bigibee

Newbie here - and really need some help.
Inherited a 2002 ES300 a few months back with 120k . Everything ran well; idling,power, shifting but it had has an odd little bearing like noise at idle - pesky but seemingly no big deal. Just today the car simply died at the stoplight (tank 1/2 full, temp gauge read normal, no dash indicators). Somewhat shocked and embarrassed, tried the starter only to hear a whirring sound with no hookup - then waited and engine seemed to turn over and then the whirring sound returned. The car clearly would not start.

A very unTrump-like immigrant approached the car and asked if he could help push the car over to the side. What a blessing. We ended up in front of Wally's liquors. I waited about an hour to try to start it again - same results. I had it towed home.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

stereofool

Good possibility that it is the starter.

Had a similar (somewhat) occurrence with my 2002. Went to start the car, after work, nothing happened. Thought it was the battery...new battery put in...still nothing. Did some online checking and starter seemed to be the most likely culprit. Replaced the starter...problem solved. It's not too hard to do the work yourself, and save yourself several hundred dollars.

LeX2K

Broken timing belt would be my first guess.

hypervish

+1, it sounds like no compression based on the last comment. And the mileage is about right if it were to break.

speedkar9

I wonder if it was the starter's solenoid that is responsible for engaging the flywheel? If that doesn't work, the starter will just spin without engaging the flywheel, hence the whirring sound.

ThomasGS4

iTrader: (19)

Any explanation for why the car would randomly die? Surely not the starter's fault.

bigibee

Thanks guys,
After some research, I think it has to be the timing belt - I don't know the history of this car's maintenance - but it's certainly time enough for it to go. Of course I assumed if it was the timing belt the engine would go CLUNK upon hitting a valve - but it turns out I have a "non-interference" engine, which avoided that catastrophe. So bad luck and good luck. Kind of like - life - thanks again for your help. The starter turns the engine, which appears to have zero compression - and that would account for the whirring noise.

Moral of the story - if you hear a clicking or bearing like noise at idle - don't ignore it!!!