Strange Starter Noise?

[OL' WHITEY]

Well, I'm afraid my starter's about to go south on me. It's acting up. Here's what it does: I turn the key. The car cranks and for just a second after it fires, I can hear a screechy /grindy / buzzy noise coming from the starter/ bellhousing area. It goes right away though after the car is running. It seems to be worse when it's cold. It sounds like a bad bearing in the starter or something. I can feel a slight vibration in the gear shift when it happens. I sure as hell hope it's not my T5's main shaft bearings!
Have you ever spun an old worn out kid's wagon wheel on it's axle? You know how most of the time it spins free and really fast, but if you spin it just right, the play makes it wobble, slowing down the revolutions and making a buzzing noise? Well, that's what this sound reminds me of. Any ideas? It is the original starter and I'm sure it's seen better days. Help me before this thing takes a dump on me!!

 

[04sleeper]

Sounds like your Bendix is getting hung up or the return spring for it is getting weak. It sounds like it is time for either a rebuild kit or new starter.

Now would be a good time to upgrade to a Mini-Starter.

 

[OL' WHITEY]

I've thought about that. They're kind of pricey. This is my daily driver, so reliability is paramount. Are the mini starters reliable? Where's the best place to shop for one? Is it possible to just fix what I've got? It does work, but I'm scared that it will quit when I need it the most.

 

[04sleeper]

I've thought about that. They're kind of pricey. This is my daily driver, so reliability is paramount. Are the mini starters reliable? Where's the best place to shop for one? Is it possible to just fix what I've got? It does work, but I'm scared that it will quit when I need it the most.

A "Mini-Starter" is a term refering to the newer style SN-95 starters. You can just buy a replacement starter for a 94 or newer Mustang and it is the smaller starter. You just have to change the hot starter wire on your solenoid to the powered side and run a 10 gauge wire to the starter from the solenoid.

 

[HISSIN50]

agreed with 89Sleeper. places like PA (IIRC) sell nice mini starters (might be more reliable and tractable than a parts store starter). as said, they have an integrated starter solenoid, so a tiny bit of rewiring is required.

89, do you run one? did you retain the stock fender mounted solenoid and use it as a trigger (your new 10 AWG wire coming off the lug that the starter cable used to be on) or simply connect the new 10 gauge wire to the slide-on stock solenoid wire (trigger) - in essense lenthening the trigger wire?

i have wondered if energizing two solenoids would overwhelm the stock starter trigger wiring?

 

[OL' WHITEY]

Thanks for the info., guys. I have a '74 Triumph TR6, and I'm into british cars as well as mustangs (call me crazy!), so when I heard, "mini starter", I immediately thought of the small, lightweight hi-torque starters that are often used as upgrades for the huge LUCAS starters on many old british cars. I'll check into getting an sn95 unit and rewire it for my application.

 

[04sleeper]

89, do you run one? did you retain the stock fender mounted solenoid and use it as a trigger (your new 10 AWG wire coming off the lug that the starter cable used to be on)

I have not done it yet to my car but I have done it to friends cars and I did it the way you describe. When I start my engine rebuild then I will upgrade it.

I just moved the starter cable over to the powered side of the solenoid and ran a new 10 gauge wire from where the starter cable used to go to the trigger on the starter.

 

[HISSIN50]

I have not done it yet to my car but I have done it to friends cars and I did it the way you describe. When I start my engine rebuild then I will upgrade it.

I just moved the starter cable over to the powered side of the solenoid and ran a new 10 gauge wire from where the starter cable used to go to the trigger on the starter.

thanks for the info bud. i was concerned with overloading the trigger circuit (with it having to power two solenoid coil ciruits). cool. thanks.