tdi wont crank just clicks

hmr_tym

Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2018
Location
Vancouver
TDI
'03 Golf
'03 tdi wont crank just clicks

Hey Guys, new to the forum. Been a great tool for me thus far but the time has come to post my issues as I can't find a solution on here.
I picked up an '03 golf tdi automatic. It had a blown turbo and as far as i can tell probably hasn't run in at least two years. Previous owner smacked the oil pan and ran it out of oil. He got the pan fixed and then realized that he had also blown the turbo and gave up on it.
I Replaced turbo with a good used one. Got it all back together. Pulled the wire at the injection pump to prime the oil system.
Went to turn it over, starter cranks for a split second and then just clicks. Sometimes doesn't crank at all, just clicks.
Im getting all the lights that i should on the dash.
Battery is good, even tried the battery out of my truck just in case. Same issue.
Replaced with new starter. Same issue.
Cleaned both terminals on the battery and battery cable clamps. Same issue.
Cleaned positive cable end at starter. Same issue.
Cleaned ground from battery to block. Same issue.
Trying with battery charger hooked up and set to 50 amp engine start. Same issue.
Using jumper cables i ran them from the battery + to the + terminal on starter as well as from the battery - to the engine block ground. Same issue.
Using jumper cables i ran them from the battery + to the + terminal on starter as well as from the battery - to the starter housing. Same issue.
Engine turns over by hand. Alternator is not seized.
pulled glow plugs, turns it over just fine although it seems pretty slow. Hard to say as i don't have a reference. I've never seen this car run. Put plugs back in and no dice. Starter just doesn't have the power to work against the compression.
Returned the new starter for a another. Same issue.
What next?
Thanks in advance. I've really enjoyed working on this car so far. All the nightmares I've heard about vw's were dwindling until now.
 
Last edited:

whitedog

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
Location
Bend, Oregon
TDI
2004 Jetta that I fill by myself
So you pulled the glow plugs and the starter will crank over the engine? How about a voltage drop test on the battery cables? I know you ran a jumper cables to the starter, but it certainly sounds like you have a high resistance connection in the main start circuit.
 

hmr_tym

Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2018
Location
Vancouver
TDI
'03 Golf
Yup. Making some headway. Was defiantly battery related. I put the battery from truck back in the car after seeing the voltage basically bounce between 12.5 and 1.2 at the starter. It now turns over the engine. Very slow and is taxing the starter, as it starts to smoke.

Its almost as the motor as getting hung up somewhere on rotation. Its very jerky.
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
replace starter if battery tests good with volt meter
 

miningman

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2007
Location
alberta
TDI
2003 Golf
might be a brand new starter but if youve got it smoking , id be looking for another starter
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
and thus i tell you to replace it or have it called in for warranty if the battery tests good. remand or OPEM, starters are hit and miss. not the first time i have had a defective one right out the box.

Its only 3 things here. Wires and connections, battery, starter.
I read it all and im telling you, that you probably have a defective new starter as you probably got it from advancedcrapo or autozit or my favorite, NAPA = Crapa
 

Tdijarhead

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Location
Lawrenceville PA
TDI
2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
Car off. Test your battery at the terminals with a multimeter. What is the reading? Now put the red wire from the multimeter down on the starter stud what is the reading? It should be the same.
 

hmr_tym

Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2018
Location
Vancouver
TDI
'03 Golf
might be a brand new starter but if youve got it smoking , id be looking for another starter
Ill put the old one back in and see if it makes a difference as I'm fairly confident that that wasnt my issue in the first place. May also remove the serp belt to see if maybe the ac compressor is seized.
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
let me ask you this very basic question. You can turn it over by hand easily right? as in the rotating assembly is ok right? you said the pan was busted out and ran dry. Im assuming you already got into the crank and check the bearings and all that right? If you have not, your engine is seized and you need to rebuild it. Because you are messing with the starter leads me to believe you have already done this to make sure the engine is at least in running condition. A starved oil engine is garrateed to be damaged and probably to the point of a severely scared crank and pistons.
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
AC is on a clutch, if it was it will not make a difference, now the water pump on the other hand!. What engine code? AHU or ALH?
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
run your headlights for 2 minutes, then let it rest for 2 minutes and then test battery. this take the top charge off and gives you an accurate reading. ALso you can check the amp load at the starter. should be like 100 to 130 amps, anything over 130 amps and your starter is fried.
 

hmr_tym

Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2018
Location
Vancouver
TDI
'03 Golf
Battery that is in it now is out of my perfectly running bronco. Battery that was in it is most likely toast. I've already addressed that. The current battery is now turning over the motor, so original problem addressed. My issue is now the starter smoking and struggling.
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
water pump is on the timing belt. a typical failure is a siez up on the pump. Get the the timing belt, im sure you did this already to make sure it was at TDC on all the marks right? take the belt off, see if the pump is locked up. Maybe you did not check TDC and your hitting a bent valve as the timing belt might be trashed.

Point is you need to start at the timing belt, then the crank, and if everything looks 100% perfect on the main bearings then move on to try and getting it to crank. otherwise your wasting your time
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
we just dont want you chasing after parts when the engine could be fubar. Sat for 2 years after running dry on oil is almost a sure sign of a future engine tear down and rebuild.
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
sooooooo, wth? bad connection? dead battery? I highly suggest you go diagnose the internal condition of the engine before putting large miles on it.
 

hmr_tym

Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2018
Location
Vancouver
TDI
'03 Golf
Looks like a battery/starter circuit issue the whole time. Thanks for your help. Just gotta throw the serp belt back on and start checking everything over.
 
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