"new" engine doesn't start right?

Had a 1995 Mits. Galant 5-speed with 133K miles on it. A 2-year-old balancer belt slipped somehow, got underneath the timing belt, and the interference engine was trashed (valves bent, pistons damaged). A local garage with a good reputation found a used engine with 66K miles on it. They installed the used engine, new belts, new ignition system, rebuilt the clutch, replaced the power steering pump (had been having intermittent problems with it), "turned" the flywheel, and installed a new timing belt tensioner.

It was delayed for 24 hours coming out of the shop because it refused to start a couple of times, while still at the shop. I just got it out of the shop, and it sounds like hell when I start it. It starts, but it almost sounds like something is loose. The starter (?) makes a high whining noise that I've never heard before. Right after the engine starts, there is a momentary rattle sound, almost sounds like a loose exhaust heat shield.

I'm the original owner, the ONLY driver, it has been extremely well maintained. It always started, first try. For me, anyway. With the replacement engine, it seems to have trouble starting? The engine seems to run well enough AFTER it starts.

Any ideas on what the mechanics messed up on? Something they forgot to check?

Reply to
Eric B.
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Sounds to me like the only thing 'good' about the garage is how they are at taking your money.....

Sorry man, but......

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail >
Reply to
Mike Romain

So sarcasm aside, it sounds like they have no clue how to set a timing or balance belt on that engine.

Hard start, odd sound in starter and rattle all could point to timing.

Mike

Mike Roma>

Reply to
Mike Romain

Well I just drove it again, and it ran extremely well. Still has a high whining noise when starting, though. The way the car is geared, ~3500RPM is a normal cruising speed for that engine. I took it up over 5 grand a couple of times on hard acceleration (5-speed). It feels and sounds good while running, has plenty of power. Seems to be pulling like it should. It's just the start that sounds terrible. Last time I started it, I didn't hear a rattle, but it still made a high whining noise. Could it be that the timing is off? I would think that the engine wouldn't run very well if the timing was off. But I'm not a mechanic.

Reply to
Eric B.

Eric, it sounds almost as though the starter isn't properly installed. Even if there are no shims/adjustments on this particular model, it can still be boogered by a diligent idiot.

Could even be the ring gear coming loose on the flywheel (happens on automatics and manuals, but is a rare event), or just a bad starter.

Dave

Reply to
spamTHISbrp

I doubt if it's a bad starter. The starter never gave me even a hint of a problem before the engine was replaced. If it is a bad starter, that would be one helluva coincidence that it happened to go bad at the exact instant that the engine was replaced. I'm pretty sure the starter on this thing does have shims. After what you just told me, I'm starting to lean toward starter not properly installed. I assume the starter would have had to be pulled to replace the engine, right? Based on what I've observed and what you just wrote, I'm betting the starter wasn't reinstalled correctly.

A side question . . . the shop turned the flywheel. I'm vaguely familiar with the purpose of the flywheel, and wasn't aware that it could or should be turned. But seeing as the flywheel was turned, could that have affected the starting of the engine, somehow? And whether it does or not, why would the flywheel need to be turned?

Reply to
Eric B.

Not familiar with your particular car, but, if the starter motor gear doesn't disengage from the flywheel immediately after the engine start, that could be what you're hearing...the starter motor being over-revved by the flywheel until it disengages. Think starter solenoid ass'y.

Lg

Reply to
Lawrence Glickman

I have NO idea if a Mitsu is like this, but on a Chevy I would suspect that the starter needs to be adjusted to mesh properly with the flywheel. If there were shims in there and one got lost in the engine swap, that could cause the starter pinion to mesh too far into the teeth on the flywheel...

nate

Reply to
N8N

I thought of that, also. The wierd thing is, the high whining noise seems to be before the engine actually fires. It's kind of like this, in chronological order . . .

Clutch pedal to firewall, turn key, high whining noise for about 1/3rd to

1/2 second (total guess, but probably less than a second), engine fires (sometimes rattles right at this point), engine idles fast at first (but probably normal, it's fricking COLD out there), put car in gear, start driving, engine feels and sounds great while driving.

The engine is a little "tighter" than I'm used to in that car, but that could just be the cold weather. If it wasn't making such a sick whining noise while starting, I'd be inclined to call it GOOD. They did a fantastic job with the clutch, it feels better than it did when it was NEW. Of course, the clutch freeplay was adjusted, so I've got to learn to drive it again. Damn near stalled it the first time I went to move it. Then felt stupid. (DUH, new clutch!) :)

Reply to
Eric B.

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That's your starter motor alright. Something not right about it, or the way it was installed, as nate suggested.

Lg

Reply to
Lawrence Glickman

Consensus seems to be starter wasn't reinstalled right. I took it back to the shop that did the engine. They said they are going to look at the starter shims. Let's hope they find the problem and correct it quick. Going on 2 weeks without my car. That really sucks.

Reply to
Eric B.

I wouldn't argue with a starter in wrong. The side load from a missing shim could be the whine and the rattle could be the flywheel kicking the gear loose.

I for one would like to hear the outcome.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view! Jan/06
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Reply to
Mike Romain

Turning the flywheel refers to smoothing down and rough-ing up the surface the clutch engages against. This is probably why your clutch feels so good!

The starter engages against a ring gear set on the perimeter of the flywheel, and it is possible for something to happen to this ring gear during installation/removal/turning. Not likely, but possible.

-Dave

Reply to
spamTHISbrp

Shims? Shims? Since when is this a Chevrolet? Does ANY other brand besides shove-a-lot *use* starter shims? I don't think *they* even use them on the Gen-III engines (having finally learned after 60 years).

Reply to
Steve

The result should be interesting if we ever hear from him again.

Mike

Reply to
Mike Romain

The flywheel forms part of the clutch "system" and an analogy would be to think of it as the brake rotor and the clutch disc to be like the brake pads. You replaced the brake pads, and machining the flywheel gives a proper (clean and machined) surface to work with instead of a glazed uneven surface.

Ray

Reply to
news

That makes perfect sense. The clutch does feel great. In fact, I'd say it feels BETTER than new. (I'm the original owner, I don't ever remember the clutch feeling that "tight")

Reply to
Eric B.

Well, they certainly seem to have gotten that right. The tranny is awesome. Never had any problems with it before, but it really feels much better now. Still learning how to drive it again, as the clutch pedal action is radically different, in a good way.

Reply to
Eric B.

Well they replaced a shim on the starter with a different size. Or at least that's what they told me, and I have no reason to doubt it. It is starting normally now, or that is to say, it is starting the way I remember it starting over the last 10 years I have owned it. NO high whining noise anymore.

Reply to
Eric B.

Yup, good guess. As I posted earlier, the shop installed a different sized shim, and now it is starting normally.

Reply to
Eric B.

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