Grinding noise from starter

[Tim]

If I crank the engine and the car doesn't start, and then try it again before the engine has spun down, I hear this awful grinding sound, like you'd hear if you engaged the starter with the engine running?

Is it supposed to do that? Am I chewing up the flywheel or starter motor whenever this happens?

Sometimes it won't grind when I do this but 9 times out of 10 it does. This is not the original starter - it died years ago and another was welded in.


Regards,

Tim

[Tim]

Surely someone can answer this - it doesn't seem too difficult to figure out - if I had another Festiva I could answer thw question in 2 seconds, but I don't have one to compare it with.

[CryptokiD]

no offense but stop being dumb and using the starter when the engine is still turning.

noting is wrong with the car, only youre actions.

[Tim]

Please don't turn this thread into a flame war - that is the one thing I do NOT want.

Anyhow, since this is my first car (OK, 2nd - I had a Civic that blew up a week after I got it...) stuff that is common knowledge to you guys maybe isn't for me.

I thought there was a clutch or something that was supposed to eliminate the grinding.

When I first bought the car, I expected it to start right up when I turned the key. Turns out that since it's carburetted you have to pump the gas pedal a few times in order for it to start, and until someone told me this I thought there was a problem with it.

Please bear with me, I was not born knowing how a car works.


Regards,

Tim

[FB71]

Oohrah, Timmy. Even the best of us here were stupid kids once, especially me.

[Festy46]

How about a new thread - "The dumbest thing I ever did"? I'm sure we all got some good ones.
John