Clutch or starter?

**Nosws6** · 02-29-2008, 03:28 PM

Is it possible for the starter to go and act like a blown clutch? I have been hearing a whine sound when depressing the clutch and last night my car died while disengaging the clutch. I thought it was my clutch but my mechanic said he thought it was the starter and wanted to replace that before digging out my car.

Thoughts?

**greenvilleTA** · 02-29-2008, 03:34 PM

Usually a noise while depressing the ckutch would be the throwout bearing. I don't see how a bad starter would cause the car to die while disengaging the clutch. Maybe the throwout bearing hit a snag and caused a bind making your motor die?????

**Nosws6** · 02-29-2008, 03:35 PM

My mechanic said that the starter has something to do with the flywheel?

**greenvilleTA** · 02-29-2008, 03:39 PM

When your starter is engaged, the bendex will shoot out and spin to engage the flywheel which is what spins your motor to start. Unless you turned your starter while disengaging your clutch, this shouldn't have anyting remotely to do with your engine stalling...plus, you would hear a hideous grinding sound if your starter engaged while your motor was spinning. I still don't see the starter being any feasible solution.

**Wesman** · 02-29-2008, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by Nosws6

My mechanic said that the starter has something to do with the flywheel?

Thats only if the starter is hanging up, which would only occur during startup.

The starter has nothing to do with engine, clutch, or transmission operation once the vehicle is running.

**Nosws6** · 02-29-2008, 03:46 PM

What if the bendex doesnt retract? and is stuck in the flywheel?

**greenvilleTA** · 02-29-2008, 03:50 PM

Then it would have been grinding the whole time your engine was started...starter engagement has nothing to do with clutch engagement. Plus, if that happened your motor definitely woudn't have started back up due to your starter being in pieces.

**greenvilleTA** · 02-29-2008, 03:50 PM

Honestly, I'd be looking more along the lines of the slave cylinder and throwout bearing.

**Wesman** · 02-29-2008, 03:55 PM

Originally Posted by Nosws6

What if the bendex doesnt retract? and is stuck in the flywheel?

It would make an extremely loud whining sound, and then the starter would come apart in lots of pieces. They aren't designed to spin faster than the engine would normally idle.

**Nosws6** · 03-10-2008, 02:46 PM

So after all is said and done my starter ended up in pieces and I had to order a new clutch...got the ls7. Picking it up today and can't wait. Thanks for the info guys, it definitely helped to understand exactly what happened and be educated about it. That is why this site rocks.