What sets apart the sounds of starter motors?

"traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn" (el-peasant) 10/17/2016 at 19:52 • Filed to: None

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It seems to be differentiated by brand and engine though I have no idea why. GM and Chrysler V8s have their own unique sound. Ford V8s have that deep chug-chug-chug. Old V8s have that groaning, sluggish sound. Ferrari V12s have a squeaky twirly sound.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 10/17/2016 at 19:58

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It has to due with the pitch (angle) of the teeth on the flywheel and starter gear, the number of teeth, how hard they are meshed together (small block chevys make a uniquely recognizable sound when the mesh is wrong, which is most of the time), how fast you are spinning, and what you are spinning.

Boxer_4 > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 10/17/2016 at 20:01

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The reason Chrysler starters sounded the way they did was because they used a gear-reduction starter. Basically, the starter run through its own little gearbox, which allowed Chrysler to use a starter motor that was lighter, drew less current, and could turn at a higher speed, while still having enough cranking torque to start the engine.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 10/17/2016 at 20:05

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helical vs straight cut gears,

also

same reason reverse always sounds different.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Boxer_4 10/17/2016 at 20:08

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Nice audio on that engine.

Urambo Tauro > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 10/17/2016 at 20:13

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Come to think of it, the starter on my ’96 Thunderbird (4.6) was one that stood out to me. It always sounded very “enthusiastic” to start, even in the winter time, like it was spinning faster than what I’m otherwise used to. I think I’ve heard it referred to as a mini-starter, but I never bothered to look up exactly what that means.

I don’t own the car anymore, but I found a video that sounds exactly like mine did:

jimz > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 10/17/2016 at 20:16

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old cars were easy, you either had direct drive (Ford, GM) or reduction-gear (Chrysler) starters.

modern cars are a bit murkier. reduction-gears starters are ridiculously common now, but even they sound different. for example, the 2012 Mustang GT sounded like this on start-up:

in 2014 they changed the starter/supplier and it sounds like this:

jimz > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 10/17/2016 at 20:17

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there’s no pitch on the flywheel ring gear and starter pinion, they’re straight-cut spur gears.

lone_liberal > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 10/17/2016 at 20:17

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Because Chevy starters require a bunch of trial and error to get the thickness of the required shims right and few people take the time to do it. Hence the high frequency whine of gears not quite meshing correctly.

Die-Trying > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 10/17/2016 at 20:21

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theres a whole lot that makes starters sound unique............. number of wire wraps on the armature, the pitch of the teeth, like tTCsquirrel said, the engagement mesh of the teeth on starter to flywheel, the size of the battery and gauge of wire to the starter, the ignition timing events(way advanced for a slow crank/ way retarded for a fast hyperactive one) not to mention gear reduction starters for high torque applications.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 10/17/2016 at 20:25

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80-90's V6 Toyotas have a very distinctive sound.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > jimz 10/17/2016 at 20:33

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Pitch is the angle (along the circumference of the gear) between the teeth. It exists no matter how the gear is cut as long as it has teeth.

jimz > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 10/17/2016 at 20:43

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yeah, foo on me for forgetting that. I was thinking “pitch” as in propellers and mistakenly equated it to helix angle.

deekster_caddy > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 10/17/2016 at 20:44

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I’ll have to do a startup vid of my MG. Completely different sound than all those mentioned. Plus it has a hand crank in case the starter binds, which must have used to be a frequent occurrence...

Berang > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 10/17/2016 at 20:48

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Lucas starters make british cars silent.

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > jimz 10/17/2016 at 20:54

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2012 had the ol’ modular starter

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > jimz 10/17/2016 at 21:05

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Yea gears are confusing, especially when you have to design them. Luckily there are plugins to generate them in most CAD programs.

jimz > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 10/17/2016 at 21:09

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the 5.0/5.2 are still Modular engines.

wafflesnfalafel > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 10/17/2016 at 21:15

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90's Hondas are pretty distinctive as well

Land_Yacht_225 > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 10/17/2016 at 21:15

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More cylinders, more music!

V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches > Land_Yacht_225 10/18/2016 at 01:49

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I wish my trunk opened that easily...

Land_Yacht_225 > V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches 10/18/2016 at 08:05

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Your trunk pull-down mechanism getting weak?

V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches > Land_Yacht_225 10/18/2016 at 08:26

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Well no, my PSE pump is out so I need my key to open it... And oddly my car wasn’t optioned with the trunk closing motor. I’ve gotta do it myself.

Land_Yacht_225 > V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches 10/18/2016 at 12:21

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The power trunk lid was optional? On the S600? You’re kidding.

I’m actually unclear on how the power mechanism works. Like, the motors and everything are so strong I would swear the car has already had them replaced; I thought the latch was electric, but with a soft close pull down function. However, mine just comes down on you with the force of 10,000 boulders and crashes into the latch itself. Then there is an odd whirring noise and on very rare occasions I have to give it a push to engage the latch.

V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches > Land_Yacht_225 10/18/2016 at 12:41

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Yep.