Car grinds when I try to start it. Replaced starter twice.

[Yashio]

First off, my car is a 1998 Q45. When I bought my car, the car would grind every now and then when I try to start the car. The grinding noise has a winding effect to it. Sometime last summer, I replaced the starter with a new, yet used starter and it still grinds. Assuming the used starter I had was also bad, I decided to just go with a brand new starter that I should have done to begin with. The car still grinds every once in awhile with the brand new starter. The grinding isn't the starter. Does anybody have any ideas what the problem could be?

I'm guessing the teeth on the flywheel are bad (if automatics have flywheels) but I'm really hoping it's something simple. I've already had to replace the start twice. It's not fun.

[jltibbs]

They don't have a fly wheel per se, they have a flex plate. You may have a bad spot on it, but not really anyway to tell without removal that I'm aware of. Where did you buy your starter, and what brand is it? That could play a significant role as well.

[Yashio]

The first starter I replaced with was pulled from another car. I don't recall the brand it was. I purchased the second starter brand new from Advance Auto and I think the brand is 'Worldwide'.

[qship96]

Chances are the flexplate has damaged teeth or is bent. there is a small metal plate sandwiched in at the bottom of area between engine and transmission that can be unbolted and removed to visually inspect the flywheel- or you can remove starter and inspect flexplate while someone slowly turns engine with wrench applied to crankshaft pully- if flexplate is damaged transmission must be dropped to replace it and brand new oem plate and starter should be installed.