# Starter problem or something else **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [September 19, 2024, 5:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-problem-or-something-else/196326 "2024-09-19T05:42:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![John-Smith-4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@John-Smith-4](https://community.cartalk.com/u/John-Smith-4)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2024, 5:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-problem-or-something-else/196326/1 "2024-09-19T05:42:39Z")
2014 Holden Captiva 7, 2.2L diesel. [![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/6/16c4de7622030c924a0738487cfb398882b9efa0.jpeg "20240911 155307") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbxHqNCaGSQ) Bit of a problem with my wife’s car. I’m a diy type guy so I can do most general fixing, though i haven’t heard this sound before. I took the air filter off in the video to get a look at the belt, very silly engine design. Has a coolant leak so I’m always topping that up but otherwise it ran fine before. Earlier in the morning the car was running fine, then a few hours later it wouldn’t start. I thought she left the lights on so tried a jump start, it turned over and the engine tried to start but couldn’t quite get there then made this screeching sound at the end. I’ve dealt with many belt problems, it’s not the serpentine belt. Did some searching and maybe it’s the starter but it’s a big job to take out and inspect. The next day the battery was almost completely drained when i went to have another look so something is draining the battery. I wonder if the starter has bad connections? Did another jump start and it almost kicked over again but there were no bad sounds. After a couple more tries the high pitch sound came back, I didn’t want to keep trying in case it caused damage. Would it be a bad connection or should I go ahead and inspect the starter? ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2024, 6:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-problem-or-something-else/196326/2 "2024-09-19T06:08:56Z")
Sounds like the alternator or water pump has seized. Remove the drive belt and rotate the pulleys by hand. Start the engine without the belt to see if it will idle. ---
**Author:** ![John-Smith-4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@John-Smith-4](https://community.cartalk.com/u/John-Smith-4)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2024, 7:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-problem-or-something-else/196326/3 "2024-09-19T07:17:31Z")
Thanks for the help. Will do. I’ll have to do it tomorrow though, time is a rare thing with kids hahaha. Will update you. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2024, 11:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-problem-or-something-else/196326/4 "2024-09-19T11:47:36Z")
+1 for removing the belt to check for a seized part and to see if the engine will now start and idle… Once you get the starting and noise problem taken care of, next thing is get that coolant leak taken care of, at some point the leak will turn into a coolant dump and can/will cost you much more time and money to repair it then… And when it dumps, it is not always in your driveway… ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2024, 8:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-problem-or-something-else/196326/5 "2024-09-19T20:18:40Z")
> [@John-Smith-4](#): > > The next day the battery was almost completely drained Original battery? If so, it is 10 years old and almost certainly needs replacement. A faulty battery could be the cause of most of the symptoms. Suggest to not defer on this b/c a faulty battery may damage the starter motor. ---
**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2024, 10:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-problem-or-something-else/196326/6 "2024-09-19T22:41:52Z")
Starter sounds great. Strong, robust crank. I go along with the seized pulley idea. ---
**Author:** ![Rainflurry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cab0a1/32.png) [@Rainflurry](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rainflurry)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2024, 10:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-problem-or-something-else/196326/7 "2024-09-19T22:58:03Z")
It sounds to me like the starter is disengaging before the engine starts. It cranks fine for a second or two in the video so I doubt it’s a seized water pump or alternator. Verify you have a fully charged battery (12.4+ volts). Being a DIY guy, it’s easiest to pull the starter and have it bench tested at an auto parts store. A new one is likely in your future. ---
**Author:** ![John-Smith-4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@John-Smith-4](https://community.cartalk.com/u/John-Smith-4)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2024, 4:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-problem-or-something-else/196326/8 "2024-09-27T04:53:53Z")
Loosened the belt and all pulleys move fine except one. How would I get it to unjam? The sound in the video is just my young son playing, not the engine 🤣 ![1000004001](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/8/9/89d0381d844252cf051c9ec7cec92d19af012494.jpeg) [![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/8/2/82eb098962ace161f0eb3a99ad84235ac94c606c.jpeg "27 September 2024") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZbJn8rfsiY) ---
**Author:** ![John-Smith-4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@John-Smith-4](https://community.cartalk.com/u/John-Smith-4)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2024, 5:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-problem-or-something-else/196326/9 "2024-09-27T05:02:51Z")
![1000004010](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/c/1ce1770a4b92cf721ffa82040d163cba28b0b90e.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2024, 5:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-problem-or-something-else/196326/10 "2024-09-27T05:25:40Z")
