Scary noise on startup.

[Tally_4.6]

Within the last week my car has been making this weird noise when the car cranks up. It sounds like 2 wires scratching together making a spark(just sayin what it sounds like) or something scratching really fast. This is kinda limited info but it usually happens in the cold or when the car has been sitting. If its hot or has been driven it usually doesn't do it, but it only makes the noise for like 2-3 seconds anyway. I dunno.

Anyboy got any ideas?? thanks

 

[fastangboi]

check your oil level

 

[chimchim]

sell it

 

[Tally_4.6]

check your oil level

I just changed it about 400 miles ago so it should be good, but tomorrow i guess i'll check it.

sell it

Why is that?

 

[COramprat]

Why is that?

He is being an ass...

If it sounds electrical check your plug wires. Best way yo look for an arc is to get it in a dark place during start-up and see if you see the arc.

 

[Crzyhrse]

I can't say for sure, but it sounds like what happened with my '93 GT. Just out of the blue it would make arcing sounds upon start up. I went through 3 starters in 50,000 miles. I took it to a mechanic and they found some wire that was loose or touching something else.

 

[DTNODYA]

Within the last week my car has been making this weird noise when the car cranks up. It sounds like 2 wires scratching together making a spark(just sayin what it sounds like) or something scratching really fast. This is kinda limited info but it usually happens in the cold or when the car has been sitting. If its hot or has been driven it usually doesn't do it, but it only makes the noise for like 2-3 seconds anyway. I dunno.

Anyboy got any ideas?? thanks

My car is doing the exact same ****. Is it like a clakity-scratch-clakity (lol) sound? Seriously, is it? I am trying to figure out why my car just started doing this ... only when cold and been sitting ...

Sometimes it blows a cloud of smoke too.

 

[Tally_4.6]

If it sounds electrical check your plug wires. Best way yo look for an arc is to get it in a dark place during start-up and see if you see the arc.

Ok how do i go about doing that? Pull a plug wire at night and look at it while starting? The car starts fine tho.

My car is doing the exact same ****. Is it like a clakity-scratch-clakity (lol) sound? Seriously, is it? I am trying to figure out why my car just started doing this ... only when cold and been sitting ...

Sometimes it blows a cloud of smoke too.

Yeah i gotcha, but mine doesn't blow out smoke.

 

[COramprat]

Nah...just visually inspect the plug wires to see if you have a broken one. If it has been a while since you swapped them out go ahead and replace. Otherwise try getting someone to start the car while you look at the engine bay during start-up.

 

[Tally_4.6]

Well i checked the plugs & wires on my left bank today, which all had some coolant in em so i cleaned that out. The right bank seemed pretty clean so i wasn't about to tear into those. And i'm pretty sure my intake is cracked but nothing major has happened so i haven't bothered with it.

But the noise is still there.

 

[Tally_4.6]

I also noticed this morning it kinda cutout on me while turning the key and tryin to get it to turn over. Could this be a plug wire problem? Since i got the car i haven't changed the plug wires, would it be wise to?

 

[COramprat]

I also noticed this morning it kinda cutout on me while turning the key and tryin to get it to turn over. Could this be a plug wire problem? Since i got the car i haven't changed the plug wires, would it be wise to?

I would. Definatly couldn't hurt.

 

[Skidzz]

How long has it been since you had a tune-up? If it's been a while, maybe you should just replace your plus/wires all together.

 

[Tally_4.6]

How long has it been since you had a tune-up? If it's been a while, maybe you should just replace your plus/wires all together.

Well lets see, i bought the car with about 103k on the clock, and with a motor with about 80xxx miles in it. So in all likelyhood they prolly have never been changed.

Oh wait, i checked and cleaned all the plugs a couple thousand miles ago which were new. Maybe its just the plug wires?

 

[Skidzz]

Well lets see, i bought the car with about 103k on the clock, and with a motor with about 80xxx miles in it. So in all likelyhood they prolly have never been changed.

Oh wait, i checked and cleaned all the plugs a couple thousand miles ago which were new. Maybe its just the plug wires?

Ok, try cleaning both ends of each wire AND clean the terminals on your distributors. If that doesn't work, THEN try changing the wires.