I am getting gas when...

[Broken_down?]

I goto start the truck and the starter sounds liek it is grinding. But not turning the engine over. after a sec of grinding noise the starter just spins. what is going on here? My truck sits at the gas station right now till tomorrow. Anyone think it could be a loose starter cable? or is the some***** just dead? when I 1st got the truck when the engine was ran for awhile the starter would like seize in middle of cranking. We found that the starter placment was so close to exhaust manufolds etc.. it was getting so hot that the silinoide would stop working. So we added a second one on the firewall to help the one down on the starter. That fixed it. Now it is just grinding and will not even turn the truck over to try to start. any ideas whats going on?

Please I have to get my truck out tomorrow after noon. And my broke ass cannot afford a dam tow truck.

[truckresq]

couple thoughts.... starter gear is not extending enough onto the flexplate/flywheel, or either of those gears are shot. Just a couple of things to look for, I could be way off

[67cst]

sounds like your starter is shot, my old camaro had a small block and when i got it it was okay but after about 6 months when i turned the key to fire it up it buzzed real loud or grinded..like you describe, i replaced the started and the problem was gone

[BobbyK]

If it's spinning it's not engageing.
Prob. an alignment problem.
You should shim the starter.You can get shims from any parts store.

Also do you have the bracket that attaches to the rear of the starter?It braces the heavy starter in the rear.It bolts to the block and the rear of the starter.

It can REALLY extend the life of a starter.Takes the load off of the 2 front bolts(less likely to bend or break those bolts).

I think you can still get them from the dealer for like $5.00.

This is what they look like.
The pic is from Classic industries catologe

[67chevemall]

Good call on the back support bracket!

It sounds like a bad battery or the starter is being stupid!

Put the jumper cables on the truck and try it!
Then try it while tapping the starter w/ a hammer!

Just a thought

[lukecp]

FYI, most parts stores will test your battery and starter for free.

[ratrod67]

I agree with hitting the starter with a hammer. Sometimes it will give you 1 or 2 more starts before it's dead.

[71GMC_3/4T]

If it sounds like it's grinding, but isn't spinning, it's probably rattling the solenoid, especially with that added solenoid on the firewall. Common sound for furds with low batteries. And if it spins, that means that your solenoid on the starter isn't getting enough power but the starter motor is (from the added solenoid). I'm thinking weak cables or low battery.

I'd start with a pair of booster cables to another running vehicle and see if that gets it going.

[orange72350]

Im gonna put my money on a broken/stripped starter gear. even if its brand new, i have seen them snap gears/shafts even when perfectly aligned. i would say that either your starter gear isnt any good or u might have a flat spot in yer flywheel. if all the above suggested remedies dont work, get under your truck, remove the cover on yer tranny, and turn the flywheel over however u can. this may get the flat spot away from the starter, thus allowing it to catch the flywheel and crank. just my 2 cents

[72MARIO]

I am goign to put My money on a grinded starter and Flex plate. Try turning the motor over by hand using the fan the try starting it. That will get the starter into a diffirent spot on the Fly wheel.

Do that First.

Then go buy a new flex plate and Starter.

Later Mario

[bad 71 chevy]

this happend to me all i did was take it off and put it back on and it fixed it and have not messed with it since it just sat there and spun.

[Gordo]

My bet is the starter drive is shot. If you keep trying to start it in that condition you may damage the ring gear, if you haven't already. If your handy and money is short, it's possible for you to replace just the starter drive only. This part is available from most part stores. However, if you have the extra cash, just replace the complete starter assembly and inspect the flywheel ring gear.

[Broken_down?]

Ok the details are in.. and yes I HAVE to tell the story 1st. So sit back and get a beer and sit down in the broken recliner chair and relax...

