Car wont start.

[BeavisJem 0]

Car has been running fine for ages, untill tonight, i started it as normal and and din;t turn the key for long enough to turn the engine over, so i tried again and nothing, not a thing.

 

I jump started it and it ran fine. stoped wouldn;t start.

 

When i turn the key i can hear the fuel pump all the lights come on and dim whn the key is turned. But the starter doesn;t do anything, i have rocked it in different gears to see if its the bendicks stuff but nothing.

 

Runs perfect once jump started

 

Any idea's, all lights and everything work, could it be the battery?

 

What else could it be and how do i go about sorting it out.

 

oh and i replaced my starter switch about 3 months ago so i don;t think its that.

Any help would be very greatfully recieved

 

Beavisjem

[dazzyvr6 0]

could be the dreaded dodgy ignition barrel syndrome

[Henny 0]

yup, this is EXACTLY what my car did when the ignition switch died... :|

 

Worth taking the connector off the starter motor solenoid and checking that you get 12V on it when you hold the key in the start position... It's a red wire with a black tracer and is on a plug onto the starter motor.

 

If you've got no voltage there, change your switch.... If you've got voltage there, change your starter motor...

 

Guess who's just had to change his starter and has done this test this weekend? ;)

[BeavisJem 0]

ok cool, but i would have thought the ignition switch would have lasted longer, changed it 3 months ago, i do start it manyl times a day everday,, last time it went it got progressively worst before stopping.

 

Is the starter motor the thing between the engine and the supercharger, there are 2 wires a bit red one and a small blue one, is it the red one i check for 12 volts.

 

Cheers

 

Beavisjem

[Geo 0]

Sounds like it could be the battery. Also, did you check the main earth wire on the gearbox?

[Henny 0]

ok cool, but i would have thought the ignition switch would have lasted longer, changed it 3 months ago, i do start it manyl times a day everday,, last time it went it got progressively worst before stopping.

 

Is the starter motor the thing between the engine and the supercharger, there are 2 wires a bit red one and a small blue one, is it the red one i check for 12 volts.

 

Cheers

 

Beavisjem

 

That's the alternator! :?

 

if you look down the below the fan motor, you'll see a pair of cylinders sticking out of the front of the gearbox towards the inside of the passenger side wheel... There's a 13mm nut that holds on 2 THICK red wires (don't touch these!) and then a thinner "red with black tracer" wire which ends in a small plug which clips onto the end of the cylinder. (ringed in red on the pic below!) Unplug this wire, and check it for voltage. There should be 0V on it until you turn the switch to START, then there should be 12V until you let go of the key. If this is OK, then you're looking at either a dodgy earth cable or a new starter motor.

 

To check the earth cable trace the BIG wire from the battery -ve terminal, it should go down the back of the battery and bolt onto the chassis, and then continue on to the gearbox, just above the starter motor. If this looks green and nasty, replace it... it's available from VW and is about £25... A quick check is to put a single jump lead between the -ve on the battery and the bolt that the -ve wire goes to on the gearbox and see if it'll start then... if it still won't then it's a new starter motor (about £83 from GSF for a genuine Bosch one... 8) )

 

Good luck! 8)

[exturbo2003 0]

even if there is 12v at the trigger wire it still doesn't mean the starter it could be the battery.

if there is 12v on the trigger wire connect your multimeter to the big red wire and turn the key, if the voltage drops below 6v the batterys knackered.

[dazzyvr6 0]

if it was the battery wouldnt the alarm go off because of the sudden power drain?do the dash lights go out and the mfa display at all when you turn the key?

[BeavisJem 0]

when i turn the key the dash dims slightly but this is normal, the alarm still sets fine.

 

Now going to go check if it will start on its own this morning, i accidently drained the battery from leaving my stereo on about 2 weeks ago but i wouldn;t have thought this would knacker the battery, and haven't really driven it a long distance to charge it up. Just seems odd how it just does nothing. I hear the fuel pump whuring when i turn the key but nothing else, no relays in the engine back (apart from the fuel related stuff)

 

I thought the starter would get progressively worse, but i don;t hear it even try, will get the multimeter out and give it a check,

 

doh how stupid was i, i even changed a starter motor on my previous golf doh :oops:

 

i now know where i am looking.

 

Cheers will let you know

 

Beavisjem

[Henny 0]

even if there is 12v at the trigger wire it still doesn't mean the starter it could be the battery.

