Hopefully this makes sense. Over the last day or so my sons panda is making a screeching noise. The car starts first time on the key but the starter motor sounds like it’s still attempting to start the car. I mean it’s when You hear someone who attempts to start a car when it’s already started and you hear a screech until they stop it? Any ideas, I’m tempted to put it downto a characteristic and ignore until it fails but would welcome any advice. Thanks, Kevin.

PandaParent said:

Hopefully this makes sense. Over the last day or so my sons panda is making a screeching noise. The car starts first time on the key but the starter motor sounds like it’s still attempting to start the car. I mean it’s when You hear someone who attempts to start a car when it’s already started and you hear a screech until they stop it? Any ideas, I’m tempted to put it downto a characteristic and ignore until it fails but would welcome any advice. Thanks, Kevin.

Click to expand...

Slip off the 'fan belt' and see if it still does it..

:yeahthat:
normally a smooth screech if the belt is slipping and a gritty screech from the alternator bearings

or clutch release bearing. Which can be tested by starting the car with the clutch pedal down

Water pumps will also make the screech. How old is the timing belt?

Thanks to all for the feedback so far, some additional info / update. The car has limited (read nil) service information apart from when it was initially in warranty. As such I’m going to assume the timing belt is orignal, probably the case for all the belts! In hindsight the use of the term screech was probably slightly misleading - it’s not the sound a belt makes when slipping but more mechanical high pitched. It really did sound like the noise when someone attempts to start an already started car and you hear that noise. You will notice I said ‘did’ well after dropping me off to work this morning my son called to say he stalled the car but on restarting the noise had gone and subsequent starts have been noise free - does this fall into my approach of ignore until smoking, failure occurs? Thx, Kevin

Almost..

Im sure a garage would have charged for that ' fix'...

This sounds a bit like the starter motor is not disengaging fast enough.

I had a similar issue a few years ago with an Alfa I owned at the time and when I mentioned it to the garage that was doing a service for me they said it might be solved with some lube on the starter motor. After the service I never had the problem again.

Funnily enough I have just bought a Panda and noticed a similar noise the other morning (I have only had it just over a week). I put it down to the car not being used regularly by the previous owner and will wait ti see if it reoccurs. It was very cold this morning but no worrying noise on start-up.

Perhaps you need to investigate whether there are any lube points on the starter motor/ solenoid. Sorry but I have no idea how accessible this might be on the Panda yet......

Only obvious component to blame:

Starter it self.. remaining engaged.

Would need removing to investigate.

So back to your original approach.

If it aint broke. Etc

Charlie

A stuck starter motor will over-rev until the armature bursts. If that locks the motor, it risks damaging the flywheel ring gear. So while it's probably fine (just needing to be used a few times), it would be wise to take the motor off and confirm it is all moving smoothly.

My girlfriends 100hp has started doing this in the really cold mornings now and again for a second or 2 when it starts.

Going to leave it until the better weather unless it gets worse.
Annoying as I did the clutch a few months back so should have done it then!

dac69er said:

My girlfriends 100hp has started doing this in the really cold mornings now and again for a second or 2 when it starts.

Going to leave it until the better weather unless it gets worse.
Annoying as I did the clutch a few months back so should have done it then!

Click to expand...

does it still do it if you start the car with the clutch pedal down ?

brooking147 said:

This sounds a bit like the starter motor is not disengaging fast enough.

I had a similar issue a few years ago with an Alfa I owned at the time and when I mentioned it to the garage that was doing a service for me they said it might be solved with some lube on the starter motor. After the service I never had the problem again.

Funnily enough I have just bought a Panda and noticed a similar noise the other morning (I have only had it just over a week). I put it down to the car not being used regularly by the previous owner and will wait ti see if it reoccurs. It was very cold this morning but no worrying noise on start-up.

Perhaps you need to investigate whether there are any lube points on the starter motor/ solenoid. Sorry but I have no idea how accessible this might be on the Panda yet......

