Freewheeling. Freewheeling occurs when you crank the engine and simply hear a whining noise without the engine cranking. When this occurs, it means the starter is not engaging with the flywheel. This is a worrying situation which could result in having to replace the whole component.
One of the symptoms of a bad starter is a clicking noise when you turn the key or push the start button. However, a starter can die without making any sound at all, or it may announce its impending death with whirring and grinding noise—so listen up!
Most likely, if it is true grinding that you hear, the problem is related to the starter. Causes include the starter not lining up correctly with the ring gear on the flywheel, missing or damaged gear teeth, or a faulty solenoid. Replacing the starter is most often the right solution.
Whirring sound: This might mean that the solenoid is worn out and unable to engage the flywheel. The sound you hear is the armature in the starter spining on its own but unable to crank the engine to start.
Worn Pulley Bearings
Damaged or worn pulley bearings may cause a whining noise as the pulleys spin. In cases like these, it's generally best to replace the pulley or pulleys entirely.
No two starters will last the same length of time and there is usually no way to know that your starter is dying until the day your car doesn't start and you have to call for service. They could last as long as 200,000 miles or as little as 30,000.
If you hear a whine or the sound goes fuzzy when you hit the gas, your alternator is probably failing. If the vehicle won't crank or start but the headlights are still working, look to problems with the starter or other parts of the engine.
In most cases when a starter goes bad, it's completely random with no warning signs or symptoms of mechanical failure.
A bad starter actually sounds quite a lot like a dead battery – you turn the key, and all you hear is a click. It might not be the entire starter, though – it could be a weak component known as the solenoid. It prevents the starter from creating the correct current to start your car.
How Much a Starter Replacement Costs. The cost of rebuild parts for a starter can range from as little as $50 to as much as $350. A brand-new starter can range from $80 to over $350. For a qualified mechanic to replace or rebuild your starter, you can expect to pay between $150 and over $1,100.
So can a bad starter drain your battery? The short answer is: Yes, it can. It could also drain the battery even faster if you repeatedly try to start your car with a faulty starter. A faulty starter is also one of the leading causes of battery overcharging.
This works because the brushes wear out which results in an inadequate electrical contact. By gently tapping on the back of the starter with the hammer, the brushes are knocked back into place so they can make contact one more time.
If you ever hear growling or whining noises coming from under the hood, you could have alternator problems, which should be checked out by a professional ASAP. This growling or whining sound happens when the belt that turns the alternator's pulley becomes misaligned or rubs against the side of the pulley.
When you attempt to start the vehicle, is there a clicking sound, but it won't turn over? That may be a good sign. If a jump gets the car running, but won't turn over again once it's shut off, a dead battery is likely the cause.
An effective method to determine whether it's your battery or alternator that's gone bad is to connect jumper cables from a running vehicle's battery to yours. After a few moments, try starting your vehicle. Once it's started, remove the jumper cables — if your engine stalls, your alternator has probably gone bad.
Push-start the vehicle if you have a manual transmission.
Once you've got some speed going, release the clutch and your car should start. Press the clutch back in and give your engine some gas and you're good to go! This will definitely work with a bad starter, but it could also work with a bad battery.
CAUSES OF FAULTY STARTERS: CAUSE OF FAILURE
Electrical connections faulty. Solenoid switch (engaging relay) stiff or faulty. Electric motor damaged electrically. Single-pinion gear, starter pinion or freewheel damaged.
When you hear a high-pitched squealing sound coming from under your hood, you may need to check your vehicle's serpentine belt for cracks and wear. Many cars have multiple belts, and each one will need to be checked to ensure they are in good working order.
The alternator has several bearings which allow the alternator's rotor to spin freely. If these bearings begin to fail, you will notice a loud whining noise, which will increase when you accelerate or the car is under heavier load.
Whining Noises
The water pump uses a pulley or belt in its operation, and if this pulley is too loose, it will make a whining sound that some describe as harmonic buzzing. This noise is also caused by worn bearings inside the water pump's motor.
If you just hear a whirring sound like the starter motor is spinning without affecting the motor, then the solenoid is either broken, or there's a wiring issue on the starter itself. Options are: have the starter rebuilt, replace the whole thing, or see if you can track down the wiring issue on the starter.
Due to the complexity of starter motors, the average amount of time it takes to completely replace a starter is generally between 2 and 4 hours. If your car has an easily accessible starter and you take it to a mechanic worth their salt, your time should hopefully be closer to 2 hours rather than 4.