Went to start the car last night and it started to make a loud grinding sound under the bonnet. What I think it might be is the starter motor solenoid. Same sound as when the car is running and you try to start it again. The car runs fine when noise is gone just after starting and it is intermitting problem, the grinding sound only happened when starting??
Could it be completely some thing else, how can I fix.
Thanks..

 

It sounds like the starter solenoid, but it would be nice if you could describe the conditions better.

Are you saying that the car makes the grinding sound for a little while only after you let go of the start button? Does the noise stop abruptly or go away gradually (lessen in severity) each time it happens? Once the noise stops, does it reoccur, or is it completely gone until the next time you start the car?

Have you ruled out a bad timing chain tensioner?

 

It is just when you start the car. let go of the start button and it is like you are pressing the button again that kind of sound. It just stops after about 15sec and the car is back to normal, v-tec works fine and sounds perfect when running. Thats why I think it is the solenoid, everything else seems fine........
Is this a common problem with the S2000??

 

Your starter motor isn't disengaging from the flywheel all the time. It will get worse. Might need a starter rebuild or new starter.

 

If you know the part number that would be brill..
thanks for the help.

 

I noticed when I did my clutch that when Honda (during transmission repair) left out the upper starter bolt a bad wear pattern started on the starter gear. Let us know if something like this initiated your failure.

 

Sounds like the starter plunger is stuck. When the starter plunger is sticking, the pinion gear is still riding the flywheel and when the car starts it grinds it. Time for a starter rebuild or a new honda starter.

 

Must be an echo in here.

 

Sounds like the starter pinion is riding on the flywheel. The plunger may not be retracting fully. Consider rebuilding starter.

 

Back in the day, I started a thread called "starter afterun noise". I thought it was a sticking starter.

Turned out to be the timing chain tensioner. The s2k starter is held to extremely accurate spacing from the ring gear. I'm not feeling it's the starter.

You want a solid 100% answer, do a 10 sec walk around vid, with good audio of course, and post it here