I'm having trouble when I start my car. Sometimes when I get in, I turn the key and it starts up fine. Other times there is a nasty "gnashing" sound like grinding metal and the car won't start. If I flick the ignition a few times, it will then catch. I removed the starter and had it checked and by all accounts its fine. I'm already replacing the clutch, so do you think the flywheel has some ground down teeth? From what I understand the starter is pretty low torque, so I don't understand how that could happen on a car with barely 100,000 miles. It happened on my mustang, but that was an enormous starter with 160k miles. I don't want to take off a flywheel.

 

my DD did that and it was a problem with the (solenoid?) starter. Could get it checked for free at your local partsource or w/e

 

I had a similar problem with my rx, all I did was take the started off.. Remove the (Solenoid) take it apart, and clean the contacts its just a metal plate that creates the closed circuit.
Also the solenoid uses a lever to pull/push the starter gear into place that might have come off and does not push the starter gear all the way in.

 

Either the starter solenoid is getting weak, the flywheel has some teeth that are worn down or the battery cables aren't delivering a full load due to corrosion, generally the aluminum positive cable, or the cable connections need cleaned. There is an off chance that the ignition switch is going out, but that's usually the last item to check.

 

^ +1.

I'd look into your cables first since it's the easiest and cheapest.

 

Cables or solenoid. Or maybe the ever-popular battery post corrosion.

Ive seen lots of those problems, but never due to a bad ring gear (not to say it couldn't happen).

 

Do you guys think it could be as simple as a dying battery? When I went to go buy the car, when I first turned the key, the battery was dead. We jumped it and it started up fine, and then I took it home. If it isn't a mechanical problem, what exactly is happening when I turn the key? The gear is definitely engaging the flywheel, and it *sounds* like it is attempting to spin it, but there is a horrible sound and it doesn't turn the engine over. If I click the key a couple times, it then starts, which seems to indicate its pushing the flywheel a little bit each time until it really grabs. That is why I thought it was a couple worth down teeth on the flywheel.

 

If you think it might be the battery, just jump the battery from another vehicle and try starting it a number of times. If it still grinds periodically, then it is probably not the battery,

 

I never updated this thread, which is bad for those searching.

Update:

I replaced the starter with a rebuilt unit and it has worked fine for 4 years now.

 

I got one with a LIFETIME warrenty :P