As I'm driving around, or even just letting it idle, a rattling sound sometimes starts. I think it's the starter trying to engage the flywheel randomly. Is that possible? Could the starter gear be lossely sliding around hitting the flywheel making the sound? I don't know if I should replace the starter. I'll try to get a sound clip of the rattle if it helps.

 

I just had an issue that sounds exactly like yours. Ended up being my flex plate.. I took my trans off and did all this in a hole I dug underneath my car lmfaoo. So long long story short.. My flexplate was cracked.. Just replaced it noise gone :P

 

Is a cracked flexplate an obvious thing to see? I have to drop the trans to fix that don't I?

 

Look pretty good- sometimes the weld that holds the ring gear will fail,
also look around the flywheel bolts.

See how easy the starter bendix pulls out from the solenoid.

 

Ill have to check that sometime soon. And find a way to fix it, The sound is obnoxious!

 

I have to admit, the first time I rebuilt a starter I forgot to put back the spring that pulls back the drive gear (for lack of a better description) after you disengage the starter. The armature assembly was just flopping around in there with nothing to hold it back from contacting the flex plate. It was making a helluva racket. It's only a couple bolts holding the starter on, check that first before you dive into something deeper.

 

Good idea...as soon as I have time!

 

Yup you have to pull the trans :P.. its really not that hard, although im extremely determined to get my car done to drive so I kinda didn't care how hard it was. If I can do it by myself no doubt you could.

The best way I can describe the sound is like a shoe tumbling around in the dryer.. but metal. It would come go come go come go.. annoying. Mostly when it was at an idle though. Thats when it was worse. A good way to check if its cracked is loosen the bolts from the torque converter and see if you can move the flex plate left to right.. then its cracked ;D

good luck!

 

The weather today is freezing after our 80 degree weather! Love New England. So I'll have to wait.