A few minutes ago I went out to start my car to get home from work and it did something very odd. When i turned the key it sounded like something was spinning but it wasn't the engine. It was an odd sound like the noise a baseball card in the spokes of a bicycle makes but really really fast. I let go of the keys and sat there for a second wondering what that was and when i turned the keys again it started right up like normal. It was about 17 degrees at the time. I was wondering if anyone knew what that could have been.

JEremiah

My guess is that that was your starter. If the solenoid sticks, the teeth from the starter will not engage the teeth on the ring gear. So your starter motor will be spinning all by itself.

Could be the throw-out bearing on the starter didn't fully engage the flywheel. I've had this happen to lots of cars in the past, and it being that cold could cause it to be worse: lubricant tends to turn to jello then cement the colder it gets.

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Smokin Joe Fission
1986 Fiero SE 2.8

Perhaps I shouldn't have taken on a Fiero that the original owner said he liked to work on, especially after it spent some time 'submerged'. At least the car was free.

[This message has been edited by smokinjoefission (edited 01-19-2004).]

Does that sound mean the coming death of the starter?

Sounds like a leaf in the heater blower to me........possibly......good luck.

Phil

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87 FIERO GT 2.8 5spd

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quote Originally posted by GTDude: Sounds like a leaf in the heater blower to me........possibly......good luck. Phil

i get one about once every other week.
flip the fan switch to high for a sec and then back down to whatever speed and all is better.

Hmm... well, hopefully it doesn't mean the starter is going to die. You have to take the engine out to replace it, dont you?

kinda sounds like a heat shield on the engine might be loose and rattling. i had an issue with this not too long ago.

When it made the odd noise, did the engine turn over or try to start? A leaf or a rattling heat sheild would allow the engine to still start.