the problem has something to do with your starter. the whinning noice you hear would be the starter spinning. either the teeth on the starter that connect to the flywheel have been grinded off due to normal wear. or the starter piece that pop out to engauge the start has gone out. those are the 2 problems that go wrong with the starter the most.

 

Ive never seen a starter sprocket OR flywheel teeth grind off from normal wear, not even on 30 year old cars.. If thats being ground off, theres something SERIOUSLY wrong..

 

^^ Neither have I, not saying it couldn't possible happen though. If you come to find out it is the starter, start with the solenoid and the wiring. I dunno how the Tib's starter is setup however, and if you can finangle with it without replacing the entire thing.

 

yea.. the starter on my spider is original (has to be to be that covered in gunk) and it still started the car up and had minimal wear on the teeth and it is over 30 years old...

You probably have a bad starter... either the windings burned up or the contacts arced over.. but I doubt the starter gear is bad itself. This 99% certain to be a wiring problem with the starter itself.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Patreezy)</div><div class='quotemain'>once she's rollin:
release clutch and at same time turn key to start car</div>
You don't have to turn key (key should stay in ON position)

 

You have a bad bendix in the starter. The bendix is the part that has the starter teeth on it. When you turn the key, the solenoid will engage (the clicking noise) and in turn apply power to the starter motor. Once the starter motor starts to spin up, the bendix will slid along the groves to engage the flywheel. Either the bendix spring is weak or there is some obstruction on the starter shaft (either a burr or grease and dirt) not allowing it to fully extend. This was a common problem on the older cars but requires the starter to be dis-assemblied to replace, that is if they are actually available for Tib starters.

 

Timing belt could be broke.

 

um... no.

 

^^ Rotflol

 

how about your muffler belt? haha just kidding guys. I had the same problem, it was the wiring up by the raditor fans that are right next to the battery, somehow they became disconnected and we had to put them back together had no problem since.