I have a TJ 2003 with 180000.
Have had second set of timing belts done,just did the alt/starter/air belts and the bearings..
It has had a strange noise that happens to be getting worse..
It started not long ago when my son got his L,s..
He seemed to not get it through his thick head to hit the starter then let it off when going..
I am over trying to detect the noise,it is like a weird rattling noise and worse at stress on the engine..
I hopped under it today on ramps and had it started while I lay there..
There is a definite crunchy noise from starter on startup.
Is there anyway that the starter can be vibrating or rattling while actually driving along and accelerating,especially under load..
Thanks to you all..

Is there anyway that the starter can be vibrating or rattling while actually driving along and accelerating,especially under load..


Only if it is about to fall off the car. Check the bolts. (Old Sigma did that, one bolt missing, the other loose.)

Is it possible that the prolonged activation of the starter (more than 10s?) burnt spoiled something in the mechanism that allows pulls back the starter gear and it's stuck (partly) and spins at speed much faster at speed than it should. Have you given it a whack (not too heavy handed) with a rubber mallet see if that makes a difference. Perhaps it really needs changing. Should be easy to figure out. Take it off and look at it. I think the manual will tell how to test it off car.

Not talking about holding the key on for more than a second.but it to me was noticeable..
I could tell there was a problem when started while laying under the car.
Just wondered when under load if there was a chance of anything there developing a bad rattle..

Just wondered when under load if there was a chance of anything there developing a bad rattle..

Dive under the car with some spanners and check if anything is loose. It's the only way. Don't blame the starter until you have had a good eyeball of everything.

Could be anything, from a failing starter motor to splash shields broken and flapping about in the breeze to a failed engine mount.

Now if anyone is interested in my findings for all the noises,and I have seen a few posts asking very similar questions,then here it is..
Had the timing belt done as the water pump had died and the noise was hideous and the coolant was leaking out..this was after 60000 km so was disappointed..
After that was fixed I was able to detect the rattling sound..
hopped under the car and had a tap around and the front heat cover on the exhaust pipe was rattling.
was able to stick a bit of stainless between the two covers and pull the tight and that sound has gone..
my son definitely had damaged the starter so was able to get a good one for $40.00 and replaced that..very good now..
then noticed a real strange change in power and a shuddering noise..
this was not detectable under the bonnet at all as a noise but in the car was terrible..shaking through the throttle,steering wheel and the wife could feel it ..
I unplugged each spark plug thinking one had died but this proved wrong..
check the harmonic balancer,seemed good..replaced the pulley bearings and belts.works great now but did not solve the shuddering.
At a loss I contacted the fellow did the timing belts as he was actually an automatic specialist and had strange feeling the box was going..
it shuddered while driving,while stationary,while in drive or park..had me buggered..
checked gear box oil and although not changed that long ago had turned a clearer color than normal..
after talking to him he explained that it has heated and probably boiled and hence the clear color..
the shuddering was the rubbers in the gear box hardening and this also causes a lack of power ..
easy fix he said..breath a big sigh of relief..
change to fresh oil,and a bottle of shudder away,I think that was what it was called.
this apparently softens the rubbers and will fix problem ..then he said fit a transmission cooler,as suggested quite frequently on here I notice..
so that is my story and hope it may help others who have the shudder problem..