Starter Motor Screech

[Cody]

Hi Guys,
Hope you don't mind a lady posting but I have a husband who is computer illiterate and we have a problem with our Td5 2004 Model Landrover. Started with not being able to start, and traced it to the starter motor. Replaced selenoid and contacts, and also the brushes even though Land Rover said it could not be done. Just bought generic brushes that were a correct fit and ground them down. All good and then about 5 days later when turning the key came the dreaded metal screeching of the bendix hitting the flywheel, and at the same time the M & S lights started flashing. Intermittent from then on but loathe to wreck the ring gear obviously. Starter motor removed bench tested all good. New battery up to specs for the ecu. Today my husband cleaned the gearbox ecu contacts and found one was oily (caused by another problem)so M & S lights have gone out, and keeping fingers crossed. However the screeching is still happening. We are wondering what could have happened from replacing the components as above in the starter motor, and why this is happening as all was good before. Sorry to be so long winded but thought it best to give you the whole picture. Love this car but it has given us so much grief and everyone has twenty different answers that generally are not right but cost a lot of money!

Your forum seems full of people who are very knowledgeable about the Land Rover so hope you can help.
Much Appreciated and Thanks in advance.

[bsperka]

To isolate the problem, have you tried the starter on the bench? No load obviously, but it may be the gears need grease?
BTW: don't understand your qualifier about being a female. Please don't do that again.

[alpick]

Is your battery up to scratch. Get it properly tested with an analogue load tester (digital testers don't cut it).

My experience in an old D1was a "screeching" starter, replaced starter, still screeching, replaced battery, all good. Very expensive battery!!

[Cody]

Thanks all for your reply, sorry about the female bit but trust me a lot of guys don't like us talking about mechanics and that is from experience. But point taken I will not mention it again. Yes to bench test, all good, and battery has been tested, it is new and way above the specs required. The M&S lights that I thought were fixed have reared their ugly head again so is there a connection? A mechanic this morning said it is definitely the bendix but have been told you cannot get this part. I just get frustrated when mechanics replace stuff at thousands of dollars and it is not the problem so that is why I have decided to try and source the problem myself. Maybe if someone knows if there is a connection between the starter motor and the lights flashing that could steer us in the right direction.
This has only started since the starter motor was overhauled.
Cheers & many thanks

[Judo]

I've read that the M&S light is often an indication of a flat battery. If your battery is definitely OK, then what about power/earth connections? Maybe an electrical problem is causing it? Just an idea. Good luck and hopefully someone else will jump in.

[Tombie]

As mentioned above.. M&S lights are very commonly related to battery issues.

Can you test another good battery for a day or 2?

[alpick]

Specifically the earth lead on the starter can be a culprit .

[Blknight.aus]

theres a very distinct difference between armature squeal and shaft screech.

Both are bad.

Armature squeal can be caused by the battery not doing its bit or dirty contacts or bad earth and its basically your brushes killing themselves thats making the noise. It sounds sort of halfway between nails down a blackboard and an mig welder doing high amp work.

starter motor screeching is usually the sprag clutch that handles the overrun and it sounds like the scary noise that a metal cutting band saw makes when the blade is blunt and is being over fed juuust before it snaps. most people hear this noise once and are too scared to turn the key again.

[Cody]

Thankyou Blknight, it appears you are right!! Found out it was the clutch in the starter motor and had to get a new one so it is all fixed. Apparently the M & S lights come on because the ecu senses that the car is not starting correctly so sends out a warning, and will also cause you to go into limp mode. Obviously the clutch was intermittent which was the puzzling part.
Again thankyou to everyone for your input, much appreciated.
Until next time!!:D