Starter grinding while cranking?

[tiny]

It sounds as if something is grinding while the engine cranks during cold starts. No issues when starting warm. Cranks slow but I had assumed this was due to lower temperatures and not due to increased resistance/burning contacts. Could it also be a misalignment with the ring gear on the flywheel or damaged gear teeth? Sounds pretty metal-on-metal. Thanks in advance!

 

 

[datzenmike]

Misalignment with the ring gear on the flywheel or damaged gear teeth wouldn't change when warmed up.

 

Make sure the battery terminals and cable ends are clean and tight first.

 

 

Batteries get tired, could be unable to hold it's charge from over night sitting. Try a cold start with booster cables from a known good battery.

[DIY 1985]

New rebuilt starter from Napa (after I experienced a (maybe) no-click solenoid issue).  Started grinding the rebuilt NAPA one.  I figured that it was a bendix issue because the gear teeth showed none of the grinding that I heard.  Replaced it, another NAPA one.  More of that grinding in the first week. 

 

So, I added a grounding strap for negative between the starter and the battery, on a whim.  I don't know if that actually fixed the problem, or if it was an improper rebuild on the bendix part of the starter(s), but, no more grinding.  However, I did pull a used starter from the scrap yard to carry in my bed box just to have, because, I have no confidence that I knew what problems I was chasing in the first place.