weird scratching sound on cold starts...

[nxm150]

I own a 97 GSX with 80,000 miles on it. Bought it new and have done all the required maintence. When I start up my car in the morning, I hear a scratching sound that lasts about 1-2 seconds. It happens after I let go of the key when starting the engine. I had a friend check under the hood when it was making this noise and this is what we found out. It is coming near the intake manifold on the engine . I think it is the starters brushes are not disengaging all the way and that is where you hear the straching sound come from.

 

[RamenPride]

Originally posted by hostile
Guys it is your starters. I had the sound then a month or two my starter went out.

Go to a place that rebuilds starters and ask them about the sound they should be able to explain what part on the starter is making the noise.

Originally posted by RamenPride

i replaced mine last winter, but the grinding came back again as soon as it got cold out...

 

[elfili]

Fellaz... Glad I found this forum... Someone redirected me to it.
I've got the same issue, and I'm gonna change my T-belt next week, and hopefully I can troubleshoot the issue. Started with me this winter.
At first I wasnt sure if it been because i recently replaced my plugs and wires.
If it's the starter, could the performance wires have some sort of effect to it? I also took out my mechanical oil pressure gauge thinking that the excess oil running up the vacuum lines that present low oil pressure at start up. Ahhh, whatever, everyone has their own theory.
I notice that people have been going on with it for a while, so it doesnt seem like a big deal.
If anyone has any further leads, it'd be appreciated.
thanks.

 

[badboysean]

Let us know if anything changes with your belt change. Its not the plugs or wires I can say that for sure.

Sean

 

[SeiRyu300]

Just got my car back from the shop and not really sure if it will stay gone but my cold start sound has vanished. For some crazy reason my timing jumped 3 teeth one night and I was unable to go to work. I had it towed to the dealer and they adjusted my timing. They said my tension pully was not tightened down completly. Which allowed my timing to jump. Maybe this could be making the noise (rattling or something). Hopefully mine will continue to be gone. I will let everyone know if it stays gone.

 

[notracing]

I haven't read through all of the posts so this may have already been covered, but my car does the same thing. but it goes away when I press the clutch pedal. It had been happening for a while, I rebuilt my tranny and it went away. Shortly after it came back.

I found out that the noise was the T.O.B.

It seems that even though I just installed a brand new throw out bearing, I still was causing a scraping noise.

Talk about someone peeing in my corn flakes.

Anyway hope it can help

 

[xxdprussxx]

i doubt it might be throw out ebaring cause mines bad but it makes a tweating noise mabye depends how bad it is my firend told me usealy it goes bad if u ride the clutch but my throw out ebairng does this when its semi cold gives a tweating nosie but after i drive it goes away

 

[lowridin2g]

i get this same noise, this scratchy almost like dirt in a bearing noise coming from around my belts area. only on cold starts it happens. it never does it when warm,. and it lasts about 1-2 seconds. so wierd. my car has done it since i bought it. my buddies 95 tsi awd used to do it when he bought it too. i remember buying my car at the dealership, when i first started it i was like........wtf was that noise?

 

[erc's_gsx]

geez and i thought i was the only one with this starter problem along with the rattling windows and the squeeky sunroof. I guess our cars were made alike with the same kind of problems. As for the starter noise, i think it is a very embarassing scene whenever people around especially when they are in your car

 

[DSMu4ia]

Originally posted by DSMu4ia
It's the starter or the crankshaft pulley seperating.

My pennies are on the starter.

And to the donkey who posted about piston slap on a stock motor, he should be banned IMO.

*cough, cough*

6 months later...

 

[1gTURD]

ok, in all of your cars, have the transmissions been out? replacing a clutch etc etc, before it made the noise? and if not, then im sure your talking about a different noise

dsm trans to block dowel pins....

they come out fairly easy... if they arent in, the torque from the starter will move the bell housing about 1/8 of an inch causing a mismatch in flywheel teeth to pinon gear on the starter teeth and making a grinding noise.

happened to me, and some others i know.
i replaced starters flywheels all kinds of shlt
just think about it

starter is bolted to trans
flywheel is stationary with the motor
no dowls just trans bolts... the bolts are thinner (considerably) than the hole they go in
tremendous torque will move the trans a tiny bit enough to make the starter pinion teeth misalligned with the flywheel.

on other cars ive seen flywheels cracked etc etc

good luck

 

[lowridin2g]

u know i went underneath my car one day and found a randomn bolt chillin out stuck in my crossmember. now im getting a clanging noise between shifts like something is loose under my car. ive checked my exhaust heat shields, no idea what it is i also get this scratching noise. i also need a cv joint, could it be related tio that?

 

[SeiRyu300]

Originally posted by SeiRyu300
Just got my car back from the shop and not really sure if it will stay gone but my cold start sound has vanished. For some crazy reason my timing jumped 3 teeth one night and I was unable to go to work. I had it towed to the dealer and they adjusted my timing. They said my tension pully was not tightened down completly. Which allowed my timing to jump. Maybe this could be making the noise (rattling or something). Hopefully mine will continue to be gone. I will let everyone know if it stays gone.

