Starter Noise?**updated****
 

So I go out to take an early morning run before work. Its cold out, about 15F but really sunny and beautiful.
After I crank the key I get an awful rattle can sound coming from the starter. Last about 2seconds and then clears up. I ignore it and go for a spin hoping im just sleepy and hearing things. :) It is not a whirring sound but more like rocks in a can.
I get back to the garage and retest, same noise on first few starts then wont do it anymore.
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So here is what I know:
1. Only happens at startup using the starter
2. Does not happen when I pop the clutch rolling out of the garage.
3. Motor runs and sounds perfect after start.

Any ideas? I figure Ill pull the starter tonight and have a look-see.

Difficult to hear clearly with the exhaust noise, but sounds kind of like my starter did when the solenoid wouldn't pull back the pinion gear on the starter.

The pinion would hang in the ring gear and the engine would continue to spin the starter motor.

Take a look at the gear teeth when you pull the starter and check the action of the solenoid.

My off the cuff guess.
C

Bench test.
I don't think the gear is shooting out all the way.
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Be carefull as this will chew your ring gear, best to replace. Mine sounded horrible and would hang up for about two minutes.

Did it sound like what I described? A new HO unit is on order!

after deeper review, I found the drive is not retracting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTEXYaFKWrA

like you found out, the drive can hang up like cooper said. the cold does not help.
you can pull the starter and rebuild it per my thread. you need to check the teeth on the ring gear on the flywheel

Thanks guys. I checked the teeth on the flywheel and they appear to be ok. A little worse for wear but all in order , much like my own teeth.

Yes, but mine was far worse, sounded like every damn valve in the motor had broken off and was rattling/grinding away. Scared the crap out of me the first time I fired it up. I then went through the wonderful experience of getting a light weight starter. Bought one of those cheap ones from scary-bay that people recommended, that thing didn't work worth a damn. I then bought one from pelican, installed it and the arm came out too far, ugh! I then had to find a shim to get it to work right. I could take the starter off in 10 mins after that since I removed and installed it so many damn times.

Thanks so much. I feel a lot better now. I was crapping my pants all morning.

New high torque stater installed. Holy s@&$ this old gal fires up like a new car. Unreal!

GREAT that you got it fixed.....and better than before!