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Engine Mechanical TopicsDiscussion for motor builds, cams, head work, stripped bolts and other engine related issues. The good and the bad. If it goes round and around or up and down, post it here.
03 Heritage, ~17k, carb, Stock jugs/heads, HQ 0034 cams, adjustable pushrods, stock lifters, tensioner shoes replaced with cyco, cam bearings replaced, newish Interstate battery, original starter.
I ran 3-4 gallons of non-ethanol 94 through her about a month ago. Was gonna burn the last bit of fuel before a teardown for BB/headwork. Has probably sat for a month without being started. It's in an unheated garage in Massachusetts so it's been chilly but not freezing too often. It's been on the tender the entire time.
I went to fire it up, turned over slowly 2-3 times then an awful screeching sound that seemed to follow the engine rotation. I let of the starter, tried again and the same thing. Never started and I'm hesitant to even try again. Sounded like a piece of something where it shouldn't be. Everything was fine when I put it away.
. I was thinking I may get a new starter after the cylinders/ headwork anyways, CCP will be right around 200.
. Any suggestions before I start throwing time and money at it would be great. I'd like to get it figured out before teardown.
The obvious first steps in my mind would be to check all your fluids. for level and for any metallic flakes sparkling in the oil when seen in the light. The next thing I would do pull the spark plugs, and turn the engine over by hand. Maybe if you can get the rear wheel in the air, you can spin the rear wheel while it's in a high gear. Without the spark plugs in, it should turn over very easy. This will eliminate the starter from the equation and maybe you will get some clues looking at the plugs or finding the exact engine position the screeching noisy is happening at. If it's in the valve train then the noise should occur every other revolution of the engine. Crank/piston assembly would probably be on each revolution. If you have a bore scope (about $50 for one off of Amazon that hooks up to your smart phone) you can send a camera down the spark plug hole and look for piston face damage or scored cylinder walls.
The real truth is that without being there to experience the noise it's awful hard to "armchair" diagnose.
So I pulled the plugs. Turned it over by hand, nothing strange in the jugs, heads or cam chest. Hit the starter once quick. Definitely coming from the starter/primary area. Drained everything, motor oil is fine, primary is full of metal. Thinking starter isn't popping out all the way. I'll crack the primary this weekend.
So I pulled the plugs. Turned it over by hand, nothing strange in the jugs, heads or cam chest. Hit the starter once quick. Definitely coming from the starter/primary area. Drained everything, motor oil is fine, primary is full of metal. Thinking starter isn't popping out all the way. I'll crack the primary this weekend. Primary plug
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Screeching on startup
