Hairyarse 10 Posted December 28, 2014 Evening all, hope you've been enjoying the festivities? :) When the weather started to get colder a couple of weeks ago, I noticed my C was a little slower to turn over in the mornings, so to help winter-proof the car I bought a new battery. The last two mornings have been bloody freezing! - circa -2 to -5 degrees C and the car iced over. Both days I've gone to start the car, the engine barely turns over at all. This morning for example, it barely turned and thought it wouldn't start, but after 3-4 attempts, without the engine turning much faster it fired up and ran no problem. I then spent 1.5 hours driving back home, with lights, heater and radio on and had no running or charging issues at all. A few minutes after getting home I tried starting the car and it starts fine. I'll have a good poke around the car tomorrow, which will include re-fitting the old battery to see if there's any difference but I was just interested in opinion on what the problem could be. I can only think it's the new battery that's at fault. Answers on a postcard....:thumbleft: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
easypops 8 Posted December 28, 2014 I was thinking I needed to change my starter motor as it got really laboured but after I changed the ignition switch it was all better. Not saying that's what is happening with you but a new battery should fire it up easily Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hairyarse 10 Posted December 28, 2014 I guess ignition switch is ok as it's only been when it's really cold, unless that's coincidence, but then the hot start was ok, which is why I'm thinking the new battery isn't as new as it should be! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cdem 0 Posted December 28, 2014 I replaced my starter and battery a year or 2 ago in the winter as i was having the same issue....touch wood she's started 1st time since. (Ignition switch was done a few months before as well) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hairyarse 10 Posted December 28, 2014 Cheers Chris, I'll be checking both out tomorrow! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cdem 0 Posted December 28, 2014 I would say I'd pop over so you could try the bits on my car but im working all day :-( fingers crossed it's an easy fix for you!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hairyarse 10 Posted December 29, 2014 No worries, thank anyway Chris. I've still got the old battery which wasn't so bad. If the starter motor is same as MK2 Golf off a KR then I can pinch the one of the MK2 I have in stock so hopefully all bases are covered! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hairyarse 10 Posted January 1, 2015 So to update, I put the old battery on a couple of days ago and all had been ok, so I assumed that the new battery was a duffer. However, I went to leave work this afternoon and same problem, the engine was really slow to turn - barely at all and then stopped turning. The battery wasn't dead though. I put my booster on the battery and it started straight away, so now I'm thinking it's the starter motor. I'm just looking at Partsbase to see if the one on the MK2 Golf 16v I have in stock is compatible as a stop-gap, but there's loads of part numbers listed. I'll start wading through them but if anyone knows the part number, feel free to shout ;) (Plus if you think I'm barking up the wrong tree!!) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hairyarse 10 Posted January 1, 2015 ....going through the list it seems it's compatible with Mk3 Golf onwards :-/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
swiftkid 1 Posted January 1, 2015 Have you had a look at the main starter earth? Could be that its just gone a bit manky and needs a clean Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hairyarse 10 Posted January 1, 2015 No, sadly not. When I changed the battery back I cleaned up the pos and neg leads - they weren't that bad to be honest - but are nice and shiny now Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hairyarse 10 Posted January 1, 2015 No, sadly not. When I changed the battery back I cleaned up the pos and neg leads - they weren't that bad to be honest - but are nice and shiny now ...and at the starter and engine block ends, not battery ends I mean! lol Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hairyarse 10 Posted January 2, 2015 Well the end of the story, kind of, is it is the starter!! The rest of it is have spent all day mucking about with it! :( lol I tried two other batteries and the alternator off the MK2 Golf 16v and still no joy. Fortunately GSF had a starter on the shelf so picked that up - in the C so hadn't taken off my old one - they looked the same so all good I thought. Until that is I took my starter off and found the shafts are different! The correct starter arrives on Monday so I'll be sorted then. One up side (as I could only now start the car with the battery booster) is the earth on the old starter itself looked really manky so I cleaned it up and the car has now started twice under it's own steam. Happy days! :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
madmatt 10 Posted January 5, 2015 had same problem on a few tdi's in the past.and that was the starter.once the bushes wear past a point they start to move around and course intermitant starting problems. early starters had a bush in the gearbox that wears and this should also be changed,but later type was self supporting and even thou looks different works Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hairyarse 10 Posted January 5, 2015 I've literally just finished fitting the new starter - and tapping the engine mount threads - new mount but P/O mullered one of them! The car has been starting fine all weekend but I'd rather still change if for peace of mind. One bonus is the correct starter was £48 cheaper than the one I picked up Saturday. Happy days! :thumbleft: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
