, removed the cover and found out the convert came loose. So check everything.

Tom

Re: Truck suddenly making horrible starter grinding noise?
 

also look at the neralled part of the starter bolts...if they look like they have been smoothed out by the starter, replace them too....had a caprice that made the same noise and finally pin pointed it down to the starter bolts...

Re: Truck suddenly making horrible starter grinding noise?
 

Bringing this one back from the dead with a similar issue.

I've put 4 or 5 starters in this thing and it seems like I get about a month out of it before it gets weaker, starts grinding, and eventually stops working entirely.

I'm just not sure where else to look.

New starter
New 1 wire alternator
New battery

Still got 30 days out of it. (it was perfect for about 3 weeks, then started acting up. Now it's grinding loudly)

Help!!!! 😁 😁 😁

Re: Truck suddenly making horrible starter grinding noise?
 

I went with GBelectronics mini starter on my 72 . I had the same thing with rebuilds, shimmed the rebuilt and a few weeks later grinding and then just a clunk.

Re: Truck suddenly making horrible starter grinding noise?
 

The first 4 starters were Delco oem style starters for the truck. (350/350 auto)

Now I'm running a smaller starter out of a 2003 3500 with the 8.1 litre and I STILL only got a month out of it.

I'm not sure where else to look or what else I should change.

Could a short of some sort cause it?

A draw?

So not wanting a 6th starter....

Re: Truck suddenly making horrible starter grinding noise?
 

I would look into the flexplate may be bent or missing teeth

Re: Truck suddenly making horrible starter grinding noise?
 

Looking at it on the lift, everything looks fine.

It seems as if the starter isn't fully engaging, which keeps happening after a month or so.