Starter issue

What would cause my starter to do this when its really cold. Turn the key and the drive gear won't fully engage. Seems like it just isn't driving out far enough. Turns fine. Sometimes engages, but mostly makes that hideous sound the car makes when the wife forgets she already started the car and tries to start it again. Once it warms up to 15 degrees or so, problem no longer exists. I'm going to try warming up the starter with a torch next time it does it and see if that helps. My guess is a weak bendix spring made weaker by the cold. Ordinarily I'd just change the starter, but I'm scared of all that chinese crap floating around. Don't want to be changing this thing out every year from here on out, but I have to do something before it wipes out my ring gear.

I don't have an answer for you but I'll be watching this one. The starter on my 2010 Accord is making a horrible sound just after the car starts when it's cold. I suspect that in both of our cases, it may just be a case of the bearings needing a little grease, but I haven't messed with a starter in a long time.

Check the battery open circuit voltage. If it's low enough the motor can spin but the solenoid won't have enough voltage to fully pull the plunger back. That was common with Fords with the firewall mounted starter solenoid; when battery voltage would drop below 10v the solenoid would make a helluva buzzing noise but not complete the circuit to allow the starter to operate. Since the lights radio etc would still work a lot of people would think the solenoid was bad, replace it and have the exact same problem.

If that's all good it's possible the grease on the starter armature shaft and the solenoid mechanism is thickening when it's cold, causing the starter bendix to not fully engage with the flywheel teeth. Fix: diassemble the starter, clean all involved parts thoroughly, reassemble with a good quality light grease that won't get thick in cold weather. Typically the solenoid 'plunger' should be put in dry, too.

Pulled the starter and it was obvious what was wrong. Whatever bearing or guide is in there that makes sure the drive gear shoots out straight was fubared. The gear wobbled around and popped out way too easy. Picked up a reman and threw it in. Has a totally different sound to it, but it works. This was one time I wished I had a Chevy. Boy Chevy got it right with the way they mount the starters with two bolts from underneath. The F350 had 3 bolts, one of which was just about impossible to get to. Wished it was colder outside. At least then the snow wouldn't have been melting and dripping on me. Went thru 3 changes of clothes getting this thing out.