Over the past year I have noticed when I start my car the starter seems to grind/ stay stuck to the flywheel only when it is cold or I havent started the car in a few days. It never does it during the summer or when I drive it multiple times during the day. Is this a sign the starter is wearing out? Anything I can do to stop it or fix it, besides put in a new starter? Anyone else have this problem?
Thanks

 

It happened to me once, i just held it a bit longer... Let it grind off any soot or debris that was stuck on the brushes.. Never happened again since. But I have been told that there is this spray that you can use that conditions it..

 

have the same problem.

 

I had this issue and limped the car along for a while by carefully timing when I let go of the starter button. It continued to get worse and I eventually replaced the starter - only way I found to fix it.

This has also been covered before: https://www.s2ki.com/search/forums?forum=22...y=starter+grind

 

Make sure it's not your timing chain tensioner. They make a noise that is mistaken at times for a sticking starter.

 

You need a new starter. I replaced mine last year because when it was cold, the spline was slow to disengage. I was told that if you let it continue, the flywheel can get damaged.

 

It was a pretty silly decision on my part to "control" the symptoms even if it can be done. The flywheel hopefully has teeth stronger than then starter but even if it does that won't preclude damage to it, only minimize it. If the flywheel gets damaged you'll be removing the starter to replace it too and a whole lot more.

Service it ASAP but if you must drive it try to let go of the starter button a little earlier than usual to give the starter time to retract before the engine actually fires up.

 

Thanks for the help