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My car makes this terrific metal grinding noise when I start the engine. I was told I might need a starter motor shim, what the heck is that?
Alice,
Provo UT
Hey Alice,
A starter shim is a thin piece of metal that acts like a spacer between the starter motor and the flywheel on the back of the engine. If this noise just all of a sudden started on its own one day, you more than likely have a problem with the starter motor itself, or the bendix, or drive gear part of the starter.
In most cases a shim is only needed when a new or rebuilt starter is installed and the grinding noise is something new because the new starter fits a little differently than the original.
if you continue to start the engine with this noise present you will only damage more expensive parts like the flywheel so get this repaired ASAP.
Here is a picture of some common starter motor shims
