'02 Intrepid Starter Grinding Flywheel

No, but I'm not sure I understand your symptoms. Are you saying it just keeps trying to start, but even though it's turning over it doesn't start. If so I wouldn't suspect the starter. My '95 Concord starts in a second or two.

The engine starts OK, but every so often, when cold starting, the starter and flywheel will make that high pitched grinding sound that you would get if you turned the key when the engine was already running. After a second or two the engine will then start. It's like the starter goes in and hits the flywheel instead of engaging it.

Anyone that I've described it to says, "Oh, the starter's hanging up", but supposedly the dealer has put in two new starters, with no luck.

Some O wrote:

As the owner of two LH cars and participant in two LH-specific forums, I'd say it certainly isn't a common problem.

Which engine do you have?

You might post on the

forums - also try a search there on some good key words like 'starter' and/or 'flywheel'.

Bill Putney (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')

Was the work performed under a warranty/service contract? If not, you have the right to request the old part. (Although if the shop isn't honorable, who knows what old part you might receive). This could help you determine what is/isn't replaced.

I haven't heard of those symptoms. Perhaps there is something wrong with the Bendix not releasing properly? Does it sound like the engine tries to start, but doesn't start completely right away while the Bendix is still engaged? (apologies to Honeywell or Knorr-Bremse or whoever holds the Bendix trademark these days)

Which engine does your car have?

I understand that the 2nd gen LH cars (at least the 1999 model year, and I assume all model years) are designed not to allow one to engage the starter by turning the key after the engine has started. I've never tested this feature, but I recall reading about it in the owner's manual or the video that came with the car, and assume it is software in the PCM.

The engine is a 2.7. This morning it cranked a second or two, made the "starter grinding the flywheel" sound, then started after another second or two. I never let up on the key so the starter was turning the whole time. Does it sound like maybe there's teeth missing from the ring gear?

I bought it used from the dealer and bought a service plan at the same time. The dealer claims to have put in two new starters under the service plan. Do you think they are putting me off with this starter story so they don't have to go to the expense of putting in a new ring gear? Trusting car dealers isn't my long suit. Thanks, Mike

Greg Houst>

I'm not sure what is causing the problem by your description. It sounds like the dealer isn't diagnosing it either. The service contract is presumably to fix the problem not to replace parts, so I would just tell them that the problem still exists exactly as before and it is up to them to diagnose/fix it. Its best to do this now rather than later. Is the service contract issued by Daimler Chrysler, the dealer itself, or a third party ? If it is by D-C you could try using another dealer.

If it is indeed stripped gear, I would expect something to happen every time the starter gear touched the bad flywheel gear section. Perhaps something is causing the starter gear to retract or interrupts power temporarily to the starter during cranking?

Hi...

Just another thought... wonder if it's possible that the starter isn't installed correctly? If, for example, one or both of the bolts were loose and had backed out a little, the starter wouldn't be squarely lined up and the gears wouldn't mesh nicely?

Worse thought; what if one or both of the mounting holes was stripped?

Just a thought.

Take care.

Ken

Not only that, it is almost impossible on ANY Chrysler product, because the transmission housing and starter case are machined to set the pinion depth, unlike Ch*vrolet starters that have to be shimmed to work right.

I wonder if you have a damaged ring gear, or perhaps its the starter's own overrunning clutch that is "chattering" under load, inwhich case the dealer just fibbed about replacing the starter.

If that were the case, I'd expect it to make a racket EVERY time that spot on the gear went past the starter. It would also be really easy to spot ring gear damage by getting it to "grind," letting go the key, and then removing the starter and inspecting the gear through the starter mounting hole.

I now suspect the starter drive clutch is not holding solidly when its overstressed, and the "grinding" is actually the overruuning clutch chattering. The fact that it grabs and goes after a second or so would tend to agree with that, but if that's whats going on it will eventually tear itself up enough that it won't turn the engine at all.

As you have seen here your problem is puzzling and one needs to be there to diagnosis it. It doesn't matter what the dealer says he has done if the problem isn't fixed. I suggest you get another opinion locally. Another garage or at an auto club.

The service plan is from Daimler Chrysler so I could take it to another dealer. Do you know if their plan will cover repairs made at a non Chrysler repair shop?

who wrote:

The noise may not be what you think. We had it in a 99 300M. The car had auto climate control. The noise occured sometimes when the are had been in recirulate air mode when turned off and back on.

Let us know. Might be a good thing that it broke for good since it should be a lot easier to diagnose.

Bob

The contract will spell out the details. If it allows you to use non DC dealers, it probably requires pre approval from DC itself. This is probably only granted if you break down far away from a DC dealer or there is some other problem. Again, check the contract.

Hopefully they'll be able to fix it now. Please write back what happens!

Very good, you now will get a real fix. we'll all be interested if they found any gears on the flywheel.

I just got it back from the dealer and the mechanic says it was the solenoid wire that wasn't sending enough juice. He says that the reason it started OK on warm mornings but not cold ones was that the engine cranked a little bit longer when cold. He thinks the starter was cutting out and then back in while the flywheel was turning. I've started it maybe 15 -20 times so far with no trouble. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Thanks to everyone for your help. Mike

who wrote: