SOLVED Awful noise when starting prints. How do I fix this?

[ErikR 1]

I am getting an awful noise from my Ultimaker 2+ and it's unable to print anything.

When the noise *does not* occur:

 

• When homing the print head
  
• When moving the print head manually
  
• When heating the print head and/or build plate
  

 

When the noise *does* occur:

 

• When starting a print
  
• When raising or lowering the build plate
  
• maybe others?
  

 

When I choose to raise the build plate, the noise (like a jackhammer, though not that loud) happens and the build plate does not move  up (I touched it and felt a slight vibration). When I choose to lower the build plate, the build plate again does not move - it is already at the bottom of the printer, but normally it would stop trying - the noise continues. When I start a print, the noise happens and neither the print head nor the build plate moves. If there's anything else I can describe to help diagnose/fix this just let me know here. I can also take a video and upload it here though the quality won't be great.

Edited October 1, 2017 by Guest

[Dim3nsioneer 557]

Do you happen to have a short video of that awful noise?

[DidierKlein 729]

With the printer shut down

Raise your build plate by hand (turn the screw)

Check at the bottom, there's a hole where the plate pushes a screw that is activating the z endstop switch.

Check in that hole if you have something (debris most likely) that is preventing the z-switch to be activated.

Or check that there's actually that screw that is activating the switch

[ErikR 1]

Thanks for your help, both of you. I got it working again, and that was the happiest day of my life, in the last couple months anyhow. DidierKlein, your post got me headed in the right direction, so extra thanks to you. The problem was related to that screw on the bottom of the build plate. The clip that it would press against had become dislodged (I'd probably loosened the screws trying to fix an earlier problem without realizing what I was doing) and so the screw was lowering but the clip wasn't being closed, hence the noise as the motor continued trying to lower the build plate. Seriously though, I was so happy when the printer was fixed and started printing again. Happier than a kid in a candy shop. Floating on cloud 9. Beside myself with joy. The bees knees. Thanks again.

-Erik