Hi,
I'm sure this is a basic question. When I start my car, for the instant that the starter is still engaged but the engine is firing, I get this high pitched squeal. If I hold the starter a little longer it squeals longer, just to verify the connection.
Is this a symptom of a bad solenoid or starter? Anything else to check? Normal?

 

it might be a good idea to remove the starter and have a look at the ends of the shaft, the front end may have a removable cover and the rear side is also open, add some lube oil to the ends and then your starter drive, (The small gear at the end of the starter shaft), sometimes if the starter gets wet the starter drive will get corroded internally, if the lube job doesnt work then a new starter drive should cure this

 

Yeah that sounds like a dry, or fried bearing in the starter. G

 

Thanks Stan,
Would you just use motor oil, or grease or gear oil?

 

A LIGHT coat of grease is required when rebuilding starters. You can normally take a finger tip or acid brush and wipe it into the bushing. Clean the armature first with green scotch brite pads or emery cloth. Lite oils have been known to get onto the armature and create there own problems.

 

Out of curiosity, what is the difference between a Porsche rebuilt starter and a Bosch rebuilt starter?

 

you can install a new starter drive your self then it will be an OOU. (owner overhauled unit)
Motor oil would be good you wont need much, and be careful with the starter drive I would spray some Marvel Mystery oil in it , not much

 

+1 - we used to soak the starter drives in Marvel Mystery **** overnight when rebuilding Cummins starters.
Our main reason for using grease was the water resistance - if you don't think the starter ever gets wet, check after driving thru a puddle.

Probably what ever Porsche wants to add on to the bosch rebuilders fee.
Seriously - you can refresh your own starter easily. The problem with a rebuild is that nobody sells parts to the general public anymore.
A rebuild consist of cleaning, disassembling, and
#1 checking the armature on a growler - this lets you know if the windings are good before you waste your time.
#2 Checking the fields - this can be done with a ohm meter check for ground against the case and a visual of the insulation.
#3 Turning the armature commutator smooth in a lathe - (a 1/2 inch drill while applying emery cloth, then using a dental tool to clean between contact flats is darn close), again looking for overheated insulation.
#4 Cleaning the shaft so the drive slides, yada yada ...
#5 Replace brushes, pressing in new bearings and/or pressing and honing bushings, and cleaning or replacing the starter drive.
#6 Assemble with new insulation on post and new nuts.
#7 check both solenoid coils - there is a pull in, and a hold in.
#8 Paint and tag.

Cost to rebuilder is generally less then $20 to $35 and 45 minutes labor - unless the drive is bad (often a good soaking fixes it). Small drives (like a car starter) are $8 to $12 and those on the larger diesels run upwards of $120.
The problem now days is that anyone can get a job in a national rebuild shop and they have no quality control. Yours might have been rebuilt by someone who just started yesterday. A local shop who hands you back your starter or alternator is often the best bet.

You can take yours apart, clean it, and put it back together.
Unless it needs an obvious part, quite often they just need a good cleaning and lubrication - there are naturally little tricks that make each brand easier to put back together - but time and experience are the best teachers.

 

just an update.
Pulled my starter, cleaned and soaked the drive unit. No change. Took it to a local electric shop. Tested OK. I asked them to open it and check it anyway. They cleaned and lubed it. Re-installed, no change.
Ordered a rebuilt Bosch unit from DR. Beautiful unit, re-installed still have squealing just before I release the key from from start position after the engine catches. After R & R starter x3, I think I'll just live with it.
BTW while under the car I saw a torn steering rack boot so I changed it. I have to say between putting the sway bar back and getting the rubber boot over its ridges and fittings, I'm pretty sore. I think my car likes to wrestle!
Thanks for all the help and encouragement.

 

So sounds like it wasn't the starter... could it be belt squeal from somewhere else...

Alan

 

Belt squeal was my first thought, since the accessory belts are new. They seem tight, and I only hear noise while key is in start position for the instant after the engine starts until I release the key.

Thanks

 

a bit late but ,....to fit the boots undo the connection at the lock nut to outer tie rod mark it and unscrew it fit the new boot over the rod turn the wheel all the way so the inner tierod is against the rack spray some WD 40 into the new boot and on the side of the rack the boot will slide onto its new seat witout any tools or fussin.

fit the outer seal of the boot and connect the outer tierod and tighten it to it original position. The starter noise has me wondering

 

Here's another update.
I have a remote starter installed on my car, and when it starts my car there is no squealing, even though I can hear the starter engaged momentarily after the engine fires. Could the symptoms I described be an ignition switch malfunction? Is there a starter inhibit circuit which is not working and letting the ignition switch do something bad? I'm hoping Alan might look at this. BTW the ignition switch is about 2 years old but I did notice on a couple of occasions that my key was hot after shutting down the car. Don't know if that means anything.
Thanks for looking and your suggestions.

 

Well it depends a bit how the remote start is implemented. A remote starter has to enable the ignition (15) and starter (50) circuits to start the car and maintain the 15circuits to keep it running. It may well also have to activate & maintaing the Accessory (X) circuits too. On a 928 it should do this because these control cooling fans, brakes, Lighting, HVAC etc.

The difference may therefore be that when starting with the key in starter mode the X Bus is disabled & 15 bus is enabled while via the remote starter the accessory bus is (likely) also enabled.

On the face of it you'd expect any belt squeal to be worse with higher alternator (& potentially compressor w/ AC on) loading. But sometimes you need just the exactly correct loading to cause the worst noises.

I'd still check/tighten the alt & compressor belts and maybe check the compressor clutch operation...

Alan

 

Thanks Alan. I will and I'll report back this weekend.
Dave