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Screeching Starter[200/1981] posted by Michael Hale on
Sunday, 29 November 1998, at 9:40 p.m.
Within the past couple months, my starter started screeching about once every 30 starts or so. As soon as it would screech, I'd release the key and try again only to find the car starting this time. I went to a junk yard this past week and picked up a used starter that was a Volvo brand remanufactured. After installing it, 20 or so starts later it does the same thing. Is it just a wierd coincidence that I bought a used starter that had the same problem as the orginal? If not, what else could it be? When replacing the starter, I looked at the flywheel- it appeared to be in good condition. If the problem is in the starter, should I just buy a Bosch factory rebuild from a Volvo parts store? Thanks for the input.
Mike
Re: Screeching Starter[200/1981] posted by Don Foster on
Sunday, 29 November 1998, at 9:58 p.m.
Mike --
Probably the screech is teeth on teeth misengaging. The mating teeth on the ring gear have probably begun to wear so that sometimes they don't engage -- and you hear the results.
Sadly, the only fix is a new $$$$$$ ring gear, although you can often install a used one successfully. (It doesn't take a rocket scientist to eyeball the teeth to see if they're good or bad.)
If your car's an automatic, you can use a ring gear from a '74-on-up 4 cylinder Volvo (automatic).
If you car's a standard, there's a hope of salvage -- I think. It goes like this:
The engine alwaysstops at one of two spots -- pistons 1&3 up, or pistons 2&4 up. These two orientations of the flywheel get their teeth beat silly by the starter. If you can find a shop to remove the ringgear from the flywheel, turn it 90 degrees, and drop it back on -- you're good for another 1 million starts.
Alternatives include finding another used flywheel (which might have the same disease), buying a new ringgear (will help with Volvo's debt problem), or finding another car. If you dig in there for any reason, consider replacing the rear main seal at the same time. --
Monday, 30 November 1998, at 4:31 p.m.
A humble suggestion - before your get into major surgery, a faulty Bendix drive in the starter can cause an occasional screeching noise as you describe. I forget what Volvo calls it - it's the pinion assembly which slides up the shaft inside the starter and engages the ring gear before power is applied to turn the starter motor. Inside this pinion assembly is a one-way clutch with rollers which stop the engine from driving the starter when it fires. The screech comes from the clutch slipping sometimes when the rollers get worn. The pinion assembly in the starter is easily replaced. Hope that's all your problem is!
--Trevor G. ('68 144S (47K) and '71 144S (144K)), both with BW35s.)
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