My starter for 2001 Chevy Impala?

Question

Just recently and it has gotten worse when I go to start my car it makes a loud schreeching noise, not a clicking that you normall would get from a starter. It takes several times of turning it over and just the right touch to get it started. Sometimes it helps if I slowly hit the gas pedal as I'm starting it but I'm worried one day it wont start and the noise is so embrassing when I try to start my car! What is wrong?? Starter? fuel filter? I'm not exactly car savvy! Is it going to be expensive?? Please help!! I have called around for prices of having a new starter installed and everyone says 350 bucks! Is there a cheaper way? No one seems to have rebuilt ones in my town. Could I install it? Where can I get directions?

Answer 1

I own a shop, and can tell you this; When the starter engages into the flywheel to turn the engine over sometimes it doesn't go into the flywheel as it should and just spins, thus making the noise you describe. A part in the starter called the Bendix is going bad, and must be replaced. A Bendix is much cheaper than the whole starter. Call a shop and get a price on replacing it. If it has been doing this for a while it is possible the flywheel/flex-plate has bad teeth on it, and will have to be replaced. If this is the case; it will involve removing the transmission to do the repair. This can cost a lot of money. The sooner you have it repaired the better, because if you continue to let it go, and keep grinding on it, you are just damaging the flywheel that much more. Either the Solenoid, or the Bendix is bad in the starter. Have it fixed right away or $350 will look like play money when it comes to the price of replacing the flex-plate/flywheel.
Although $350 for replacing the starter does to me seem a lot. Call a few parts stores, and see what the cost of a new one is. You can always pick up a used one from a junkyard. The labor for changing the starter shouldn't be over about $80 and a new starter shouldn't be over $100, so I don't get the price, but it depends on where you live too.
Glad to help out, Good Luck!!!

Answer 2

As don has said it does sound like a pulley. You won't be able to turn all the pulley's by hand. But the A.C., Tension pulley, and the power steering pulley you should be able to. One of these is likely to be the problem. With a squeall it's likely the tension pulley but this shouldn't drag down your starter. Take a good look at the belt and if this is going on for a while you may see rubber from the belt built up around the bad pulley. This is where the belt is rubbing.

Answer 3

What i might do first is verify your battery cables, the cables on your starter, etc. make optimistic they are all tight. in case you are able to twist them or circulate them they are too unfastened. additionally verify for corrosion, intense enhance would reason the electricity to no longer have the skill to habit properly sufficient to coach the starter. additionally purely a edge be conscious, once you stick the biggest in and you would be able to't turn it, try shifting your guidance wheel returned and forth in case you're putting only slightly of rigidity on it, they have locks on them, and if there's a rigidity on the guidance wheel you will no longer have the skill to coach the biggest, and this turns into further and extra straightforward each 3 hundred and sixty 5 days a automobile gets older. If all your cables are tight and sparkling, and your battery is charged however the difficulty persists the final element to do might only be to take it to somebody else to look at. wish this facilitates- Peyton

Answer 4

It could be the starter but it sounds more like there is a pully starting to seize up. If this is the case it will put a strain on the starter and make the belt squeel.
Remove the belt and spin all the pullys. If one spins hard( in other words hard to turn ) there is the culpret.