Starter noise

[RavenWolf]

I have a 98 Galant DE, 2.4, 5spd. My starter went out. All it does is click when I turn the key. I wired it straight to the battery and it turns fine and fast. I had a back up starter, which I put it, but I can't seem to get the car to start. It makes a grinding noise like the teeth aren't engaging the flywheel right...Are there any tricks to getting the teeth to line up right, or is it just plug and play?

[mko]

yeah, you can swap the solenoid on top of the starter. thats what pulls the wheel to engage the flywheel. make sure you keep track of where the wires go.

[RavenWolf]

So I got it started...It was a turn key click, turn key, click, turn key, struggle to crank, turn key, started. I checked both solenoids and starters. They all worked wired directly to the battery. By searching I've narrowed it down to either the ignition switch or the starter relay.

[eksz]

Starter is just a plug and play item. I believe 7gs with automatic transmissions used a different starter than was used on 5 speed so make sure the second starter is correct for your transmission.

If starter spins when you have it directly wired to the battery you need to note if the gear wheel spins out to the end of the starter. The solenoid on top of the starter (as identified by MKO) pushes the gear out when the starter is spinning to engage the flywheel ring gear and turn the engine over. If the solenoid on top of the starter is bad the starter motor can still spin the gear, it just won'tpush the gear out to engage the ring gear and so the car does not start.

If you replaced the starter with another starter that you know to be good, and you have the same problem, then I'd guess the problem to be in your ignition system. BTW, auto zone will test your starter for you for free in hopes of selling you one.

FYI: My 94ES requires me to turn the key to try and start it and it does nothing. No noise, no nothing. I then turn the key off and repeat the process and it always starts that second time. I have no idea why it does that but I can't remember the last time it started the first time I turn the key.