New Member Starter Motor Issues

[Guest Declasm]

Having only owned my E reg 1.6 gti for two days, my girlfriend and I were about to set off to work one morning. It was cold and the car was a little reluctant to start. My girlfriend was in the driver's seat and it seemed like the engine wasn't going to pickup so I told her to give it a little gas which she did. anyway when it seemed the engine was running she took her foot off the gas and the revs plummeted, after that the starter wouldn't turn the engine and I thought it was a flat battery. to cut an already quite long story short, the RAC man said the starter had burned out. Now I was kinda thinking that maybe my girlfriend hadn't taken the key from the ignition position when starting the car and that had blown the starter when she revved it.

 

This weekend, about two weeks since it broke (still haven't had a chance to drive the car!), now with my refurb starter from GSF, myself and a friend set to tackling the starter replacement via the rad out method. it went pretty smoothly apart from when the peugeot jack broke pushing an as yet unpositioned axle stand into the sill creating a massive dent!

 

Once enough of the car was back in place I went to start it up. the engine turned and it seemed the new starter was working but there was also the a loud screeching noise coming from the starter now, sounding as if it wasn't disengaging and the engine seemed to be labouring slightly as if it was still driving the starter too.

 

What could be causing the starter not to disengage? am I going to need to get another one? It seems tho that this is might be why the first one died and not necessarily the fault of the motor itself? Can anyone offer any advice?

[steve@cornwall 100]

Sounds like the starter is slightly out of position, were the locating dowels (apparently there are some, although all I've had have been missing them!) in place?

Edited January 8, 2007 by steve@cornwall

[Guest Declasm]

Sounds like the starter is slightly out of position, were the locating dowels (apparently there are some, although all I've had have been missing them!) in place?

 

I don't remember seeing any locating dowels, have you got a picture? can you tell me what they look like?

[steve@cornwall 100]

I don't remember seeing any locating dowels, have you got a picture? can you tell me what they look like?

 

No pics I,m afraid, should be metal collars that fit into the bolt holes of the g'box,proud of the surface protruding into the starter motor holes so the bolts go through the centre, just metal cylinders,really!

[Grim.Badger 15]

The only thing I can think of that could be called a locating dowel is a metal sleeve that fits inside one of the mounting holes, I think the upper forward facing bolt hole. But I can't see how you could fit the starter wrong even without it.

Are you sure it's the starter making the noise? Could be the alternator. Are you also sure the engine and gearbox are still joined properly as this sound just like a probelm I've had, the labouring and squeeling was caused by the clutch catching on the bellhousing of the gearbox which was out of place.

 

Edit: Beaten to the first part, can't say I noticed one in all three holes but I wasn't looking for them.

Edited January 8, 2007 by Grim.Badger

[Richie-Van-GTi 71 2 Cars]

only ever seen one dowel in the middle of the 3 holes for the starter.

Id be inclined to check the flywheel is straight and its definatley an XU wheel. Assuming everything is lined up right.

[Guest Declasm]

No pics I,m afraid, should be metal collars that fit into the bolt holes of the g'box,proud of the surface protruding into the starter motor holes so the bolts go through the centre, just metal cylinders,really!

 

 

I do remember seeing one of them on one of the bolt holes, the most prominent one. but there really didn't seem to be much chance of the lining the starter motor up wrong once the bolts were tightened so I don't think this is why the starter isn't disengaging. I will probably refit it again next weekend anyway unless someone comes up with a good fix / explanation in the meantime whereby I don't have to...

[steve@cornwall 100]

I do remember seeing one of them on one of the bolt holes, the most prominent one. but there really didn't seem to be much chance of the lining the starter motor up wrong once the bolts were tightened so I don't think this is why the starter isn't disengaging. I will probably refit it again next weekend anyway unless someone comes up with a good fix / explanation in the meantime whereby I don't have to...

 

Had screeching on mine when I replaced the engine, loosened off the starter and levered it from behind ,against the block from the top. whilst re-tightening- problem disappeared

[Guest Declasm]

Had screeching on mine when I replaced the engine, loosened off the starter and levered it from behind ,against the block from the top. whilst re-tightening- problem disappeared

 

I'll give that a go, was yours screeching once the engine was running when it should have been disengaged?

[steve@cornwall 100]

I'll give that a go, was yours screeching once the engine was running when it should have been disengaged?

 

Yes- as if not fully disengaging

[Guest Declasm]

Took the new refurb starter off again last night tested it directly with the battery - there's no spring to pull back the motor - no wonder it was screeching! This one's going straight back to gsf! should've tested it before fitting it really - defo will next time

 

cheers for all the advice tho guys, hopefully fitting the replacement will go more smoothly.

[Guest Declasm]

Got the second replacement in today - gsf sent me one of the smaller ones this time which made fitting easier - we got the time down to an hour and ten minutes - there was one little problem tho - the new small style starter needed a crimped hoop style connector and after the first fitting, my crimping wasn't up to scratch and it came apart leading to a mystery non-starting problem on about the 3rd go- I then had to fiddle around for ages with my hands under the inlet manifold to try to re-fit the connector! All is good now tho and I can start to enjoy driving the car!