Full Version: Bad Starter?
My wife and I drove home from The Northeast Gathering about 4 hours in 90 degree heat . We got about 8 miles from home and decided to stop at Panera. Waited about 15 minutes for the food and when I tried to start the car “nothing”. The car wouldn’t turn over. The headlights and radio worked. I had to push it in an almost level parking lot and pop the clutch and it started right up. We drove home and I was kind of disappointed so I didn’t try to restart the car when we got home. I went out a week later and it started right up. Do you the starter is getting weak and because of the heat it failed?
Does not sound heat-related to me - unless you have a 914 with the seat disconnects??
Have you jumpered the seat disconnects yet?
If you close the relay (solenoid) of the starter - it will make noise. If the battery is Low the noise range will be from a CLICK to the grinding sound of the starter rotating (turning over) the engine (but you knew that).
When you turned the key did anything at all happen? If not, my money is on the Solenoid not getting any power. I would remove/inspect/replace the entire circuitry starting with the starter switch to the solenoid. The starter switches are not very reliable, good to have a spare on hand.
My wife and I drove home from The Northeast Gathering about 4 hours in 90 degree heat . We got about 8 miles from home and decided to stop at Panera. Waited about 15 minutes for the food and when I tried to start the car “nothing”. The car wouldn’t turn over. The headlights and radio worked. I had to push it in an almost level parking lot and pop the clutch and it started right up. We drove home and I was kind of disappointed so I didn’t try to restart the car when we got home. I went out a week later and it started right up. Do you the starter is getting weak and because of the heat it failed?
Have you jumpered the seat disconnects yet?
If you close the relay (solenoid) of the starter - it will make noise. If the battery is Low the noise range will be from a CLICK to the grinding sound of the starter rotating (turning over) the engine (but you knew that).
When you turned the key did anything at all happen? If not, my money is on the Solenoid not getting any power. I would remove/inspect/replace the entire circuitry starting with the starter switch to the solenoid. The starter switches are not very reliable, good to have a spare on hand.
QUOTE(BENBRO02 @ Jul 27 2020, 06:45 PM) 
My wife and I drove home from The Northeast Gathering about 4 hours in 90 degree heat . We got about 8 miles from home and decided to stop at Panera. Waited about 15 minutes for the food and when I tried to start the car “nothing”. The car wouldn’t turn over. The headlights and radio worked. I had to push it in an almost level parking lot and pop the clutch and it started right up. We drove home and I was kind of disappointed so I didn’t try to restart the car when we got home. I went out a week later and it started right up. Do you the starter is getting weak and because of the heat it failed?
A common cause is a cracked ignition switch. (The plastic part)
If you are comfortable with shorting the terminals on the starter (be safe, car in neutral, etc, ask if you are unsure how) it only takes seconds to test the starter with a screwdriver. This will rule out a lot of time consuming guessing in a hurry.
If you are comfortable with shorting the terminals on the starter (be safe, car in neutral, etc, ask if you are unsure how) it only takes seconds to test the starter with a screwdriver. This will rule out a lot of time consuming guessing in a hurry.
Thanks for the insite
QUOTE(Rand @ Jul 27 2020, 07:49 PM)
A common cause is a cracked ignition switch. (The plastic part)
If you are comfortable with shorting the terminals on the starter (be safe, car in neutral, etc, ask if you are unsure how) it only takes seconds to test the starter with a screwdriver. This will rule out a lot of time consuming guessing in a hurry.
Stater switch. BTDT.Takes 5 min to remove it and check for arcs and cracked body.
usually a voltage drop to the solenoid. When the starter and solenoid heat up, the old solenoid needs more voltage to overcome its resistance so the it does not engage. Bosch came up with a hot start kit which boosts the voltage to the solenoid and solves the problem (or buy a new FRESH starter). Read about it in the book 914 "tech tips 700"
My wife and I drove home from The Northeast Gathering about 4 hours in 90 degree heat . We got about 8 miles from home and decided to stop at Panera. Waited about 15 minutes for the food and when I tried to start the car “nothing”. The car wouldn’t turn over. The headlights and radio worked. I had to push it in an almost level parking lot and pop the clutch and it started right up. We drove home and I was kind of disappointed so I didn’t try to restart the car when we got home. I went out a week later and it started right up. Do you the starter is getting weak and because of the heat it failed?
QUOTE(BENBRO02 @ Jul 27 2020, 05:45 PM)
My wife and I drove home from The Northeast Gathering about 4 hours in 90 degree heat . We got about 8 miles from home and decided to stop at Panera. Waited about 15 minutes for the food and when I tried to start the car “nothing”. The car wouldn’t turn over. The headlights and radio worked. I had to push it in an almost level parking lot and pop the clutch and it started right up. We drove home and I was kind of disappointed so I didn’t try to restart the car when we got home. I went out a week later and it started right up. Do you the starter is getting weak and because of the heat it failed?
Don't throw money at a new starter until you troubleshoot it. There are more common failure points.
QUOTE(Rand @ Jul 29 2020, 06:29 AM)
Don't throw money at a new starter until you troubleshoot it. There are more common failure points.
even if the switch looks ok the contacts inside can be burn ,wear and simply not send full voltage to the starter,I pulled a few faulty ones apart and found an assortment of issues,as we know the main one is the switch cover cracking on the tang of the return spring.Click to view attachment
I pulled apart a 914,944 and mk2 Golf ones as they are the same design,the VW one wasn't cracked but the contacts inside were in poor condition.
The piston in the Bosch solenoids often stick up in the bore and need cleaning and a bit of lube,if you have an impact driver you can remove them for this task,I've never come across one that has completely failed but guess it happens,no need to buy a new starter yet...
Good idea to buy a remote starter switch as they are good for checking the starter and setting valve clearances,I made my own one for around $15.
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