Z4 Starter Issue?? Legit?

I have a 2006 Z4 Coupe. I recently got some work done on my car due to an accident. I got the car back, but I still had a clutch issue which I took back and they fixed. When I got the car returned to me and my car turns on fine, no hesitation, but i can hear a loud enough noise when the car turns on. Then goes away after about a second. I can only explain it as kind of like a scratching ,grindish noise. BMW says its the starter and they can do the job, for about $800. The starter had no issues before/after the wreck, and there were no noises until after they installed the clutch. Are they trying to put on over on me, or does this sound legit?

Does it make that sound right after you turn over the engine, then you hear a big scratch/grinding sound?

If so, that's the starter. What's happening is the drive gear in the starter is not retracting as it should and makes contact with the flywheel as it spins.

How many miles on the Z?

Originally Posted by IgotBMW

Does it make that sound right after you turn over the engine, then you hear a big scratch/grinding sound?

If so, that's the starter. What's happening is the drive gear in the starter is not retracting as it should and makes contact with the flywheel as it spins.

How many miles on the Z?

yes, its immediately after, and it lasts maybe a second with that scratchy/grind sound...but there is no stutter or hesitation whatsoever when I start the engine...had someone tell me that when they changed the clutch, maybe they didn't align the starter correctly to the ring gear ...is the ring gear different from the flywheel? 5,000 miles, but again, didn't have any issue before or after the accident, and even when I got it back before the clutch issue, it didn't make any sounds..

The ring gear is pressed on to the outside of the flywheel - they are essentially joined together as one piece. When the starter is turning, a small gear extends on the starter shaft to engage the ring gear - when you release the key, that gear should almost immediately disengage.

On older starters grinding can happen as the lubrication goes away on that sliding starter gear, or as the override clutch/spring wears out - but it can also occur with a good starter when not mounted at the right distance and angle from the ring gear. On some vehicles shims are used to set the correct spacing.

If the noise was not happening at all before your clutch work, and is happening now 100 percent of the time, I'd be pretty sure they got something out of whack when they put it back together.

Originally Posted by WestCDA

The ring gear is pressed on to the outside of the flywheel - they are essentially joined together as one piece. When the starter is turning, a small gear extends on the starter shaft to engage the ring gear - when you release the key, that gear should almost immediately disengage.

On older starters grinding can happen as the lubrication goes away on that sliding starter gear, or as the override clutch/spring wears out - but it can also occur with a good starter when not mounted at the right distance and angle from the ring gear. On some vehicles shims are used to set the correct spacing.

If the noise was not happening at all before your clutch work, and is happening now 100 percent of the time, I'd be pretty sure they got something out of whack when they put it back together.

makes sense...thank you..i also read that many bmw bosch oem starters don't have shims..do you know that to be true or not?