Noise During Starting My 1991 Ls

[Zdeno]

Hi guys,

I have a question. Yesterday I drove home from memorial day trip. I drove around 800 miles and no problems with anything. On the way home in desert (there was more than 100 degrees) I parked my car because we needed to use a bathroom and I didn´t turn off the engine. So after about 20 minutes we were ready to go again and I was tired so my girlfriend had to drive. And now what happent. She didn´t notice that the car is still runing and she turned with the key to start the car for about 3 second. When I heard that noise I was you know. Today when I was starting my car I heard some dicky noise during starting. The starting process is normal but on the end of the starting process right before the engine is runing I can hear buzzzy noise. So do you guys think that she broke the starter ? I don´t have any lights-controls on my dash. I mean no Check engine, Tract light etc. Everything seens to be OK. So now I don´t know if it can be broke starter or something else. Thank you for some advice !!

[2GZ]

:cries: if its a run on type of buzz noise .......sorry.......but... the starter will fail in the future. no telling how long. cross your fingers. seen it before

[90LS400Lexus]

My car does this, but only in the winter when it is cold outside and only on the first start-up in the morning. Perhaps 50 degrees or colder it will do it. It is like it is still engaged for a few moments after I release the key. Since we have not been below 50 for several weeks, it has not done it again. I doubt that you have 50 degree weather this time of year (depending upon your location), but it sounds like whatever happened really increased the normal "wear" speed. Hopefully your starter was not ruined. Hopefully mine will not start doing it again until winter comes- or it drops to below 50 for lows- which normally does not occur here until late October. What was the temperature outside when you started the car today? Did it only do it once?

I have heard that a starter and replacement can be quite $$$$ on these cars. My uncle had to have the starter replaced on my aunts 90' LS400 in North Carolina and he said it was about a $900 repair over there. :o

If it is indeed a starter going out, I will probably sell my car before winter arrives in the next 6 months. :P

[Zdeno]

Thank you guys it is really good to hear that right now before I´ll go to the bed :( . 90Ls400 today it was about 80 when I started my car and the first time it was bad and the next start wasn´t sooo bad but I the noise is there all the time ! I don´t know if I need to change it right now or it can be OK for a while. OK guys THANK you very much for now !! 90LS400 How long time you have this problem on your car ? Thax again

[VMF]

this is the sound of the gear in the starter clutch, and yes it might broke anytime now, i mean starter will be ok and it will spin, but the clutch will not connect starter motor with the flywheel. your gear is dying:( and the process of changing the starter is really painfull.

[Zdeno]

Thank you ! I just looking to my repair manual and it doesn´t seens to be so panfull. Why do you think so ???

[Zdeno]

Just found why it is so painfull. The cylinder heads need to be removed.

[99lsguy]

Just found why it is so painfull. The cylinder heads need to be removed.

Yeah Z.......

Your girlfriend just chipped a seriously bad tooth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry to hear the story. Its a monster of a job

I'm just wondering if part of the gear is also down in the flywheel / tranny area I don't want to even go there............

[99lsguy]

I have heard that a starter and replacement can be quite $$$$ on these cars. My uncle had to have the starter replaced on my aunts 90' LS400 in North Carolina and he said it was about a $900 repair over there. :o

If it is indeed a starter going out, I will probably sell my car before winter arrives in the next 6 months. :P

90LS,

I agree with this decision completely.