"Knocking" after starter replacement - Picture also!

[RedPhoenix]

Ive become quite the thread whore with my problem...


Okay, my car mysteriously obtained a rod knock sound after changing my starter. Nothing fell in as far as I know and even if so, the sound is way too loud to be a metal nut or washer tapping.

After a week or so of hell we thought... why would a starter cause knocking? we pulled all the crap again and we found this.

Few really nice marks on the pressure plate - the rest of it is pristine.

We have NO idea if this was caused by the new starter or the previous owner starting the car while it was already running. Theories?

The car isn't back together yet - probably not til Friday, but I would like to get a discussion on this or what else could have caused random rod knocking...

Thanks for the help, I just want to enjoy my car again

Matt S.

 

[XR8tt]

Hold a piece of chalk about 1mm away from ring gear and turn engine over.. To check for any runout on flex plate ? Then just could be converter bolt "MAYBE" loose and flex plate has moved closer to engine ?
It seems strange that it is hitting just where that converter bolt is...
Check with existing starter motor if there's any difference in pre-engage length, it could be that its NOT fully reclining ?? BUT then again it would hit ring gear all round if that was the case, but check ??

 

[Lextreme II]

I had that problem before too. Starter wasnt engaging the proper length and grinded up my flexplate. Bad starter?

 

[RedPhoenix]

I had that problem before too. Starter wasnt engaging the proper length and grinded up my flexplate. Bad starter?

What was the sound that it was making? knocking?

 

[Lextreme II]

Not knocking... mine sounded like grinding and only during the starting of the starter. If your engine knock when it is on, then it is not the starter. If it knock during the starting (Starter turn) then its possible but knock at idle then it is something else.

 

[RedPhoenix]

Not knocking... mine sounded like grinding and only during the starting of the starter. If your engine knock when it is on, then it is not the starter. If it knock during the starting (Starter turn) then its possible but knock at idle then it is something else.

knocks only when its on in all rpms

 

[jibbby]

Yep, bad started...I too had that happen to me one time years ago...I broke off teeth on my ordeal too... It would either crank and or stop immediately and make a big grind noise.....

It sounds like you got off easy on this...Congrats...

 

[Jake Breyck]

I was over helping matt out on this. and im stumped.. the sound sounds like a rod knock even kinda changes its pattern like if a rod was flining around. like a really bad rod that had let go already.

but despite the noise the motor runs good, and matt takes really good care of the car. and it ran perfeclty immadiatly before he changed the starter so other then the noise it doesnt add up to a rod knock.

on the other hand the only visual damage seen is that small mark on the ring gear that looks more like someone started the car wile it was in gear at some time and isnt ebough damage to really explane all the noise.

wile comparing the old and new starter it seems like the engagement and disengament leingths are the same on both starters. so again no visual problem there.


I also kinda messed with the flywheel a bit and its not at all loose and all the flex tq bolts are in palce and tight. again dead end.

Im hesadent to admit its really a rod knock. thats about a 1000$ mistake to make for him to buy a new motor if it turns out to be really a starter issue. but like i said, theres no evadence its the starter eather.

 

[XR8tt]

What oil pressure does it have especially when hot ??
Check oil in sump / pan for copper ??? Or any metal ...Cut open oil filter??
Or..
Pull injector clips or ignition leads to identify which cylinder it may come from?? Often if there is an issue the knock changes when there's no load..
Taking plugs out and while turning engine. Check how long piston stays at tdc compared to other cylinders ?? The cylinder with big clearance will have piston at tdc much longer..

 

[tsirovy]

Or you could just quit guessing and get your ass under the car to check all the conrod and main bearings. IDK

 

[RedPhoenix]

Wow what do you f**king know!!!

The starter is crap! Im ordering one from Lexus, OEM baby. Car doesnt knock, it was the reman'd starter f**king **** up!

 

[tsirovy]

Amazing! A knocking starter problem.. Ill have to remember this one.

 

[cjsupra90]

Matt, glad to hear that it ended up being something stupid and simple.... Sorry I had chimed in earlier, but I was pretty sure that your motor did not have a rod knock. I had told Jake that on the phone.

The way I looked at it was motor ran fine, shut it off, change starter, start it up and major rod knock, no way possible. My first guess was starter or flywheel.

Again, glad to hear that it ended up being just the starter.

 

[RedPhoenix]

Only thing reason I thought knocking was if I dropped metal/fluid down there.. **** happens, but these motors are way too indestructible for that haha.

Hopefully next weekend it will be running