Got in my car this morning, turned the key and it made a screaming noise - tried a feww times then it just turned over - does this mean my starter motor is on its way out? If so are they easy/costly to replace?

mine does this occasionally, but ONLY if I don't depress the clutch when starting

Sounds like a starter Motor to me or is it more of a squel when you first start up like slipping belts ?

nah, pretty sure its a starter motor, interesting what the other lad just said about a cluth depress tho - normally I start with clutch down but this morning I didnt??!!??

Hi Jason,

 

Mine did this for about 3 days, when i started it it screamed for about 5 secs and stopped, but didn't do it again for about 20 mins if you stopped it and tried again. I found it was the tensioner on the air-con belt, the bearing was totally knackered, i got a good second hand one from zedworld for £5:dance: Bargain

 

 

 

Baz

Hi Jason

 

If the screaming continues for a couple of minutes after starting, it could be the cam belt tensioner.

 

Not a serious problem, just annoying. Change it when the cambelt gets done next.

 

Richard:)

mine did it too in the cold weather. Once the big fan on the radiator started turning the screetching noise stopped. I put it down to the oil or whatever it is that is in the fan was extra cold and therefore thicker than normal and therefore the fan was more difficult to turn than normal hence a slipping belt hence the noise. Now that the weather is mild again, the noise has gone.

 

good luck

 

Jack

If it's more of a grinding screech before the starter engages and turns the engine it could be the bendix on the starter not making proper contact with the flywheel teeth. Either your starter is on the way out or your battery (not enough juice to spin the starter fast enough). Or some duff connections somewhere.

 

If it's a scream after the car has started, it's probably belts not tight enough. The necessary tension was described to me by the local Nissan bloke as that standard unit of measurement "F-tight".

 

HTH - Gio

I get exactly the same when my battery is low, espeically in this cold weather, give your battery a good charge :)