loud screaching noise sometimes at startup

[bls1970]

ok, so i have a 1997 eclipse gs and it starts up everytime but 50% of that it makes a horible screaching noice but will still run while makeing it..... i really dont think it is a belt because it sounds nothing like a belt, almost kinda grinds and screaches at the same time... i took the starter off today thinking it might be the problem, but the teeth on both the sttarter and flywheel look fine.. please someone help with this thanks

 

[dfink]

Mine does the exact same thing but generally only when cold. I am attributing it to a slipping belt. It goes away after maybe 15 to 20 seconds. I think I will try some belt dressing as I have a can around someplace perhaps that will stop the annoyance. Or I could just try and tighted the belts.

 

[bls1970]

mine doesnt stop untill i shut the car off, and when it does after i shut it off it makes a little clank noise.... im thinking maybe my starter isnt disengaging or something.. i dunno

 

[primo513]

My tsi has a similar situation as well as my buddy's gsx, it was a problem with the alt belt. It would be an extremely load squeeling noise until they were warmed up. Like Dfink said, I would start with making sure that the belts are tensioned correctly

 

[bls1970]

alright ill check it but its not really a squeeling its really hard to describe... like a whining, screaching, grinding noise....

 

[GSLENK]

turn the wheel lock to lock while not moving. if the screetching gets louder, tighten the PS belt.

dont put any stupid grease dressing on the belt. Get a new one if yours is fried.

 

[bls1970]

the belt around the alternator is a little frayed up.... could that be the problem??? but also if it was a belt wouldent it make the noise every start up? and wouldent it go away? ### like i said the sound dosent stop till i shut it off

 

[kronus]

If the tension is that far off, it will continue to make that sound until the motor stops moving or until you fix it. I'm with everyone else on the belt, unless you post a video showing otherwise. But that frayed belt is a good indicator of what your problem is.

 

[bls1970]

ya im thinkin thats what it might be to... but how come it only happens once in a while... like just a min ago i went and started it up and it didnt make any noise and i drove it down the road and back, shut it off and started it and it still didnt do it.. kinda confusing but ill take ## guys word for it and probably change the serpentine belt since its not in the greatest shape anyways... is this gonna be a pain to do?? anyone do it befor on this car

 

[Anthony95TSiAWD]

Well if your pretty sure its not a belt have you thought about a pump? My water pump made a pretty strange noise before I replaced it.

 

[bls1970]

no i havent ..... im just really confused, i took my starter in to see if it worked properly and it did but i sware the sond is much like a starter grinding.. i just dont see a belt making a grinding noise like it does, nor a water pump... but who knows im no expert

 

[kronus]

A video would do wonders. And belts are like women. Sometimes they complain, others they don't. It's just a matter of getting the environment right for them to make noise.

 

[AngelOfPassion]

A video would do wonders. And belts are like women. Sometimes they complain, others they don't. It's just a matter of getting the environment right for them to make noise.

dude I am sitting with a customer right now and it is so hard not to laugh at this...

 

[bls1970]

haha nice ... ill put up a vid tomorow after i put the starter back on and maybe i can get some better answers..... if not a video at least some audio of the noise if i can get it to do it

 

[turboglenn]

A lot of times i've seen this be the harmonic balancer seperating at the rubber, the inside will spin and squeel then once it's hot it stops.. an easy way to tell is either look at it and see if there's a crack around the rubber area, or put a timing light on it and see if the mark is just WAY offf oir moves

 

[bls1970]

there is no cracks on it.... but i looked up the soud they make and it is kinda similar to the noise my car makes.. but like i sad b4 it dosent stop makeing the noise wether or not it is hot or cold so i dont know if thats it either

 

[cliffkemp]

It sounds like your bendix is hanging up. I would think it would fry your starter but, not sure. The screech you are referring to sounds just like a hanging bendix on the starter.

 

[bls1970]

exactly thats what im thinkin.. but i took the starter in and it was fine... maybe shim it? any other things to check involving the starter?

well it was the starter.. i took it into a diffrent auto parts store and they tested it in front of me and showed me that the bendix was not disengaging properly sometimes which would cause the noise.... but thanks for the help guys, never would of probably found out my serpentine belt hasnt in good shape till it was to late