What happens when I turn the ignition when the engine is already on???

Question

I have a 97 Honda Civic manual transmission and I stalled at a stop light......I turned the key to start the car (engine is now on) and I didn't realize that the engine was on, so I attempted to start the car about another 5 times....I heard an unpleasant grinding sound each time...finally some kids helped me push the car out of the middle of the road....I felt like a complete idiot......anyways, How bad is this for the engine/car and what kind of damage does it do??

Answer 1

It spins the starter gear against the flywheel. Since their speeds don't match it causes wear and tear on the gears. It shouldn't matter if it only happend on that one incident.

Answer 2

If you stalled from stopping, that can happen, especially when the engine is cold, it just can't keep things flowing smooth enough yet. If you stalled trying to go from a stop, that happens. The sound was, as others described, the starter and flywheel grinding because they couldn't mesh, because the flywheel was spinning, and the starter is designed to spin a stopped flywheel. This will not cause too much damage if done infrequently, which means don't do it on purpose. If you hear it, now you know the car is running, so stop trying. If the car isn't driving anymore (starts, but won't give power to the wheels) my guess is the clutch.

Answer 3

It's bad. Don't do it anymore. There shouldn't any problems just from that but again, don't do it anymore. What happens is: turning the key engages a solonoid that actuates the starter. The starter extends a cog that fits into a flywheel. Normally, the flywheel isn't moving and the starter cog can intermesh with with the flywheel teeth and set the engine in motion. But when the flywheel is moving (the car is running) the cog and flywheel can't interlock and create the grinding noise.

Answer 4

If the engine was already running and you turn the key that will cause the starter to try to engage with the fly wheel and since it is already running and the fly wheel is turning it will make a loud grinding noise! If you keep doing it it will either ruin your starter of flywheel if not both! If it was already running-how did it stall? Did you put it in gear but it wouldn't move? Clutch or tranny must be out.

Answer 5

You are causing the starter gear to try to engage and turn the flywheel gear (that is how it cranks your engine) doing this causes a really loud grating noise.

You are effectively shortening the life of you starter motor and depending on how good it was in the first place may have to replace it sometime down the road.

Good Luck

Answer 6

You'll Mess Up The Starter, If You Do It Often But Other Than That You'll Just Hear A Buzzing Sound.

Answer 7

it is not as bad as it sounds, the started gear is trying to mesh with the ring gear on the flywheel, but just pretty much bounces back repetatively. over a period of time or done many times this can cause both starter and flywheel damage. just very laborious to replace the flywheel, the starter is pretty simple.

Answer 8

The teeth or your starter are grinding against the fly wheel .. it could eventually cause you a problem if you keep doing it .. turn your music down a bit and you will hear if your car is running lol

Answer 9

Your grinding your starter. your starter is worn and if it wont turn over (engine vroom to life) then your starter is out and you need to replace it.
That is where the nerve jerking horrible sound is coming from.

Answer 10

be careful i did this on my ford ranger not only did i have to replace the starter and the flywheel but i had to take it to a machine shop to have the remains of the old starter removed where it broke away!