TomS209

The starter on my 98 ES300 just started to intermittently not engage with the flywheel. It will make a loud screeching sound like the starter gear is just spinning against the flywheel and not engaging. I can try again and it starts right up. Is it time for a new starter? Is the autozone one with the lifetime warranty a decent choice? Thanks for any help. Tom

JonnysES

Pull the starter off if you have the tools and know how. Should only take a 12mm socket(power wire/unplug your batter just incase don't want a shock) and a 14 mm(bolts that hold it on) with a 3/8 inch ratchet and maybe an extension or two. You can then examine the gear if its chewed up it could be replaced, it could be a selenoid but replaceing a whole starter on such an old car isn't a bad idea. The duralst starter isn't the best out there but it'll do the job for years to come OEM would be the best. However that lifetime warrenty is honored and starters usually give you some warning before they give the ghost. Just to let you know if you keep using that starter and if it's the starter it with chew up your flywheel(flex plate for automatics). Then you have a whole different issue that you don't want to fix. I advise you pull it off and have a look at it if the teeth are fine, look at the selnoid for replacement or a new starter. If that's not the problem look at a weak battery or bad grounds. Beyond that it's the flywheel(rarely ever messes up).