Well, I don’t know this engine and the pics / video aren’t great, but that’s your crankshaft pulley. It’s not jammed - you’re just trying to turn it against engine compression. Take the belt all the way off and try to start it. If it starts don’t leave it running. “This is only a test” ---
**Author:** ![John-Smith-4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@John-Smith-4](https://community.cartalk.com/u/John-Smith-4)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2024, 5:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-problem-or-something-else/196326/12 "2024-09-27T05:55:31Z")
Ah okay. I’ll try starting it without a belt next. This is all new to me, I haven’t checked on these parts before With the ac compressor, is it normal for the inner part to move independently of the outer part where the belt rests on? Both move freely of each other ---
**Author:** ![John-Smith-4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@John-Smith-4](https://community.cartalk.com/u/John-Smith-4)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2024, 6:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-problem-or-something-else/196326/13 "2024-09-27T06:07:05Z")
It won’t start, almost as if its got a flat battery but the battery is testing fine. I’ll hook up some jumpers to our other car Edit; so the battery is testing good, and it has a green light on the battery itself… but we get more turnovers after charging it with jump cables, but it still won’t start. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2024, 1:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-problem-or-something-else/196326/14 "2024-09-27T13:31:42Z")
> [@John-Smith-4](#): > > With the ac compressor, is it normal for the inner part to move independently of the outer part where the belt rests on? Both move freely of each other That is perfectly normal, you are feeling (in simple terms) the clutch being disengaged, meaning the pulley is not engaged to the compressor, when an electrical current is added then the 2 parts will not turn separately of each other, meaning will feel like they are locked together… > [@John-Smith-4](#): > > It won’t start, almost as if its got a flat battery but the battery is testing fine. It cranks but will not start correct?? You may have knocked a plug loose, carefully look around where you have been dealing with the removal of the belt and check for any loose or unplugged connectors… Also check for blown fuses, as well as make sure you have everything plugged up dealing with intake side of the engine (air filter box area), sorry I am not familiar with your vehicle or engine… And as Cigroller already said, if that big pulley that will not turn by hand is able to turn by hand, you have other major problems… lol ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2024, 9:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-problem-or-something-else/196326/15 "2024-09-28T21:07:56Z")
If an engine cranks robustly, but won’t start, the most likely culprits are either no-spark, or no-fuel. I’ve experienced both at one time or another. And one weird problem was too much fuel. It’s possible you damaged something or blew a fuse during your first jump-start attempt. That might cause a no-spark problem. ---
**Author:** ![John-Smith-4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@John-Smith-4](https://community.cartalk.com/u/John-Smith-4)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2024, 12:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-problem-or-something-else/196326/16 "2024-10-06T00:43:37Z")
![20241006_114037](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/c/3/c31e45120363286462e1e1c58eeb2c12e39adff1.jpeg) Starter removed. The flywheel teeth are grinded on. The starter teeth look okay. Brought a new starter, but does it look like the flywheel itself is jammed? ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2024, 5:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-problem-or-something-else/196326/17 "2024-10-06T05:30:10Z")
Teeth look OK on the flywheel… Did you have the old starter bench tested to see if it is bad?? ---
**Author:** ![John-Smith-4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@John-Smith-4](https://community.cartalk.com/u/John-Smith-4)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2024, 8:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-problem-or-something-else/196326/18 "2024-10-06T08:47:53Z")
Didn’t get it tested, but spent the day installing the new starter motor. And it starts lol thank fuck!! After a test drive around the block, the smoke coming out the exhausts was quite heavy. Tomorrow ill do an oil change and fresh coolant. While doing the starter swap i had to disconnect the battery. Would this be a reason for the check engine on dash being there still? ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2024, 12:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-problem-or-something-else/196326/19 "2024-10-06T12:33:04Z")
> [@John-Smith-4](#): > > the smoke coming out the exhausts was quite heavy. Was it doing it before?? > [@John-Smith-4](#): > > i had to disconnect the battery. Would this be a reason for the check engine on dash being there still? The MIL/CEL should have gone off temporally when disconnecting the battery, so if it came right back on then something is wrong and you need to start by checking the codes… How long had the CEL been on?? ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2024, 9:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-problem-or-something-else/196326/20 "2024-10-06T21:31:27Z")
> [@John-Smith-4](#): > > test drive around the block, the smoke coming out the exhausts was quite heavy It’s possible the many failed attempts to start the engine may have flooded the engine w/diesel fuel and the excess fuel in the cylinders and exhaust system, is now causing a smoky exhaust. If that’s the case it should return to normal in a few miles driving.