car won't start

[shaolindan]

Hi peeps,

My mk2 8v digi wont start. (1990, big bumper 133,000 miles - with a rebuild at 85,000) I have charged the battery. When I turn on the ignition I can hear the fuel pump click but I get nothing when I try to turn over. I have an aftermarket autowatch cat1 alarm fitted, so I called the fella who fit it and he said if the alarm switches on and off fine, then the immobiliser does too.
So with that in mind, I figure it must be the starter motor. I have given the solenoid unit on top of the starter a few firm taps, to make sure the solenoid wasn't stuck, no joy.
I then took the single cable with the slot fitting off the starter motor and then connected a jump lead from positive to it. I got a spark, but no movement.

To get to my question, have I checked it properly? Is there anything else I can do? Would hotwiring the starter like that bypass the immobiliser if it was that? If it is the starter unit, how tricky is it to replace? Any ideas or pointers? Thanks.

[shaolindan]

Another thought, is it likely just to be the starter motor bush?

[h8v]

 When you switch on the ignition you should hear the fuel pump (by the rear offside wheel) run for a couple of seconds.

I think you are saying that the starter motor won't run.  When trying to start the car there should be a click from the solenoid that is attached to the starter motor.  The solenoid is the cylindrical part with a large cable going to the battery and a smaller one which is powered by the ignition switch.

Check if the starter motor runs by connecting it directly to the battery.  Use a jump lead to connect directly from the battery positive terminal to the solenoid bolt-on terminal that has a short cable going straight into the starter motor.  A large screwdriver may be the easiest way to reach that terminal. When connected, the starter motor should run.

Give that a go first.

[lemski]

Bump it off. If it runs then its starter.
Check the wiring to the starter.
The way said above works to make starter spin. If you take it off you can check the inertia gear is flicking out like it shoupd aswell

[oakgreener]

Do you hear the solenoid click? It's mounted on top of the starter motor. If so you could have a bad connection at the main terminal on the starter, just clean it up. If you hear no click could be a duff ignition switch. Put a live feed onto the solenoid terminal, I think a 6mm red wire is on it. Make sure it's out of gear

[shaolindan]

OK. Thumped the solenoid a few times. Charged the battery - found it wasn't really coping so put a new battery on.
Then cleaned all the terminal connections.
Using a meter, I found that current is reaching the starter - so not the immobiliser or the ignition switch.

Therefore, I concluded it was the starter itself. So I put a trolley jack on the front subframe, once it was at a suitable height - as I  couldn't find my axel stands, I put a jack under the front left side as a backup.
The top bolt was a little stubborn, but using a sizable torque wrench as a lever, I got it out eventually.

Once under the starter, I could see one bolt but two bolt holes? The bolt to the right seemed to go straight into the engine block.  The bolt hole to the left seemed to line up with the front engine mount. Of course, as I removed the bottom bolt, the engine dropped 3 cm and the bolt holes no longer lined up.

I presume, once I have a replacement starter motor that I will need to lift the engine so I can put in that third bolt. Does anyone know what the part number is?

https://www.vwheritage.com/shop/N10286205#esp_cf=ESP_Rational_vehicleAliases&esp_filter_ESP_Rational_vehicleAliases=MK2%20GOLF

Is that it?  Thanks in advance.

[Brighouse-gti]

Not too sure on the part number, but as a pointer, use a jack under the bell housing to jack the engine up to re-align the hole(s)... DONT put the jack under the engine (sump pan)!

[lemski]

Bolts 6cm long. Which should be the one. I can check by measuring the one in mine if you need

[shaolindan]

Cheers chaps. I actually used a m10 x 100 bolt, and it works fine. It is about 3-4 cm too long but it is a far distance from the engine mount.

It was a little bit of a mission to line them all up, got there in the end. It turns out that the starter motor had been warning me for some time that it was on its way out, I had just thought the battery was getting old. Before it was a little cough cough asthmatic start up.

It starts instantly now.