I think I broke my starter

[travisfraughton]

So we just hit a cold snap here in utah. Went to start my truck and it cranked but wouldn't start. I figured it was just cold and would need a lil extra work that day. As I was cranking the started to have a really bad grinding noise. I've stopped trying to crank it for fear of damaging the flywheel, the grinding was pretty awful. I think it must have just been cranking real hard and with the engine being so cold the starter was what gave out. Anyone else had this happen when weather got real cold and your starter gave out with the extra effort required for the super cold startups?
I ordered a new starter today, won't be here until Tuesday, 5 days from now. I am actually now thinking of waiting til monday or tuesday to pull the starter since the high outside today is supposed to be in the mid 20's and by monday we might get to the 40's.
The starter didn't have any bad noises previously, it just went bad suddenly as far as I can tell. I'm really hoping that a starter is all I need to do and nothing else.
It's days like these I really wish I had a garage. laying on ice and freezing my fingers off is not how I wanted to start the new year.

Any feedback with your similar experiences is appreciated.
Thanks Guys

[AirSpeed]

You may have been premature ordering a starter. Did you look at the flexplate for missing teeth? Are the teeth in the starter gear worn? I've turned my truck over with no issues at -16f many times with no problems. I would pull the starter ASAP just in case it's not the starter but a tooth or teeth missing on the flywheel. Specially if it takes five days to get parts.

[cdowns]

I'd try to clean up the contacts and battery cables first

[travisfraughton]

Already checked battery cables/contacts - not sure how that would be related to the horrible grinding noise.
I will be sure to get out and check , I've pulled the flexplate cover and don't see any worn/missing teeth either.

[powerdriver 1958]

I’ve seen it break the nose cone on the starter before

[hooverfish]

Originally Posted by AirSpeed

You may have been premature ordering a starter. Did you look at the flexplate for missing teeth? Are the teeth in the starter gear worn? I've turned my truck over with no issues at -16f many times with no problems. I would pull the starter ASAP just in case it's not the starter but a tooth or teeth missing on the flywheel. Specially if it takes five days to get parts.

I agree, pulling the starter would be time well spent. It will prob. show you
what you need and it doesn't take too long.

[Ironhorse]

Inclined to agree with powerdriver, maybe you broke the nose cone. I broke the nose cone on my work car once, ('88 Chevy Caprice) and it sounded like it was grinding up the engine internals when I turned it over. Not sure why it broke, put in a new starter and never had a problem with it since. Still driving it today after I retired. Really like that old boat, runs great and rides better.

[special-K]

Just because it's cold doesn't mean your starter will break, but your starter can break just because it's cold...and maybe getting tired already. It seems many parts give up the ghost during winter, ever notice?

But, I will say insufficient amps to the solenoid will cause such symptoms. Weak battery or poor connections can cause slow crank, partial engagement, or engage/then disengage while still cranking. I had this issue last Spring when I first took the truck out. It cranked real tight, grindy/growly, and slow (once out and about). Got stranded and my son had to come give me a jump. The battery was 6 years old so I grabbed a new one. It cranked great after that, but after a while started disengaging itself and/or sounding growly. I had replaced the starter for this very reason sometime last year. It seemed great when new, then gradually cranked slower and it was doing it again. It had a lifetime warranty, so I grabbed another AND replaced the cables. It got the same way again, so I went over the wiring to the starter, didn't think it looked so good, and rewired it. Still kept kicking the solenoid out. It would start just fine at the house, then the next time, like at the gas station, it would take maybe 10 tries before it stayed engaged long enough to start. Finally it hit me...DUH!! Neutral safety switch! I should have checked that first. Yep, changed that and problem solved.

[travisfraughton]

pulled starter - can see metal shavings inside where the lil pinion gear is. the edges of the gear certainly look worn to me... from the grinding noises that it was making I was expecting to see a lot worse....like broken off teeth or something.

here's a pic, anyone got any thoughts?

[travisfraughton]

well, got the new starter in today. starts like a champ now. the teeth didn't look all that worse for the wear, I think it must have been the solenoid not pushing the little pinion gear out far enough. there was a little bit of wear on the teeth right near the starter... so I think that was the grinding noise.
Thanks again for all the help and input as always.

[special-K]

If it acts up again, look for inadequate supply to the starter. It will act just as you described.

[GuyO]

Big block starters draw a little more power and spin a little faster than small block starters. I have seen the wrong starter sold at the auto parts house. CDowns and special K are right. The purple wire should be pulling 11 volts at the starter. Otherwise even your new starter will give up prematurely. Below are my notes for low voltage to starter problems. Good luck with it.

Poor starter performance may be a bad connection on the purple wire and low voltage where it connects at the starter solenoid (there should get at least 11 volts at the purple starter terminal when the starter position in the key switch is selected).

To find a bad connection:

The purple wire runs from the key switch to the neutral safety switch (NSS) and then through the fire wall connector to the starter solenoid.

Any poor connection at either of these three points will cause the solenoid to click or reduce voltage.

(The left set of connectors are the start wires and the right set are for the backup lights on the NSS).

1) The purple wire at the key switch may not be making a good connection.
a. Use a test light. . Make sure the truck is in park/neutral, turn the key on. The wire from the ignition switch to the NSS should be live/hot.
b. If so, then from the NSS go to the starter solenoid it should light.
c. If the wire is broken it won't light up.
d. Check the connectors too. If one has been spread it won't have a good connection.

2) Key switch or NSS may be bad
a. You can also connect the two purple wires together at the NSS and see if the key will start the truck.
b. If it does then you have a bad NSS.
c. If not the key switch is bad.

To test for voltage loss from key switch to starter solenoid:

1) I should have 12v coming out of the ignition switch going to the purple wire going to the NSS. If not then try using a new piece of 12 ga wire from ignition switch to NSS. I should be able to touch the purple wire on the NSS to a 12 volt source and have the starter turn over. If it doesn't then I have wiring harness issues.
2) From NSS through firewall to starter connection should be no less than 11 volts.

[snipescastle2]

make sure you attach that little brace that attaches to the end of the starter and bolts to the block, if not, it could break the nose piece off the starter, ask me how I know! Been there,done that!
Have a good one!
Ben