Chrysler Repair: starter motor wont turnover the engine/whining only, cold weather conditions, crankshaft pulley

Question
Chrysler 300 won't start just whining when turning key

Answer
Hi Edward,
I assume that the whining sound is coming from the starter motor area of the engine. I am thinking that the movable small gear on the shaft of the starter motor (called the bexdix unit) is either not moving out far enough to mesh with the teeth of the flex plate that is attached to the crank shaft/transmission input shaft, or it is misaligned, or possibly there is wear on a tooth of the flex plate where it currently is sitting. Under the present cold weather conditions where you are, about the only things I can suggest are that you try again when it is warmer, if you have a charger try charging the battery, and if you can put a wrench on the crankshaft pulley bolt that you rotate the crankshaft by hand just a bit so that a different set of flex plate teeth are in position to better mesh with the starter gear. That bendix gear could be frozen in place slightly so that could explain the non-meshing.
Roland