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Q: Grinding noise and backfiring during startup

asked by on August 18, 2016

The truck intermittently won't start. Some days it wouldn't start at all. Other times, it has difficulty starting. There are no problems when it's running though. When it start cranking or turning over, it begins making this awful grinding noise. It sounds like two pieces of metal hitting. Also, the engine would backfire a bit. I had the starter and flywheel replaced but the issue remained. What should I do?

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The starter on this vehicle requires a shim, so its possible that got left out when the starter was replaced. This could cause starter engagement problems and the metal on metal noise you’re hearing. Backfiring, on the other hand, is caused by an engine performance problem such as incorrect engine timing or a rich air/fuel ratio. I suggest you have a professional, such as one from YourMechanic, diagnose your starting issue and repair your vehicle firsthand.

GMC
engines
flywheels
Noises
Starters
Backfire
Suburban
1999
V8-5.7L
C1500
grinding
cranking
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