metal grind sound when starting :(

[Berg]

It happened today when the wife was starting the truck right in front of me.Id say this is the 3rd time i have heard it in 2,000 miles we have had the truck for.the odometer currently has 87,000 miles on it.What is the cause and cure for this metal grind sound when starting.

We have a 2004 4.6 liter

Thanks

 

[will_higgins]

I guess would be the starter. Maybe the teeth on the starter are getting wore out and not catching the flywheel right. IMO

 

[GAINMOB]

yulp...my guess as well....defenitely starter issue

 

[JTKustoms]

my 98 does that exact same thing every once in a while, my guess has always been that maybe a tooth on the starter or something is missing and every so often it lines up to that missing tooth and just spins....i always just let off right away and it starts normal after

 

[GAINMOB]

i'd replace it...just getting worse as time goes on...

 

[WHOISMOOTOO]

mine does the same! Like once every 2 months, I do believe its the starter missing teeth

Sent from my HTC EVO-3D using Tapatalk

 

[Berg]

is the starter hard to change? Side not it doesn't happt frequently.I have driving the truck to and from work for a whole week making small trips around base.probably about 6-10 stat ups a day for a week and didn't hear it once.but the wife started it up yesterday and it did it.
i read something about bad grounding also and parts not getting proper power.so i cleaned the batt terminals off real good and it shortened the start up by i little bit and it is lil smoother.I wonder if it will do it again.i had major rust and build up on terminals

 

[jacks3am]

is the starter hard to change? Side not it doesn't happt frequently.I have driving the truck to and from work for a whole week making small trips around base.probably about 6-10 stat ups a day for a week and didn't hear it once.but the wife started it up yesterday and it did it.
i read something about bad grounding also and parts not getting proper power.so i cleaned the batt terminals off real good and it shortened the start up by i little bit and it is lil smoother.I wonder if it will do it again.i had major rust and build up on terminals

Im not going to lie, just go somewhere and get it done...its hard to get to at least it was on mine!

 

[GAINMOB]

i've never swap'd a starter before...shouldnt be too hard...since you said base...military...2nd gens are located on the passenger side about mid way back...go to hobby shop and put on lift...there are cables on the starter that could be loose...if i remember correctly when i looked at it last month there are 3 cable connections...one to the battery and you can trace it...

 

[Rod240sx]

I've run into the same problem with my 06 Limited. I know exactly the grinding sound - the sound it makes is similar to the sound of you trying to turn the car on when the engine is already running... really loud, metal grinding sound.

My good friend is a mechanic and he mentioned it could be the starter or flywheel or both.

He said that the tooth or teeth on either the starter or flywheel could be worn out and on occasion, when I shut down the engine, I could be stopping/landing on that exact worn spot. They are few and far between, but it has happened to me too.

Haven't done anything to it yet; however, I should get at least the starter replaced just in case it is the culprit before it does any further damage

 

[sgtowing]

It happened today when the wife was starting the truck right in front of me.Id say this is the 3rd time i have heard it in 2,000 miles we have had the truck for.the odometer currently has 87,000 miles on it.What is the cause and cure for this metal grind sound when starting.

We have a 2004 4.6 liter

Thanks

I know this is not what you want to hear, buy it is probably a missing tooth on the flywheel. That is why you only hear it every so often. If it was on the starter, you would hear it all the time. The starter spins some 20-30 times for each time on the flywheel. When you got to start the vehicle the starter spins a bunch but the flywheel only spins once or twice. However, you don't know where the flywheel is going to end up when you shut off the engine. Totally random. That's why it happens occasionally. When that one tooth on the flywheel just happens to end up at the starter, it happens.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[Aerotrain106]

Wife concerned!!!!

I have this same problem with my 05 Eddie Bauer Expedition 4x4. I have changed the starter and the issue has not gone away. When I changed the starter, I did notice some worn teeth. HOWEVER, when I start the truck, and this happens, and I just turn the key from ON to START, it continues to happen, but if I turn it to OFF then to START again, it rarely happens again. Leads me to believe that this is an electrical problem and not the flywheel issue. What electrical things should I check? Any other guidance would be greatly appreciated.

 

[GAINMOB]

Flywheel

Sent from my BlackBerry 9810 using Tapatalk

 

[rpmiller]

Same issue

I have a 2005 Expedition that I just purchased used. It does the same thing - starter spins but does not engage occasionally - maybe once a day for me, though. I replaced the starter and it still happens. I was thinking it was the flywheel but if there was a missing or worn tooth that occasionally lined up (or several), why would it engage the next time I try? The flywheel hasn't turned. Sometimes it'll miss 3 or 4 times and then catch and start. It makes me think that it's an electrical issue as well. Any ideas?

Ryan

 

[Russtang]

Starter solenoid flaky? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8UVUOIAcXQ

 

[Entity]

I had this problem on other cars in winter but not on my expedition so far.There is grease inside the starter motor which dry out on the gears which engage after couple of years.you have 2 options open up the motor and dab some grease and the metal on metal sound is gone.or get a new starter motor.