Yes, MD Auto Repair advises that motor oil can cause harm to the starter. Usually, you can plan to get about 100,000 miles out of the starter that was installed in the factory. If your starter begins to act as if it is dying prematurely, it’s possible that you have an oil leak in the engine. The bad news is the oil leak could be caused by a blown head gasket, which requires an extensive repair. If the head gasket is leaking, the starter will get saturated with motor oil and this will damage the motor to the point that it will no longer work. Here are signs that your starter is going bad.
ODD NOISES
You slide into the driver’s seat and press the start button. Instead of the engine starting, you hear a clicking noise. Eventually, the engine fires up. This clicking noise is a sign that the starter was struggling to engage. Aside from clicking, the starter may also whir. To play it safe, drive to our shop right away so we can replace the starter. You may not get another warning that it is going bad.
DEAD ENGINE
In fact, the next time that you try to start your automobile, you may find that you are stuck with a dead engine. This is a sign that the starter motor has died. When you press the start button or turn the ignition key, the starter is the ignition part that turns over the engine. Without this action, the engine cannot get fuel and air and it will be unable to start.
ILLUMINATED LIGHTS
The first thing you should do if the engine is dead is open your car door to see if the interior lights turn on. Check your dashboard lights and your headlights and taillights. If all of the lights illuminate and look normal, i.e., they aren’t too dim, you can rest assured that your battery and alternator are fine.
The lights would not work if the battery were dead or the alternator was malfunctioning. Consequently, the fact that you can’t get the engine started points to a problem with the starter. You will need to call for assistance to get your vehicle towed to our shop.
BURNING/SMOKE
Failing to do this and continuing to turn the ignition key is only going to overheat the motor inside of the starter. Eventually, you will start to detect a burning order in the engine and see smoke.
MD Auto Repair in Kansas City, MO, is here to help, so call us today. We would be happy to install a new starter in your engine.