 

Quite correct, but if there's 12V on the trigger, then it CAN'T be the starter switch! ;)

 

Personally, my bets are on a dodgy earth strap... :roll:

[BeavisJem 0]

Ok well i got a click today in the engine bay when i just started it, sounded like the starter was about to go but then it didn;t, and then every time after that it did nothing, i could be the battery.

 

if the earth strap was dodgy would it still let the lights and evrything come on, and start from a jump start.

 

Can an earth strap really effect it that much.

 

Ahh multi meter is buggered :mad: lent it to a friend

 

Oh well, can i check the earth straps, where would they be, and can i do a quick fix

 

Beavisjem

[Henny 0]

OK, so if it starts first time every time on a jump start, then it's one of two things, the earth strap, or the battery.

 

I detailed the earth strap in my post above, and how to check it with a single jump lead, and YES, a dodgy oxidised earth lead really CAN stop your car from starting... It can also cause you to fry your ECU, cause all sorts of random running problems and just generally be bloody annoying... :?

[BeavisJem 0]

checked the earth strap, looks ok, gave it a wiggle, no joy, just put the battery on to charge till i can get a multimeter. Hopefully its the battery.

 

How very annoying.

 

Beavisjem

[Phil K 0]

Dunno if this is the same thing but, my mate has a Shitroen ZX and the solenoid in his starter motor sticks - remedy this by putting a length of a wooden pole on the starter and whack with a hammer - it should free the solenoid and it'll turn again...

 

Might be different on a C but I have heard this needing to be done on campers too

 

HTH

[Henny 0]

Dunno if this is the same thing but, my mate has a Shitroen ZX and the solenoid in his starter motor sticks - remedy this by putting a length of a wooden pole on the starter and whack with a hammer - it should free the solenoid and it'll turn again...

 

Might be different on a C but I have heard this needing to be done on campers too

 

HTH

 

Yeah, that does happen on Corrados too, but that wouldn't explain why it will always start with a jump start... :?

[BeavisJem 0]

hello, ok update

 

I have changed the battery - no joy nothing.

 

I have cleaned up the earth strap and also did the jump between the battery and gearbox - No joy - nothing

 

Hit starter with hammer - Nothing

 

Have checked ignition swith - Works great 8)

 

Checked clip on side of starter motor (red with black stripe) - 0v at rest and 12.36v when key is in the ignition position.

 

Checked another clip around the starter area - 12v when key is in the drive position :-P

 

Cleaned up the wireds on the side of the starter motor - Looks clean

 

OK so i think it might be the STARTER MOTOR :mad:

 

Now i can get another one from a place that has them in stock in norwich :shock: £116 :mad: but they will test the old one if i take it in :)

 

OK HOW THE HELL DO I GET TO THE LAST BOLT

 

OK looking at the starter, i can undo the two long bolts but i can;t get any tool into the gap to get the little on on the solinoid bit of the starter. It looks like i am going to have to take the radiator fan out. Is ther an easier way to get the starter out, i have supported the gearbox and the two long bolts came out a treat., but just can;t get to the last one.

 

I also took off the boost pipe from the charger to the intercooler and it was a bit grubby, a little oily but not lots, should i be worried :(

 

OK if anyone can help me i would be greatful. Afraid can;t realy do an engine out job, as i know this would make it very easy.

 

Any other things it could be?

 

Thanks again

 

Beavisjem

[Henny 0]

there is only 2 long bolts to hold the starter motor on... :? It'll just pull out of the gearbox once you've taken them out...

[Jim 1]

As for the intercooler pipe, I think a little oil / grime in there is not uncommon so I wouldn't let it worry you just yet.

[Henny 0]

Just been chatting on MSN and it turns out that the car WON'T start via the starter switch even when Jump started, but will BUMP start every time... starter motor isn't making any noise at all, and 3 batteries have been tried...

 

I'm putting money on the starter motor being dead now... 8)

 

Time for a trip to GSF for a genuine Bosch one (£80) or Euro for a re-built one (£76) :?

 

Good luck... 8)

[BeavisJem 0]

Put a starter motor in and it just clicks

 

AHHHHHHHHHH

 

What now

 

Battery?

 

Beavisjem

[Henny 0]

jump start it (with jump leads...) The first start with a new motor is always tight... 8)

 

If it fires up OK off the key when connected via jump leads, but then won't when not connected, then get your battery and battery cables checked... 8)

[BeavisJem 0]

WOOOOOHOOOOO

 

:D :D :D

 

It works, i hadn't done the nut ont he starter tight enough :oops:

 

Thanks for all your help guys, got it all sorted.

 

Thank you thank you

 

Beavisjem

[Henny 0]

8)