Club 80-90 Forums

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum and the VW world and have come across a bit of a tricky situation. I've looked through the forum but can't find an answer.

I have a 1983 1900 petrol T25 which wouldn't start the other day after running fine. A bad starter was diagnosed and I have today changed this out for a aftermarket motor from VW Heritage. Before anyone asks, yes I did change the starter bush.

I put the new unit in but no joy. The motor sounded like it had jammed. I removed it again to see if there was a jam and when I put it back it turned (with a lot of noises) and started. It then went back to just a click. After removing several times to check the bush and measure up against the old unit, I cant get it to stay unjammed. On the key turn it clicks but won't turn. If you keep at it it will start noisely, but doesn't sound good. The battery has 12v as has the starter solenoid. It really sounds like it isn't engaging properly.

Is this a case of me missing something, or a dodgy aftermarket part. Place help, it's infuriating.

Rich

Remove and clean all earths especially gearbox nose one. Probably not a bad starter motor to start with! What 'expert' gave the diagnosis? 12v is low - should be 12.7v on a fully charged battery.

And use this as a reference check for the state of existing cables: https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/VW ... ain_cables" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Nice one. I did check the earth off the top of the gearbox which looked fine, but I'll pop it off tomorrow and give it a clean. Which others should I check - sorry I don't know my way around these motors.

Thanks for the quick response though, much appreciated.

Rich

Hi there, could I ask for a little bit more help please. I have charged the battery and remove and cleaned up both the transmission earth and the battery earth. I've also tried running a jump lead from both sides of the transmission earth strap to the battery earth. The problem is still persisting, so would it be worth considering adding a new earth strap, say from the starter itself to the chassis. Or could it be a different electrical problem?

Many thanks

Rich

if you run the jump pack direct to the starter and make a little trigger wire from the live to the igniter terminal and it's still rough then it is the starter motor as you have taken all the wiring out of the equation, obviously ensure vehicle is in neutral handbrake on before remote starting
I know a lot of these 'refurbished' units have a Hella sticker on them and look right but they are done on the cheap in eastern europe with bugger all QC, I know a couple of people have had units from JK that have been dead on arrival so just because the starter has been replaced I wouldn't discount it being a duffer. The cost of the parts to do a proper full refurbishment of a Hella starter means they should be £150 exchange if they are right.
I don't know if Brickwerks have starters in stock at present but that would be my preferred supplier - I bought some knobs from Heritage last week, they were the wrong part and they then argued about them and claimed that the listing was clear and I'd bought the wrong item (photo of item illustating listing was what I wanted), until I got them to check ATP function in ETKA and lo and behold they agreed the part I wanted was listed for a Type 2 Syncro, though Heritage (or the person I was dealing with in returns dept) don't even know that a T25/T3 is a Type 2 as far as VW is concerned, such level of ignorance in a specialist supplier isn't great, I know I am a parts nerd but I expect the specialists to employ similar nerds not plain sales people, and to remember the customer is always right (if the customer is wrong you slag them off in private afterwards and double check their next order with them before sending it out)

I have an on going battle with starters on my mv syncro
I am going to replace the cable from battery to starter, would 170amp be man enough or should I go for 240amp?
BW have recon. Hella starters in stock so I'm ordering one to keep in the van as back up

170 would be fine. Just ensure its multi-strand. Thicker doesn't hurt but harder to route and more expensive.

Having read through a load more threads on here, I'm now thinking it could be the exciter wire/connection. Anyone know the route this wire runs from/to. I'm having trouble working it out from my Haynes