2001 Volvo Penta 4.3 GI starter grinding

[Jthao]

Hello everyone,

I don’t have the engine sn# because the plate is all fading.
I need help figure out why my stater just grinding when I turn on the ignition key. A couple of weeks ago my old starter started to grind and not starting so I think the starter is bad and order a new starter in, install it and engine fire right up. Yesterday i start the engine again and fire right up but today I try and the new starter just grind and grind. My old starter is not the OEM one too. Hopefully someone can help me out.

 

[Augoose]

Sounds are subjective, but does it sound like metal on metal grinding or could it sound like an electrical buzzing? What is the condition of your battery? A weak battery, poor wiring, and dirty or corroded battery terminals could prevent the required current from reaching the starter, resulting in the starter relay not having enough energy to start the engine.
Loose motor mounts or an improperly aligned shims (or missing shims) can cause a misalignment where the pinion gear teeth grind against the flywheel teeth.

 

[roffey]

I had a similar sound and it turned out to be the key was not coming back to the run position after starting, stuck in the start position. Could this be your problem?

 

[Jthao]

Hello Augoose,

It sound like metal to metal grinding. Battery is fully charged. I check and clean all the wires and they look good. My old starter don't have shims so I try it with shims and without shims but it still sound the same thing. I try to start it today again and it sound like the starter just spinning only but try a couple more time and it's starting to grinding again. I hope someone have the same issue and fixed it so they can help me out. This is a brand new starter I just install last week and it work just starting to do that this week.

 

[Jthao]

Hello Roffey,

thanks for the info but look like mine is not the key problem

 

[roffey]

lol, shot in the dark..

 

[Jthao]

Here is a video I try to start my engine

 

[Jthao]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Mfuk_D_wFLY

 

[roffey]

private video...

 

[Jthao]

Hello Roffey,

sorry try this one.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=12v15-Y_-rY

 

[Lowlysubaruguy]

Grab ahold of the starter can you move it as in are the bolts tight?
If its tight pull it out and test it out of the boat. See if the bendex is slipping which is what it looks like.

 

[Jthao]

Hello Lowlysubaruguy,

the starter is not moving and the bolts are tight.
here is a video I just test it.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SWL-EsmosbE

 

[roffey]

I watched both videos, keep in mind I'm not a mechanic but some here are. It sure sounds like the starter but please don't take my word for it. Wait for someone who actually know what they are talking about.

 

[Jthao]

Thanks roffey! I hope someone will get me some info

 

[jgrote]

Okay, so here are a few options. Make sure your new and old starter have the same # of teeth. There are 2 flywheels that could be on that motor (168 tooth and 182 tooth IIRC), and I'm not sure if that could change the starter setup. Second, assume you are not shimming it correctly. This is my guess from the noise in the first video. If it's shimmed properly, the engagement of the starter gear to the flex plate should be easy and smooth. Are you able to get a hand in there and manually pull the gear out to test it? (That's how we do it on cars.) ********** Battery completely disconnected when trying this.*********** Lastly is not the answer you want, but possibly the one it will end up being. The teeth on your flex plate are messed up. That requires at least sliding the engine forward to replace.

 

[Jthao]

Hello jgrote,

yes both of my new and old starter have the same # of teeth. I don't know how many tooth are in my flywheel. When I first install the new starter it start right up with no problem and I try it for three day and still start right up but just last week that it start grinding. My old starter doesn't have shims on it so the new one I try it will shim and still grinding. No I can't get to the gear unless I put the engine out of the boat. I look at every single teeth on the flywheel while rotate the engine and all teeth look good with not broken or damaged. I return my starter and order a new and more expensive so will see if it will work.

thanks,
Jim

 

[jgrote]

Well, that's good news. If the teeth look good, and the starter looks like the old one, then shims are your best bet. Shims are specific to each starter, so just because the last one didn't have any doesn't mean the next one won't need some.

 

[Jthao]

Thank you jgrote!

 

[roffey]

did you figure out your issue?

 

[Jthao]

Hello roffey, not yet but my new starter will be here today so I will update after I install it.