Hello All,
Got an issue that's been plaguing me for about 2 months now. I have an 03 EVO that I've owned for about 6 months now, put over 7k miles on it. I first noticed it when I turned off the car to fill gas, tried starting it, and just heard the whining (end of March). Tried unplugging battery (relocated to trunk in battery box), rolling it around, nothing. Being about 200 miles away from home, decided to make phone calls, after about 5-10 minutes, tried it again, and starts right up without issue! Thought ok, starter is going out, drove home and parked it. In the morning, starts right up and every morning. Since then, I've noticed something:
1) It MIGHT be heat related, seems like it only happens after I've been driving it for a little while (~20 minutes). Seems to be better on colder days than hotter days. When I wait the 5 minutes after the failed attempt, it starts right up.

Stuff I've tried so far:
-I replaced the starter, starts right up the first two times while testing it in the garage and then same issue (whines whenever I turn the key but no crank).
-I unplugged the clutch pedal switch, thought it was fixed and then it happened again.

I know some of the threads I've read thought moving the car fixed it, but for me, just waiting ~5 minutes allows me to crank it.

Just a thought, one place I read it could be a battery about to go out, could it be that when I'm waiting, my battery's cells are cooling down?

 

I forgot to ask, could the starter relay going bad exhibit these types of symptoms? The noise for reference is the same as this guy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5n5I9FZjUYA

 

Update: I've replaced the starter relay and the ignition switch and it is still doing it! Very frustrated, no idea what else to do.

 

Are the terminals on your battery very tight? You shouldn't be able to move them at all.

 

When this problem was happening, I made sure my battery terminals are completely acid/nasty stuff-free. I even went so far as to buy a brand new battery and put it in and see if that would fix this... didn't.
Mostly, this happens when I go to the gas station to put in gas, shut off the car, won't crank again. I wait 5 minutes, it cranks again and starts right up. This one time, I tried cranking it a few times a day everyday for a whole week in my garage, nothing. Then one day it just starts right up after that week.

 

So it cranks but does not fire? In the video I just saw that guy turn his key, but did not hear the car cranking.

 

When it cranks, it fires everytime. When i have this problem, it won't even crank.

 

So the whining noise you hear, does it sound like the starter spinning really fast? If the whining is the starter spinning then you've either got a bad starter, or not getting a good power or gnd on the starter cables. or your flywheel has some damaged teeth and the starter can't engage the teeth. When you roll the car a bit and let out the clutch it spins the motor enough to get to some good teeth on the flywheel and it'll start.

 

It does sound like a starter problem. When it does it again, get under the front of the car where the starter is and give the starter a few whacks with a hammer. Then try starting it again.

 

Don't whack it with a hammer. Check your contacts at the starter all the way back to the battery. Look for rub spots. Check your contacts at the signal wire. If the starter is new you may have to exchange it for another new one. And with hammer marks it maybe a deal breaker on exchange.

What brand starter? Refurb or new? And when you pull it out look at your flywheel teeth and see if there chewed up as post #8 stated. That whine is it a grind sometimes too?

 

First of all, I'd suggest you determine if the whine you hear is the starter running. Be careful when doing this, the engine may start.

If the starting is running then there is one of two possibilities; 1. You may have some teeth missing on the flywheel ring gear and the starting is trying to engage where there is no tooth, 2. The overrunning clutch on the starter is acting up. It seems strange that two starters would have the same problem but it is possible. Could the seller of the second starter have transferred the clutch?

 

I didn't say beat the shyte out of it with a hammer. A tap is good enough to get it going. It's worth it to see if the problem fixes the car. I've seen plenty of bad parts right out of the box. Just cause it's new doesn't mean it's good.

 

lol i know bud not saying you would beat on it. just informing the op incase he had the sudden urge to grab Thors hammer to try this. and i do agree 100% fully that faulty parts come out of new boxes all the time. especially with starters. and the occasional alternator.

 

Yeah, I get nervous when I install reman parts lol.

 

CHECK THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR! I've changed 2 sometimes they melt or get chewed up by the belt.