A month ago my 2009 Honda Element EX made a screeching noise when starting in 3 different locations. Then I could hear the starter gear spinning and not engaging. A friend replaced the starter and it worked for a month. Last night I went through the exact scenario of about three times of screeching and then only spinning. I know it's possible for a rebuilt Autozone starter to fail, but it was strange how it went out in the exact same way. I turned the engine around with a wrench to different locations. The starter would grind like it was trying to engage and then go back to spinning. So based on the different locations I don't think teeth are missing on the flywheel. Is there any other potential problems then the starter? I can't easily test it, you have to pull off the intake manifold to get to it.

 

Remove the inspection cover and expose the bottom of the flywheel ring gear and rotate the engine by hand ( socket on crankbolt) and carefully check the ring gear teeth

 

RESOLUTION: Thank you for your reply. I removed the plastic mud shield underneath the engine to discover that the starter is loose and backed out of the flywheel. Explains a lot of things. My friend who replaced it just got an angry, ungrateful text.

 

Unless there is problem with the threads and the bolts backed out twice. It was exactly the same scenario twice. I'll have to ask my friend if the original starter was loose when he took it off.

 

Never heard of bolts backing out unless they were not tight to begin with.

 

Or over tightened and stripped

 

I hear you. Last starter was replaced in 2014, so it held that long.

 

I'd put some very mild thread locker on those bolts so it doesn't happen again.

 

Intrested to know what you find with the bolts and threads etc.

If the starter is torqued to spec (33 ft lbs) it should stay in place . Blue thread locker helps as insurance, but unless the threads are at issue, thread locker is not required.