Hi
I brought a Astra 1.4i automatic about six weeks ago.
Any how I noticed that every time I turned the car to the right or right hand down and accelerated I would get a metal on metal sound from the engine.
This problem got worse until I got the rattle when driving straight with or with out power. when I next started the car I got the same noise as the engine turned over until it started the noise continued in the back ground as drove home only getting worse if I turned to the right but not to the left.
Once home I parked and turned off the engine and tried to start to car again to see if the sound was still there, now the engine does not start.
I can here the engine is not turning just the sound of the starter spinning and making this metal on metal rattle/scraping/banging sound.
I removed the starter and did a test on it and it ran ok but it was very worn and the gear was running up and down the shaft freely so I replaced it. I now have a new starter and I have fitted this but the problem remains.
So when I try to start the car this it was happerns I here a click from the starter motor when the ignition is turn on then when I try to start the engine the starter motor spins with this metal rattling scraping noise but the engine does turn over or anything and this is with a new starter.
The battery is full charged.
Mike
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Sounds like ring gear on flywheel is badly damaged.Ie teeth are damaged to point starter wont engage.Only. slip on whats left of teeth.As for being directional would suggest starter was loose on mountings.Or a possible ignition switch fault causing it to engage when it should not..As a PS the starter solenoid will not be engaged untill the switch is in starter position/not before
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Steve
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One possibility is a broken flex-plate.
number_cruncher
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Hi and thanks for the replys
Can anyone explain what a flex-plate is. Also is it possible that the old starter motor gear was freely moving up and down the shaft and hitting the fly wheel when I turned to the right as on removing it the gear freely moved when I tilted it up and down but on the new one it did not.
From what I could see of the ring gear it looked in good shape no cracks, missing teeth etc.
I am going to remove the new starter motor today and try to move the fly wheel to see if the ring gear has suffered any damage. Is it possible that the ring gear may have cracked and can now freely spin round the fly wheel making the noise I heard.
When I fitted the new starter motor yesterday I did make sure it was tight to the engine body but.
Mike
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Ok I have removed the starter motor and checked the flywheel and ring gear. The flywheel is solid and I can not move it in any direction with my hands so I do no think it has broken off where it bolts on to the crank shaft as for the teeth there is no sign of chips, broken teeth or bad wear and the teeth are about half inch long.
mike
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Even if it had you would not move it by hand.Ring gear is compression fit onto flywheel.ie its heated up and dropped/pushed onto flywheel into place.I would suggest turning it using a large screwdriver between the teeth and prying against motor housing/better still turning engine over using socket on front crank pulley bit by bit.checking the ring gear as you turn..
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Steve
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As Stevo.o says, but will be easier to turn the engine over with the spark plugs removed first so you're not fighting against the compression of the cylinders as you turn it.
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Hi all
Ok I refitted the new starter motor today I did this after using a socket on the crack pully to turn the engine over and inspect the flywheel.
I could not find any teeth damaged or missing and the flywheel looked ok to me (lol like I would know) anyhow after I refitted the starter motor and I tried turn the engine over with the spark plugs removed it turn over ok no noise nothing then I refitted the plugs and tried again this time it turned the engine over two times and the noise started but so did the engine so I stopped the engine adn tried again so thing turned over twice and then noise started and the engine starts the noise stops the second you let go of the key.
What seems strange is the starter motor turned the engine over ok with out the plugs but as soon as you replace the plugs and the starter motor has to fight the compression it makes this noise.
Any ideas on this would brillant
Thanks
Mike
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