VR no start - Is it starter motor or most likely what else?

[snattrass 0]

Hi,

 

 

The owner of non runner VR situated some 300 miles away that I'm thinking of buying has told me that he assumes that the starter motor is broken, and because I live so far away from the car when i go to buy the car I would like to go, informed and equiped, to maximise my chances of fixing the problem there and then without having to transport it to a garage (the transmission is auto).

 

 

The owner has told me that over the last year, the car occasionally did only start on the second attempt, despite powering up. The car was last started in early summer.

 

 

What I would like to know is based on the above, albeit scanty, information (that I've thus far been able to glean) where in the starting system is the source of the problem most likely to be? I've read through the starting problem posts and am aware that, in addition to the starter motor - the starter relay, the starter fuse and the ignition starter switch as well as a frayed starter motor earth strap can all be potential causes of a non starter problem. Is there anything else that I've missed? When I go I intend to go with a new starter motor, starter switch and starter fuse and relay and a multimeter and maybe a spare battery. If I don't need them I'll take them back. Do you think I need anything else? Maybe a trolley jack to keep the engine up if I need to replace the starter motor? What size spanners / sockets would I need to replace the starter motor?

 

 

I was thinking the first thing I would do is put the voltmeter across the starter motor supply points to ensure that it gets 12 volts when the ignition switch is turned. If the starter motor does get 12 volts then I need to either replace it or try to encourage by hitting it with a hammer. If it doesn't get 12 volts when the igntion switch is turned I need to trace the voltage back to either the igntion switch, relay or fuse - is that how you would do it? Is there anything else I need to check? What's this ECU business I read about? Do I need to take one of those aswell? Have I missed anything else out? If I ask the owner whether or not the heater blower works when the ignition switch is turned on does this rule out the igntion starter switch and point to the fuse / relay (assuming there's no voltage at the starter motor)?

 

 

Sorry about the length = I hope you can help me to fix it and get it started in situ - I'm a learning novice as you can see!

 

 

Many thanks

 

 

Simon

[Goldie 2]

Where abouts is the car?

 

Its a hard one to answer, what happens when the current owners turns the key? Is the starter turning, or only occasionally?

 

Id say your wise to take a battery or some method of jump starting as chances are the battery is going to be flat. ECU wise if there are any faults with that best plan is to get Vagcom on it and see if it returns any faults. A number of guys on here have the softwere hence the reason for asking where the car is as it may be handy if someone could meet up with you when you go to check it out..

[Supercharged 2]

Simon, could be alot of things but a fairly easy problem for a garage to diagnose if it's not going at all, obviously cost depends on what it is and we need more info to attempt to give advice....

 

Why do you want to buy a non runner 300 miles away??? it may seem cheap but also be aware that if the owner has not bothered to fix it there may be all sorts of things that need doing and also if it's not been run for a year there will be other problems like seized brakes, dead battery, flat spotted tyres etc unless it has been stored properly... not trying to put you off but a cheap car can turn into a money pit, normally we advise people to get the best they can afford...

[snattrass 0]

The car is in Poole.

 

 

I'm thinking of spending the winter in Spain and thought it could be a good, cheap, (not to mention low mileage) left pegger to take over with me!

 

 

Thanks guys very much indeed for your helpfulness! (It a nightmare being stranded up here in Carlisle!)

 

 

Simon.

[Goldie 2]

That looks like a decent car, good spec and obvioulsy if you want a left hooker then could be ideal..

 

Im sure there are some guys on here who are from Poole who would maybe cast an eye on the car and give you an idea of what is up.

 

Carlisle isnt the middle of nowhere.. Im only about 50 miles away to the east...

[snattrass 0]

To cover as many possible causes as I can I'm thinking about the following parts to take in my non starter toolbox. Please comment on my thinking and questions.

 

 

Battery

- Or one of them portable battery chargers / boosters - if there's voltage at the starter motor but that voltage is lower than it should be then that must mean the battery?

 

Starter motor

- If there is voltage that should be at the starter motor then it must be the starter motor?

- Do I need an auto specific starter motor or will a starter from a manual VR6 be ok? What about the Golf VR equivalent - would that fit?

 

Ignition switch

- I understand that I can eliminate a dodgy ignition switch because if it is dodgy then it will also not allow the fuel pump to prime up and hiss as the fuel pump is on the same circuit - is that right?

- I'm thinking of taking a main dealer one and taking it back if I don't need it.

 

Ignition relay and ignition fuse

- If turning the igntion switch activates the fuel pump but there's no voltage at the starter motor does that mean the ignition relay or ignition fuse is broken? If there's no click when the ignition is turned then it must be the relay.

- Again from main dealer.

 

ECU ???

- Are there any other things things that a dodgy ECU would effect that I could check?

- Does the ECU also effect the fuel pump etc

- Where's the best place to get this? Is it auto specific?

 

Auto transmission box parking / neutral safety switch

- From what I've read on my Mitchell repair manual it says on autos "when starter does not crank engine check park/neutral switch". This is all new to me but it says: "Neutral safety switch is located in shift console. Remove console cover. Adjust switch so that engine starts in Park and Neutral positions only." Can anyone explain what this does / means?

 

Starter motor earth wire?

- Will any old scrappy earth wire do?

 

Any other wires I need?

 

Tools!

 

Anything else I've missed?

 

 

Thank you very much.

 

 

Simon.

[lj16v 0]

mate, can't help on the tech stuff but i think i may have seen this? is it blue?

I've driven past a blue one a few times, layed up in the poole are, and tbh not the best area of poole if ya know what i mean...if it is this one it has currently got a load of stuff crammed in the back of it and is looking a tad sorry for it's self, will have to be a real bargain to justify the journey if we are talking about the same one...?

i bought my first rado (2.0 16V) cheap and it turned into a real money pit....