Author Topic: Starting Troubles  (Read 2176 times)

Offline robw09

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Starting Troubles
« on: 09 January 2017, 11:07 »

My mk 2 GTi digifant is currently abandoned in a school car park as it refused to start.  It had a ropey startup to get there, but is now totally refusing to budge.  Apologies for my lack of mechanical info below!

About 6 weeks ago I had a new battery as the start up had been getting worse and worse until it had "machine gun" firing attempts to start up and then everything stopped. Initially the battery seemed to sort it, but then it started getting worse again.  My local garage said that it was only producing about 12.5 amps hence gradually losing charge.  They replaced the resistor, but that did not help.  They then changed the alternator and said it was producing around 14 amps.  However, in my opinion it has still not been starting quite right since, but it always started at least.  As stated above I got it going this morning and dropped my child in at school, but then it refused to start.  It appears to be a very weak single crank and nothing seems to kick in.  All the electrics work fine.  I have been round the connections and checked terminals, but there is nothing obvious.  The only thing I did note (and it may be right anyway) was the idle air control valve was "humming" when the ignition was at the first stage.

Obviously you cannot see, but is there anything obvious I should be doing/check?

Does this situation point to anything in particular?

Any help would be appreciated!

Cheers

Offline h8v

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Re: Starting Troubles
« Reply #1 on: 09 January 2017, 12:18 »
It would be a good starting point to find someone with jump leads and try using them.
Your description seems to poiunt to the battery being very low on charge.

Offline robw09

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Re: Starting Troubles
« Reply #2 on: 09 January 2017, 12:22 »
I will do that later.  If that is the issue then the battery is still not being charged back up even with a new alt etc.

Offline Brighouse-gti

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Re: Starting Troubles
« Reply #3 on: 09 January 2017, 12:59 »
When you try to start it does it crank like 'normal' or does the cranking seem weaker? I had a dodgy earth wire on the starter once, but the wire had corroded internally so wasn't obvious.

Offline robw09

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Re: Starting Troubles
« Reply #4 on: 09 January 2017, 15:21 »

I gave the started motor a whack and it started up, badly, but nevertheless.  Perhaps a bad solenoid...

I will check the earths

Offline lemski

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Re: Starting Troubles
« Reply #5 on: 09 January 2017, 20:37 »
Its sounded like the starter when reading.
A customer has this with his and then after the initial start its fine. Like the solinoid is lazy

Offline oakgreener

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Re: Starting Troubles
« Reply #6 on: 09 January 2017, 21:37 »
Clean up the terminals on the solenoid. You could be dropping voltage on a bad connection. Take the +wire off the battery first.

Offline robw09

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Re: Starting Troubles
« Reply #7 on: 18 January 2017, 12:06 »
Starter motor has been changed and it now fires up like a dream!