Another Non Starter

[m@ttc 30]

Hi guys, my car will not start. history is, the starter motor i had on the car, i could not get it to engage properly with the fly wheel, it would just make a rasping noise but would eventually start the car. when the car started, which it would every time every thing was ok. So i got hold of a starter motor off a 306 gti which was being dismantled and sold, and fitted that. i didn't test the motor before hand but didn't see any reson for it not to work it look fairly new (im now thinking now this was a bad idea)

 

now when i'm turning the key the engine turns but only about a quarter of a revolution and then nothing, when i release the key some times the engine turns backwards a little (looking at the cam belt pully and alternator) turning the key the lights on the dash stay bright, and i tried connecting the battery with jump leads to another car but still the same, no start. the first time i turned the key since fitting the starter the fuel pump carried on running with the ignition off, so i tapped the tachy relay and that has now stopped.

 

things i have done whist changing starter is, charge battery, take out battery + lead and clean up connections refitted all tight, put on a new alternator belt, i did turn the engine over with a ratchet on the bottom timing pully to see if a stange noise had disapeard whilst the starter was off, which it had.

 

im getting fed up with changing starters on the motor now this is the fourth time, first one was no good, 2nd and 3rd were brand new but rasped on the fly wheel and now this one. Just wanted to make sure its nothing else than a doggy starter before i make a 5th attempt.

 

its probably worth pointing out that the car stood for a few months before i changed the starter for the 4th time. i tried to start the car all i got was a rasping noise as usual, but this time it didnt start no matter how many times i tried which i thought was unusual.

really want to get this sorted dont like driving a ford sierra

Thank you.

[bensonmi 4 2 Cars]

have you tried putting a live direct to the starter to see if it does the same thing? maybe some how theres not enough voltage going there when you turn the key. but fitting 4 dud starters wouldnt be entirely un realistic in my experience! i usually check the starters before i fit them by touching jump leads on the connections to make sure it engages and spins. I have no idea why the engine would the engine rotate back wards though?

[bensonmi 4 2 Cars]

have you tried putting a live direct to the starter to see if it does the same thing? maybe some how theres not enough voltage going there when you turn the key. but fitting 4 dud starters wouldnt be entirely un realistic in my experience! i usually check the starters before i fit them by touching jump leads on the connections to make sure it engages and spins. I have no idea why the engine would the engine rotate back wards though?

[m@ttc 30]

no i have not tried that since i cleaned up the cable between the battery, starter and alternator,i know it should be good and it's a ittle fiddly getting to the terminals now its all back together, or do you mean battery to starter coil?

I'm just a guessingbut im thinking the engine going backwards a little when i let go of the key is just the pressure caused in the cylinders when compressing just escaping, at least i hope so

[bensonmi 4 2 Cars]

run a live from the direct from the battery to the spade terminal (usually blue wire) on the starter motor,may be worth trying a continuality check on the blue starter lead while your at it, it is a little fiddly to get to but you can usually squeeze in there from the left hand side of the inlet (facing the car).

what sort of condition are the brown multi plugs in? what year and model is it?

[m@ttc 30]

its a standard 1.9 gti, j reg 91. The brown plugs no long since i chopped it out a while ago now and soldered the cables together. I guess i could have upset something messing around down there, but am i right in thinking if the engine turns a little then the coil is working? ill have ago of putting a live straight to it before i do anything else just to see what happens. Thanks for reding my loooong post

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

Are you sure the battery took the charge properly? For the few mins that it takes to rule it out, I would try starting another car with it.

 

I had a battery that was so dead it wouldn't turn it over more than half a turn. As much as I left it on with jump leads and tried, it would never do more than half a turn or so.

 

Probably not going to be the issue, but if it was standing for a while before it may be so far gone to give the symptoms. My battery was fine, until it was completely drained by cranking my engine over to get oil circulating after being laid up for a while for then to not take charge at all.

[m@ttc 30]

ok so ive done what has been sugested. ive put a live straight from battery to starter coil, but it was still the same (only turning engine about a quarter of a revolution)

i then put the battery on another car a 1.0ltr polo, it turned the engine over for about 10 - 15 seconds and then dead. The polo has been sitting too, so i dont know if it didnt start because of that, but at least it turned the engine.

 

Anyway ive taken the starter back off (in the dark) and im gonna go and get it and the battery checked tomorro at a local auto electritions. I guessing the starter just hasn't got the 'umph' to turn the engine when cylinders are compressing (altough i would like this confirmed) what else could it be?? could it be that the windings are breaking down? and its no longer able to run at full power? Is there anyway i can check this? could i check resistence though the motor? if so does anybody know what the ohms readings should be?

 

i dont trust auto elecricians there likely to tell you its no good so you buy a new one off them is there any way i can fix it myself any kits for these things?

 

any help would be great ive spent too much money on starters, money that could be spent on new brakes, thanks for the help.

[m@ttc 30]

starter motor internals all collapsed and burnt. £40 wasted. Dont buy second hand starters off e bay!!