Click to expand...

theirs nothing that can be oiled without taking the starter motor of


it at the back of the engine. Can be done from the top. Two bolts. You will have to feel for them. Only a 5-10 minute job if you have done one before. First one will probably take 1/2 hour or more. Worth check its really the fault before changing.


I have had 2x ignition switches fail (intermittent starting)and 1x release bearing(noisy on starting) but never the starter motor on two cars with over 350000 miles between them.


if you go the breakers the Grande punto is the same but the standard punto is different.


If you take it off at the breaker yourself take some cutters with you. Leave the main power cable from the battery connected just unbolt and unclip it. useful for fixing a faulty earth, and cut the other wires. Far quicker and easer.

As well as the starter dog sticking in, it can also be caused by dry/worn bearings whirling in the starter. If it's not a grinding noise but a squeal that 'slows down' and is gone after a second, it's likely this.

pandas do seem to be affected by this bendix failure
as said only cure albeit maybe temporary is to take the starter motor out and lube the bendix shaft with a very light oil like wd40,i prefer duck oil,if you use anything thicker it has the propensity to allow dust to stick to it thus causing further problems
best solution is starter change though
just done one on a c1 (it wouldnt throw the bendix out ( i changed the starter) after say 20 starts) and the engine spins much much quicker now so the starter was obviously tired

WD40 isn't a lubricant and is well known to cause gumming up with sewing machines and fishing reels.

I personally have seen both a sewing machine jammed solid and a headphone socket switch stuck by using WD40.

In some cases the starter motor one-way clutch will fail. Then you get a "Whe-ee" sound from the starter (as it flicks out of engagement) but the engine wont actually turn over.

koalar said:

WD40 isn't a lubricant and is well known to cause gumming up with sewing machines and fishing reels.

I personally have seen both a sewing machine jammed solid and a headphone socket switch stuck by using WD40.

Click to expand...

wd40s main ingredients. it containts some light libricating oil:

• 50% "aliphatic hydrocarbons". The manufacturer's website claims this ratio in the current formulation cannot accurately be described as Stoddard solvent, a similar mixture of hydrocarbons.[16]
• <25% petroleum base oil. Presumably a mineral oil or light lubricating oil.
• 12–18% low vapor pressure aliphatic hydrocarbon. Reduces the liquid's viscosity so that it can be used in aerosols. The hydrocarbon evaporates during application.
• 2–3% carbon dioxide. A propellant which is now used instead of the original liquefied petroleum gas to reduce WD-40's flammability. (A bulk liquid version, without a propellant, is also manufactured for industrial use.)
• <10% inert ingredients.

it usually gums things up as the solvents loosen any deposits and then they congeal once the solvents have flashed off.

used correctly, it is fine as a lubricant as long as you dont expect too much from it.

koalar said:

does it still do it if you start the car with the clutch pedal down ?

Click to expand...

im not sure tbh. why do you ask?
shouldnt really make any difference? im sure it will fix itself when the weather warms up!

dac69er said:

im not sure tbh. why do you ask?
shouldnt really make any difference? im sure it will fix itself when the weather warms up!

Click to expand...

If the clutch bearing is noisy it will screech with the pedal down.

dac69er said:

wd40s main ingredients. it containts some light libricating oil:

• 50% "aliphatic hydrocarbons". The manufacturer's website claims this ratio in the current formulation cannot accurately be described as Stoddard solvent, a similar mixture of hydrocarbons.[16]
• <25% petroleum base oil. Presumably a mineral oil or light lubricating oil.
• 12–18% low vapor pressure aliphatic hydrocarbon. Reduces the liquid's viscosity so that it can be used in aerosols. The hydrocarbon evaporates during application.
• 2–3% carbon dioxide. A propellant which is now used instead of the original liquefied petroleum gas to reduce WD-40's flammability. (A bulk liquid version, without a propellant, is also manufactured for industrial use.)
• <10% inert ingredients.

it usually gums things up as the solvents loosen any deposits and then they congeal once the solvents have flashed off.

used correctly, it is fine as a lubricant as long as you dont expect too much from it.

Click to expand...

basically

mineral spirits
mineral oil
candle wax

great for some things. But this isn't a place I would use it ?