Possible that my grinding it coming from Starter?

[Tradman2018]

I had a Ford tech and Shop foreman come by and perform a PCM update yesterday. When they finished, I asked them about the noise on my 2018 Expedition. They agreed that some of the noise was from the Cam Phaser issue. I asked if the intermittent griding noise was my timing chain bumping around in there and they both agreed that they thought (upon a re-start) that my starter's Bendix is hanging up. I asked if it could do that on a cold or temperate morning even up to a mile away from home. Their answer was that if the starter is beginning to fail that the mechanism designed to keep it retracted after starting might release it for just a quick moment or two.

Does this jive? This whole time I've assumed it was timing chain. Had two mechanically experienced neighbors listen and they agree with the Ford techs, although the Ford techs said that they would welcome a diagnostic back at the shop.

Thoughts?

 

[AWAR]

If the starter is failing to release, have it replaced before you have more expensive repairs due to it destroying the flexplate. It may buy more time before the timing chain repairs.

 

[Tradman2018]

I'm working on it at the moment. It's only for a second or at most a few, but nonetheless, working to replace it.

 

[Tradman2018]

Just a quick follow up. I ordered a starter from O'Reilly but it occurred to me yesterday that this sound worsens under acceleration for a bit. I suspect now that it's actually either the catalytic converter, a loose bracket, or possibly even the skid plate (which I just found out it's vibrating some too).

 

[Tradman2018]

Okay, I wanted to bring a CLOSE to this question and answer my question so that others here can be saved some grief.

Quick Answer: YES! My grinding noise was an OEM starter that was failing to retract completely after starting.

Detailed Answer: The grinding was strange, in that it sounded like a bicycle chain rattling against the chain guard when your chain was loose. I know that I have a Cam Phaser issue and was worried sick and nearly to death that it was my timing chain because as the engine warmed, it *usually* went away, but sometimes it would make the dreadful sound for up to a mile or more away from home if it had not been driven in several hours.

My very competent and well-equipped mechanic neighbor and I changed the starter from the OEM to an OReilly Ultima re-man. This was critical (to me, a non-mechanic) for being convinced of the severity of the problem originating at the starter. Essentially, the old starter's shaft was hanging up when you pulled it out with a hook. The re-man snapped back as it should and I wonder how the original starter lasted as long as it had. The grace of God is all I can say.

Removing and replacing was not bad at all, but a slight difference in the way the wires connected caused what we would later determine to be a ground/short that actually blew the 30 amp fuse for the starter. BTW, this caused all sorts of issues for the software on the vehicle, but thankfully I had read a post somewhere only (perhaps on this one) that said to check the 30 amp starter fuse and that got us sorted once we realized that a small tab on a wire was making contact where it was not supposed to.

All said, this job would have taken an hour if not for us failing to realize that the wire was making wrong contact.

The main thing that I'd say is this:

I would have NEVER suspected that a starter would be grinding for well over a mile due to failure to retract (understand, it wasn't "starting" for that time, just rubbing against the flywheel). Someway, somehow, there was no noticeable where on the flywheel nor the OEM starter. Wonder of wonders, and many blessings.

Eric