Can't find the starter

[bhop]

I'm not a noob when it comes to cars, but i'm feeling pretty stupid right about now. I've looked and looked, under and over and in between and I can't find the starter on my car. (95 GST) There's a weird squeaking/chirping sound when I start the car that only happens sometimes. I'm pretty sure it's not a belt. I have an extra starter I was going to install to see if it stops making the noise, but I can't find it on the engine. I have the Haynes and Chilton manuals, but they both just have close up pics of it instead of the surrounding areas..

If anyone could point me in the right direction, i'd really appreciate it.

 

[greathuskie]

remove your battery, tray, and UICP and stick your hand down by the tranny and feel around the block in that area

 

[na90dsm]

better yet go under the car and its under the intake manifold on the passenger side of the car. its way easier from under the car.

 

[dave99gst]

remove your battery, tray, and UICP and stick your hand down by the tranny and feel around the block in that area

i agree with that .

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See the big hole with the 2 holes on either side of it ? thats were the starter goes.

 

[bhop]

thanks guys.

 

[Defiant]

Don't bother with the starter, it's your harmonic balancer.

 

[bhop]

I'll check the balancer out to be sure, but after doing a search and reading up on harmonic balancer problems, i'm not 100% convinced that's what it is. It ONLY happens on startup and lasts for about a second and a half. Never any other time. Not while accelerating, running the a/c, etc. It's been doing it for months, maybe nearly a year, unfortunately having been unemployed and then only freelancing occasionally, and since it didn't seem to affect the car when it runs, I let it go. I'd think if it was the balancer, it would've died by now... but it hasn't gotten worse. It's just audibly annoying. I figure the starter only has 2 bolts holding it on, so it's not a big deal to try that first.

Defiant, I couldn't help but notice you chimed in on most squeaky noise threads claiming Harmonic Balancer. Seems like you have a personal vendetta against harmonic balancers..

 

[a_scobel]

I'm not a noob when it comes to cars, but i'm feeling pretty stupid right about now. I've looked and looked, under and over and in between and I can't find the starter on my car. (95 GST) There's a weird squeaking/chirping sound when I start the car that only happens sometimes. I'm pretty sure it's not a belt. I have an extra starter I was going to install to see if it stops making the noise, but I can't find it on the engine. I have the Haynes and Chilton manuals, but they both just have close up pics of it instead of the surrounding areas..

If anyone could point me in the right direction, i'd really appreciate it.

For future reference http://members.shaw.ca/dsm.1000q/Engineprimer/2G/index.htm I know it doesn't show where the starter is, but just in case you didn't know about this site...

 

[Defiant]

Defiant, I couldn't help but notice you chimed in on most squeaky noise threads claiming Harmonic Balancer. Seems like you have a personal vendetta against harmonic balancers..

I've never run across a car that has such a plentitude of their failing, yet it's so often forgotten in diagnosis..... because most cars never need new ones.

I'm trying to get a francise on replacements so I get a kickback.