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25 degrees overnight and a couple times in the last week when we turn the key we hear a concerning noise. Can cold freeze up a starter or flywheel such that the starter can not turn the flywheel for an "instant." The car started fine the next turn of the key.
In 60 years of winter driving, all my cars would "moan and groan" a bit when temps below freezing. Generally caused by thickened oil and weaker battery.
If it's OK after warmup, not to worry unless you start to get "shrieking" sounds.
25 degrees overnight and a couple times in the last week when we turn the key we hear a concerning noise. Can cold freeze up a starter or flywheel such that the starter can not turn the flywheel for an "instant." The car started fine the next turn of the key.
25 degrees F. is not very cold. It could affect the battery, but as long at it is not discharged it will be fine as long as you drive enough to keep it charged. It you park your car for a few days, you can keep the battery fully charged by using a trickle charger/maintainer.
Such noises come from the motor, pumps, alternator, and belts, which is normal since all parts and components contract when cold. The battery cranking power is also reduced. In this case, the battery may not have full motor-cranking power to turn the starter at its usual fast speed, because of the drag the cold motor places on the starter. During the summer all parts have expanded enough. If the battery is in good condition (not discharged), the starter cranks the motor at full speed, and the motor does not make as much noise as when cold.
high pitched grind? could be the bendix gear is not meshing as it is sticking. possible if you have a rear main or intake oil leak that gets on it, with dirt and makes it sticky in the cold. remove, shoot up with wd40 and try again. of course that means taking off a starter in the freezing cold.
A noise that was hard to define. No way to post an audio. Maybe like a starter that Autozone has on their table and they hook up the power and it turns and then you try to stop the turning by using a mini crowbar.
It did not happen yesterday but the temperature was around 50. Sounds like two parts that are supposed to work together but one is resisting.
As far as I know there is no way to post the audio of the sound heard.
Sounds like it's not completely pulling in (the solenoid pulls the starter gear into engagement with the ring gear on the flywheel), which would indicate a weak battery, which is very likely to show up on the first really cold night.
A noise that was hard to define. No way to post an audio. Maybe like a starter that Autozone has on their table and they hook up the power and it turns and then you try to stop the turning by using a mini crowbar.
It did not happen yesterday but the temperature was around 50. Sounds like two parts that are supposed to work together but one is resisting.
As far as I know there is no way to post the audio of the sound heard.
Concerning meant serious.
Your starter has a Bendix, or starter drive, that has a gear that shoots out and engages the starter ring on your flywheel (manual) or flex plate (automatic). The teeth on this gear are beveled in order to allow it to mesh with the starter ring without grinding. Sometimes if the Bendix gear is lined up just right with the starter ring it will grind for a second before engaging which is just a fluke thing, but if it happened twice in a row there's probably an issue. A weak battery or a poor electrical connection to the starter could cause it, but if the car has a lot of miles the bevel could be ground off some of the teeth which could also be the culprit.
Bottom line, I wouldn't panic about this, but I would keep an eye on it.
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