It is now 7/27/03 and I still have not heard the cold start noise again (original post 4/03). Maybe when the dealer was in there they tighten or tweaked something right. that would be a first. Well I am happy for now because mine does not do it anymore.

 

[badboysean]

Well, I have found that if I just make sure the clutch is pushed all the way down when I start the car it wont make that noise. And definately will if I dont push all the way.

Sean

 

[nxm150]

Originally posted by badboysean
Well, I have found that if I just make sure the clutch is pushed all the way down when I start the car it wont make that noise. And definately will if I dont push all the way.

Sean

I will give this a try tomorrow when I start up my car (or whenever I remember to do this). Will post back with the results.

 

[nxm150]

Still makes noise when pressing the clutch in.

 

[Module Unknown]

Whoa! After a bit of searching it looks like i'm not alone. I've been experiencing a scratching sound for a second right after starting the car. Doesn't happen all the time and seems to do it most when the car has been sitting for a few hours or overnight just like others have mentioned. Anyway, the car is getting harder to start now... like it takes longer so i'll probably be replacing the starter soon. Don't know why, but I just felt I should share.

 

[nxm150]

Here we go again. Now that it is getting cold out, it is really noticable. How embarrising when there are other people around.

 

[2GeNTSi]

Alright I have this problem also. Tends to be on and off though, it would go away for a week and then come back. SOMETIMES it does struggle to crank (i.e. crank slowly) so I'm thinking it is my starter that needs to be rebuilt. I have a crappy video clip of the sound, hard to hear but you can notice it and you will know what it is if you guys also get it.

http://onikage.phaze-shift.net/files/Startup.MPG

 

[nxm150]

Sound quality is bad. I can't say for sure if that is the same that is happening for me.

 

[noz]

damn....does everyone with a 2g dsm have this probleM??
my car is making the same noise now when cold starting.
it makes the scratching noise that sounds like its coming from the engine for a second or two only on cold starts.

 

[lowridin2g]

same sound it sucks

 

[SeiRyu300]

QUOTE]Originally posted by SeiRyu300
Just got my car back from the shop and not really sure if it will stay gone but my cold start sound has vanished. For some crazy reason my timing jumped 3 teeth one night and I was unable to go to work. I had it towed to the dealer and they adjusted my timing. They said my tension pully was not tightened down completly. Which allowed my timing to jump. Maybe this could be making the noise (rattling or something). Hopefully mine will continue to be gone. I will let everyone know if it stays gone. [/QUOTE]

Originally posted by SeiRyu300
It is now 7/27/03 and I still have not heard the cold start noise again (original post 4/03). Maybe when the dealer was in there they tighten or tweaked something right. that would be a first. Well I am happy for now because mine does not do it anymore.

It is now 12/16/03....
Here is an update on my car. Since I got my car back from the shop it still has not made the same sound. I have since then replaced my alternator because it went out. Maybe this was some how linked?? Not sure though. It did stop making the sound before I replaced it. Maybe it was the calm before the storm.

 

[Siberian]

Originally posted by noz
damn....does everyone with a 2g dsm have this probleM??
my car is making the same noise now when cold starting.
it makes the scratching noise that sounds like its coming from the engine for a second or two only on cold starts.

, Me Too. I was actually researching what apparently is another common noise problem (crankshaft pulley noise) when I found this thread.

Same symptoms: a short, scraping kinda noise for a few seconds when starting a cold car, and generally only when it's cold outside. I've put up with it for a few years now. Car starts just fine, but the noise always makes me cringe. It reminds me of an A/C clutch(?) mechanism catching sound, but that can't be it, so I dunno.

Funny (or maybe not) how common these things are. Ya start thinking you're the only one till ya join these forums

 

[SeiRyu300]

Originally posted by SeiRyu300
QUOTE]Originally posted by SeiRyu300
Just got my car back from the shop and not really sure if it will stay gone but my cold start sound has vanished. For some crazy reason my timing jumped 3 teeth one night and I was unable to go to work. I had it towed to the dealer and they adjusted my timing. They said my tension pully was not tightened down completly. Which allowed my timing to jump. Maybe this could be making the noise (rattling or something). Hopefully mine will continue to be gone. I will let everyone know if it stays gone.

It is now 12/16/03....
Here is an update on my car. Since I got my car back from the shop it still has not made the same sound. I have since then replaced my alternator because it went out. Maybe this was some how linked?? Not sure though. It did stop making the sound before I replaced it. Maybe it was the calm before the storm. [/QUOTE]


Update 2/16/04......

Still no sound. I almost have forgotten what it sounds like. I recently had my car in the shop again for a rubbing sound coming from inside of my timing belt area. They had to replace the tension pulley and the idler pulley. One had failed completely and the other was about to fail all together. Well they also hit me for every seal in the area and both belts. But at least for now I still have no cold start sound.....

 

[Prodigy]

Yeah i have the same problem its even worse when your at a car show and you start your car....All the honda guys just look like i dont take care of my car...well im going to try to change all the belts and maybe the starter and that will help..good luck guys