Ok. day 1. Getting gas to make it home. The gas station 1/2mile from my house. I could see the house from behind the gas station anyway. I goto to start it and 'grind, grind, scream. ( that was just me ). The starter woudl not even turn the engine over and I sat in the gas pump. I set there a few moments and decided to push truck back about 20 feet. SO i get out and check the cables to the battery. fine. check cable to starter. fine. and I say ... hmm maybe the celoniod got to hot and it is not working properly. So I sit their for 1 hour and try again. grind, grind, and then it spins. SO I say well time to go home. So I tell the attendent that I am leaving the truck there for the night til tomorrow when I could get some light on the subject. So that night after having nightmares of people messing with my truck and syphing the gas I just put in ( $10 ) @ 1.89gl. = crap for actual gallons. Fears of people stealing the truck ( how I do not know :lol ) fear of people stealing the parts from the truck. was a very long night to say the least. Next mornings comes and I have to goto work across the street from the gas station. all the while my baby sits broken down across the street. I pick some peoples brains about about possible reasons for the starter to stop working. And after people saying fly/flex wheel is screwed I was fit to jump in Oroville lake with some cement shoes on. So @ lunch break I goto check on my baby and she is fine. fiannly a time to relax. I go home and my boss calls on the cell and says " You fix your truck yet?" I said no... He said take the rest of the day off and get it running! ( swear to god that really happend) anyway. I pick my grandpa's brain abit with what is happening. He says make sure that the starter did not come loose and drop down away from the fly wheel. I am liek DOH! I should have thought of that. So I get off the phone with gramps and phone boss and tell him I am going to fix truck now to not expect me back that day. He says ok no problem. So I head over to the station and get under the and check the bolts. tight. So I take the starter out and head to old faithfull Autozone and they have a starter for me for only $45 with core.. WOOHOO! cheap to. So I pick one up and get back to the truck and get under and install it. ok cool everything is good I hook up battery - cable again and off to the drivers seat I go... CLICL! CLICK! WTF!!!!! the seloniod is working bu tthe starter is not. so I go threw and check all conntections again. nothing outta place. So I pull starter again and inspect flywheel. it is fine. No shims needed. So I install it again. goto to start CLICK! CLICK!. WTF!!! so I pull the starter again and take it back down to autozone and tell them wtf? I hook this up and it just clicks. he says " did you hook up both wires?' I said what I only have 1 wire. he says "thats your problem.. fiind the other wire and hook it up to". I say I do NOT have a second wire!. I said get the old starterd and bring it here so I can look @ it. I get it and I realize that a jumper wire is connecting the + to the - and jumping it to the selniod on the fender well. DOH! thats why I have no power. The jumper wire is not on the new starter. This guy next to me says " You have a chevy huh? I said yeah why., He say you are using a ford solinoied ont he fenderwell right.. ? I said Yeah? kinda puzzled he new all this info with out ever seening thne truck. He says ' for the last 25 yrs I have been putting ford selonoids on all my chevys. I had to stop and luagh for a sec, and the attendent helping me with the starter issue says. what? does that really work? The guy says " you got a chevy? he says yeah.. guy says.. Then then put that ford selnoid on their. So I get my jumper wire back on my starter and it takes me 1 hour this time to install the new starter. My arms are burning so quick I have to take breaks.. So I finally get 1 bolt to hold the starter up and get that some***** up in their and hook the battery cable backup and get in the truck and say "Yoiu son-of-a-*****" you better start. I give her a cracnk and.......... CLICK! CLICK! ... Just kidding. it fired rightup and dies immediatly. Old chevy take a few times to get going when not been ran in a few days. There is a guy sitting on the bench talking to me who woudl NOT for the love of god shutup. It starts and dies a few times and he says " Are you outta gas?" ahaha No butt pirate I am not outta gas. I just got done yesterday putting in $10 dollars worth I never got to use. so he shuts up finally and I tell my wife to get in the truck and drive it home because she cannot drive a clutch. so she followes me home and when we pull in the parking lot she whipped that big truck into the parking spot like a goddam pro! I won't admit when she is around but she parked better then I do..LOL anyway the trucks runs great now. and to tell one more funny fact.. the old starter from the truck was the original one..LOL!

Ok I am done.

---Borken_down?

PS. I forgot to say what was wrong with the old starter. The actual gear inside the starter was not moving foward as it shoudl have.

[lukecp]

Glad to hear you got it working

[BobbyK]

Well...there you go!

By the way...I finished 2 beers before I finished reading your post.

[Broken_down?]

By the way...I finished 2 beers before I finished reading your post

My job here is done.