New starter squealing

[Christian.mers]

I just put a new starter in and when I start the jeep it makes a loud squealing noise and the jeep starts up fine and runs fine and doesn’t make any grinding noises or anything. No issues except a loud squealing noise upon startup. Took it in and out 3 times and made sure everything was spotless all 3 times

New starter noises or install error??

 

[GaTechTJ]

With it removed, connect it to a battery and see if it squeals. That would indicate if it is just the starter itself or the noise is related to the installation.

 

[Christian.mers]

I cannot pull it down today, but does the 2.5l starting need shims or anything?? I was looking at the old and and the new part and neither of them had a visible shim

 

[macleanflood]

No shims.

I vote for a shit part.

Did you bench test it or have the store test it before you installed it?

I don't leave a parts store with an alternator, battery, starter etc without them testing it first.

-Mac

 

[Christian.mers]

I did no testing, just compared parts and slapped it in. I’ll check it out tomorrow. Any special testing ideas besides hooking it up to a battery and seeing it operate?

 

[TJ Jim]

I did no testing, just compared parts and slapped it in. I’ll check it out tomorrow. Any special testing ideas besides hooking it up to a battery and seeing it operate?

No. Just pull it and test it out of the Jeep. Or take it back to the parts store and have them test it. The starter has a bronze bushing on the shaft that if dry it’ll squeal like your talking about. You’ve still got to replace the bad starter cause oiling that dry bushing will only be a temporary fix.

 

[Landon427]

When I replaced the starter on my 2.5L, the new starter squealed, but I found a little dirt in the joint when I took it back out.. Cleaning that up did stop the squeal. I see you have already checked that.. Sounds like you've received good advice above. I know when I rebuilt the motor I had to fight a batch of bad head bolts and a bad (new) clutch fork clip, and I'm having a hard time trusting new parts these days

 

[Christian.mers]

Pulled it out in the Autozone parking lot, they tested it and it passed. I’ve tried cleaning it up real good but I pulled it back out and always find oils and fluids. Anything look strange?

 

[Christian.mers]

With it removed, connect it to a battery and see if it squeals.

No squealing when removed

 

[Landon427]

The FSM for my '99 does say that "Shims are available and can be used to adjust the 2.5L starter motor mounting position to correct
for improper starter pinion gear to starter ring gear engagement" (page 8B-3). In another spot is says they are 0.015" thick and can be stacked if additional thickness is required. Later (pages 8B-7 and 8B-8) it says a shim can be added if a high frequency whine exists just after the engine starts, but if the same whine exists just before the engine starts to remove shim. Is your new starter remanufactured, and possibly had a shim originally? Do you see any differences in the engagement patterns on the starter teeth (old vs new starter) that might say if the new one is engaging 'less' of each tooth? I don't know if any of this will help, but maybe it will.

 

[Christian.mers]

My FSM states the same things. The high frequency is upon starting and immediately stops directly after the starter is disengaged and the engine is operating.

The replacement starter was a brand new Mitsubishi unit from Autozone. No shims were used on my Previous or Current starter. It’s pretty difficult to see starter to flex plate engagement because I can’t really fit my head of phone in there. Potentially an inspection mirror??

 

[Landon427]

I meant just looking at the starter motor teeth (old vs new), is the engagement imprint on the teeth different. Not sure what else to suggest

 

[Christian.mers]

I haven’t used the new one much, maybe 4-5 starts so I haven’t got a good view of the contact pattern but from what I can see with those few starts is it looks like the engagement on the new unit is superficial compared to the OEM unit

EDIT: The little black part at the very end of the Starter shaft also appears to be half the width so I’m not sure what that’s all about

 

[Christian.mers]

I found a little dirt in the joint when I took it back out.. Cleaning that up did stop the squeal.

Which joint are you referencing?

 

[Christian.mers]

Any knowledge that could help me out? @hear @Wildman

 

[macleanflood]

Cheap part. I'd bet money the solenoid is out on the original. You could swap that out.

-Mac

 

[Landon427]

Which joint are you referencing?

The bolted joint holding the starter motor to the engine block

 

[Christian.mers]

Are the bolts different lengths??

 

[Landon427]

Are the bolts different lengths??

No, they were the same length. They were the ones that take an E12 socket, as I recall, on my '99.

 

[Christian.mers]

I hate the stupid E12, I just picked up a whole set from harbor freight for $13. Just wanted to make sure there weren’t some sort of fine details I was missing. Last night I tested the starter again and there were no issues. I attempted to loosen the starter simulating shins and that seemed to help quiet the noise.

My only thoughts now are dirty Flexplate that may have some oils if dirt or something on the teeth or this new starter just fits differently and needs some shims. Any idea where to get the Shims?