Loud grinding noise and car won't start!!

So I Went out to my truck today and when I turned the key there was just a loud sudden grind and then nothing else happened but all the electronics turn on??? Tried again and the grinding got louder but it started up and I can drive it. What could be causing this? And would it be safe to drive still??

 

Are you in a cold climate? Could be priliminary symptoms of a bad battery exacerbated by a cold night or not being ran for a couple days.

 

Starter, happened to mine, the solenoid probably wore out. That grinding is just the starter spinning against the flexplate

 

it's safe to drive. just not safe to start. the ring gear of your flywheel/flexplate may be chewed up or the gear on your starter is chewed up or the gear isn't engaging far enough and is causing more chewing up.

remove the starter and start inspecting everything involved. and take pics!

 

Thanks for the info, will do!!

 

Not really cold climate but I havent moved the car in a good while

 

If it's a metal on metal grinding then the above post about the starter may be accurate. Testing a battery is free most places so I'd give that a shot first though.

 

Clicking would be the usual symptom of bad battery. Grinding, id start by looking at the starter. Is not engaging properly. Teeth may be worn, shaft may be hung up. A couple whacks with a heavy mallet may free it up but there is likely work to be done in the future.

 

NOTE: He said "MALLET". Do not use a hammer! That can easily damage the magnets inside and really screw up your starter.

 

Haven't had time to take out the starter to check it out but I did hit it with a mallet this morning before heading to school to see if it worked and it actually started up pretty fine on the first try. So I'm pretty sure the starter needs to be replaced right???

 

Sounds like the starter is on it's last legs...gears...whatever...don't let it go too long, or it can chew up the flywheel, and that can be a REAL pain to deal with!

 

Yep, should have emphasized that. A mallet has a big striking surface and heavy mass. A dead blow plastic mallet does wonders. A hammer doesn't, wrong tool for this job.

 

Hard to say but I'd guess its on the horizon. The starter has a moving shaft, when you turn the key it extends and actually engages the starter and the flywheel/ringgear. When you stop turning the key it retracts so your starter isn't getting spun the entire time the engine is running. If the shaft gums up it won't extend all the way and the teeth won't mesh, grind grind grind. If the starter is getting weak it won't extend properly etc. Smacking it often frees things up, at least temporarily.

So it might be a 1 time thing, it might start recurring.

However it doesn't take long to damage the teeth on the wheel or the starter by grinding them. At the least I'd pull the starter to inspect both, clean and lube as needed. It might not fix a thing, might buy you some extra time, might not ever be an issue again.

 

if its manual transmission you could probably push start it