Broke it!

[mattmk4]

I can hear the fuel pump prime when i turn the key.
At best i get a click when i turn the key but that only works once or twice.

The single red wire is deffo in tact unless it is knackered in the plug itself but i cant pull the lead out if i give it a tug.

I have checked my earths and i have tried to jump it just in case the battery had de-charged (clutching!)

It makes me think i have jammed the starter or knackered it somehow purely because it started first time and when i re-started it wouldnt ( a matter of seconds)

[Big Tone]

My main cable to starter snapped, started fine, drove a bit, then nothing.
A bit suspect that you have been working on it but these mk4 gremlins have a habit of happening st the strangest of times.

Had drill out the clamp and re solder the wire.

[mattmk4]

ok i will have another look when i get home.

I'll test for power to the starter itself from the battery and then the single wire plug onto the starter. Should it be 12V on the red on ignition?

now the only thing i should have mentioned is that the little black tab that sits between the positive and the neg terminals on the starter itself, broke off when i removed it. Could it be arcing and effectively mean i have no power to the motor?

[mattmk4]

Fixed it!!

got a price of £101 from andrew price and didnt like the idea of parting with it so i went home and took it back out.

I didnt notice this before because i didnt take the cylinder section apart but as soon as i did the earth strap fell apart.

Re-soldered the connection back together and it now runs fine.

Thanks for all your help!!

[houston]

how did you grease it if you didnt take it to bits to coat the orbital gears? i can guarantee you itll start screeching again soon if you havent done it properly (i speak from experience)

[mattmk4]

i greased the gears but i didnt take the magnet section apart, it wasnt until i removed the 2 screws on the top to expose where the earth braid attaches inside that i realised it has come apart

[houston]

i greased the gears but i didnt take the magnet section apart, it wasnt until i removed the 2 screws on the top to expose where the earth braid attaches inside that i realised it has come apart

ah right, you dont wanna release the magnet anyway, its an absolute bastard to get them sitting properly again if you take that bit to pieces, i ended up having to buy another starter for my mk3 cos of it

[Dave_IOW]

Glad you got it sorted. My black wire broke on the terminal and i had to keep prodding it with a stick    till i got to another weekend to sort it properly!