# Bad starter?

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/bad-starter/31572>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** suburban\
**Created:** [June 8, 2009, 2:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bad-starter/31572 "2009-06-08T02:25:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![pantangili](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d07c76/32.png) [@pantangili](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pantangili)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 2:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bad-starter/31572/1 "2009-06-08T02:25:26Z")

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I have a 1996 suburban 5.0L,LT,2WD. It started rough like an ugly cough and a grinding sound before it turned. Today it coughed and grind again. Now it won’t even turn, I just get a whizzing, whinning sound. Did the started go bad? Can someone please enlighten me. Thanks

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**Author:** ![Roadrunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Roadrunner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Roadrunner)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 3:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bad-starter/31572/2 "2009-06-08T03:24:33Z")

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When you turn the key the starter just whines and does not crank the engine?

The starter may have a worn Bendix gear (possibly stripped) OR the ring gear may have teeth missing and won’t allow the starter to engage.

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**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 4:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bad-starter/31572/3 "2009-06-08T04:18:03Z")

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I’ll second Roadrunner on this.

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**Author:** ![pantangili](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d07c76/32.png) [@pantangili](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pantangili)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 4:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bad-starter/31572/4 "2009-06-08T04:36:58Z")

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Yes, it just whines now and the engine does not crank. Does this possibly mean i’ll have to replace the starter if this is the case?

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**Author:** ![hellokit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6a8cbe/32.png) [@hellokit](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hellokit)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 11:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bad-starter/31572/5 "2009-06-08T11:03:15Z")

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When you take the starter off, examine the drive gear for, and examine the big gear inside the engine. Turn the engine by hand, and examine all the gear teeth on the big engine gear.

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**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 6:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bad-starter/31572/6 "2009-06-08T18:36:29Z")

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Agree; I had such a problem years ago, and ended up with a new starter AND a new flywheel to get the right mesh.