ch0baca

Happens when i try to start the car. I have stick and I feel it has something to do with the clutch. But I am able to start the car after this happens. It sounds very nasty.

You might need to raise the volume a lot to hear it well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG_9U_0kPDw

PowerUser

Sounds like the starter gear isn't quite reaching the flywheel to spin it to start the car. Thus the grinding noise.

Starter might be the problem. does it happen every time you start the car? or maybe once a week?

ch0baca

it's very periodic. Sometimes it won't happen for days or weeks. And then sometimes it happens everytime i try to start it. It's very weird. It seems to be affected by how I drive my car / how cleanly I use my clutch (such as perfect rev matches, no stalling, etc.) and maybe the temperature as well. But i feel like my clutch was installed not well and solidly. bc it wasn't from a honda dealership. my clutch feels Loose, not solid. sometimes the car starts fine, then i can shut it off and try to start it again and it would grind.

MSchu

dude... dont keep trying to get it to start if you have that issue... you have a problem with either your starter or flywheel, and you are making the situation worse(although either or need to be replaced anyway).

If you need to get around that when it happens, you can put the car in first gear and try rocking it until a new portion of the flywheel is exposed to the starter(if its missing teeth on the flywheel)

PowerUser

Sounds like a few teeth have come off the flywheel. either way you're going to need to take it to a shop. Likely cause at this point sounds more like the flywheel.

KWayRacing

Or starter is loose and kicked to one side. ANd finally rests in place. This would also make sense as to the periodic occurence. If the flywheel were "missing" teeth the car would never start in that spot until the car was moved with it in gear to find a good spot on the flywheel. I have never seen a starter cause this type of problem on a Honda( not plunge far enough... GMs a different story...damn starter shims) THe starter is not easily accessed on the K24, but an inspection mirror, a good light source and a patient eye could easily spot gross installation errors of the starter( missing bolt, loose bolt) from there I would remove the dust shield turn the engine by hand (KEYOFF) and inspect the flywheel and ring gear. A small pry bar would make sure the flywheel is tight to the crank which I think would already have caused catastrophic damage. As soemone already stated continuing to drive like this could cause a real problem so have it looked at by yourself or someone who has experience in the brand, esp with K series equipped vehicle servicing and repair. Good luck.

ch0baca

um....i don't have a k series motor...LOL...j30 woot!!!!!!!!!

but damn good explanation, i think maybe it's the thing with the starter being kicked to one side by like one of the clutch components. bc today i started the car 4 times and everytime it worked perfectly. i don't know when the problem will come back.

jett1

[QUOTE i don't know when the problem will come back.[/QUOTE]

It does sound like a few teeth are broken off the ring gear. KWayRacing sound very knowledgeable.
A little less exact way of doing this is get the car moving in neutral (very little, like less than 1mph) then let out the clutch this will rotate the engine. Retry to start the car if it starts w/out issue then it is possibly to be hte ring gear. I haven't done a starter on a Honda in many years but I haven't seen one to have any room for adjustments except the old Chevy's / Ford's. It may be worth the time to get it on jack stands to inspect for broken/loose bolts. If nothing broken/loose and you can live with it at the next clutch replacement would be a very good time to replace the ring gear. A broken tooth will be very sporadic if it is only 1 or 2 teeth, it is up to chance when that spot on the flywheel will be in position for the next start..

I would also suggest when trying to rotate the engine to not have the key in the ignition to keep the car from having any chance to start... Good luck

92lxsleeper

the starter bendix might need to be greased

hatchet_honda

the starter sounds as if its slipping on the flywheel....missing teeth...

BoM

If its an intermittent problem with starting. Then, its usually is a bad starter. Usually the starters clutch can't push the the gear completely flush to the flywheel so I kind of grinds with it. Dont' let it go too much or you can ruin your flywheel.

Sometimes the starter just dies from all the heat from the engine and it just gets old. When it completely dies, you will need to rolling start the car and pop the clutch. Then that will definitely confirm its the starter. haha.

Happen to 2 of my cars. A GSR integra and GSR Evo 8. I had to call my boy up with his jeep. Tie rope to the tow hook leave my car in 2nd gear clutch in. Then he drags me until I got to 20mph and I let go of the clutch. I left it on, and drove it home. While I sourced a new starter. And bingo it started like a champ once again.

KWayRacing

Well J30 makes it even easier to inspect for problems. Even if the problem is not at that time, a thorough inspection could rule out many things. Pay particular attention to the mating surfaces of the starter and trans housing. THe starter plunger failing to engage the flywheel completely is a possibility but I have never seen that on a honda either. Typical honda starter failure is the proverbial Tick and thats it. No dragging, no nothing just a metallic click when the ign. switch is in the start position. inspect and report

hatchet_honda

GSR EVO 8 WHAAA?