Huge bang/clunk from transmission after attempting to start 1998 LX470 (1 Viewer)

[FullTime4Wheela]

I've recently replaced the alternator on my lx470 and put everything back where it goes, I started the car shortly after finishing everything and it started up as normal, no odd sounds, literally a perfectly idling 2uz.
That was about a week ago, I went ahead and put the plastic engine cover back on today and went to start it, battery is low so it doesn't crank over very well which makes sense for a low battery.
I figure it isn't gonna start because I'm pretty sure the battery is basically cooked from when the alternator died so I let off the starter, a second or so passes, and while the key is in the "on" position, and a huge BANG comes from what i'm pretty sure was the tranny and the car jolts a little bit.
I THINK this has happened once before when I made the super foolish mistake to winch a car from a bog while my e-brake wasn't fully engaged and the car was in park, putting all the stress on the transmission (rookie mistake i know) and the same loud bang happened when I shifted to drive, I'm thinking this has to do with the parking pawl but I'm not 100% sure and don't wanna risk something worse if I start it again.
*I did not shift gears when I started it last, literally just turned the car over a little*
Any advice with this as to what this could've been would help tons as I am pretty clueless at the moment.
TIA

 

[JOSHD]

Might be your starter. Mine was making noises at every start so I knew it was going out and when it finally went, it went out with a bang.

 

[FullTime4Wheela]

cheers for the reply, ended up just giving it another start and it's running normal and had no odd sounds. Super weird occurrence though.
I have nightmares of the day when the starter dies, doesn't seem like something fun to replace.

Might be your starter. Mine was making noises at every start so I knew it was going out and when it finally went, it went out with a bang.

 

[take123]

It wouldn't hurt to lube the center drift shafts. I heard that helps gear transitions smoothness.

I haven't got around to doing my starter proactive replacement. I dread having to do it as it's hidden in the hardest to reach place Toyota engineers can think up.

 

[FullTime4Wheela]

It wouldn't hurt to lube the center drift shafts. I heard that helps gear transitions smoothness.

I haven't got around to doing my starter proactive replacement. I dread having to do it as it's hidden in the hardest to reach place Toyota engineers can think up.

Yeah I had it in mind to re-grease and lube up essentially any bit of the car which could be as I have no clue when the previous owner would’ve, I “tested” how smooth shifting was by flooring it till i reached 100k’s and it shifted nice and smoothly, I agree with you on the position of the starter, its a thing of horrors.

 

[excessive]

starter solenoid could be weak/ slow to disengage from the flex plate due to low voltage

 

[take123]

Did you check your battery? What's the voltage when the car is off?

Is the voltage in a good range (i.e. ~14V) when the car is running so you can charge the battery properly?