Car won't start or even push start.

srmichi

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2009
Location
Lyndhurst, nj
TDI
01 golf
Hello everyone. Have a problem with starting my car. Its a 2001 tdi manual transmission. I'm a courier and I turn on and off the car about 30-40 times a day. Well I was just about to go home after my last stop and I go turn the key and all I hear is a click I open the hood and I smelled like smoke. So I go inside my office and ask two of the guys to help to try to push start it. We tried a few times but no luck we tried 2nd and 3rd but engine didn't even turn over just felt like if you slammed on the brakes. We tried hitting the starter while cranking and it just started smoking. Would just changing out the starter be okay or should I be worry that I could not push start it?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using Tapatalk 2
 

VeeDubTDI

Wanderluster, Traveler, TDIClub Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 2, 2000
Location
Springfield, VA
TDI
‘18 Tesla Model 3D+, ‘14 Cadillac ELR, ‘13 Fiat 500e
How fast were you going when you tried to push-start?
 

terrydtdi

Veteran Member
Joined
May 16, 2006
Location
Charleston S.C.
TDI
2000 MK4 TDI Jetta 5spd
Sounds like your bendix gear got hung up on the fly wheel with power continuing with the engagement, and it finally burned up.
 

ultrasparc

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2006
Location
Wa
TDI
00, Jetta TDI MK IV
Sounds like your engine is locked up for some reason. Could be a few things from a bolt that backed off the injector pump pully to a hydrolocked engine, or possibly even a dropped valve.

It was probably your starter or battery cables that were smoking

First thing I would do is inspect the timing belt. You can pop the cover off and make sure its not broken, its tight and is still intact.

Then try to gently turn the engne over ( or better yet backwards) with a wrench. Don't try to start it until you can get the engine turning over several revolutions by hand.

How long since the last timing belt change ?
 

Seatman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 23, 2010
Location
Scotland
TDI
2014 Skoda rapid elegance 1.6 cr tdi
Sounds like your bendix gear got hung up on the fly wheel with power continuing with the engagement, and it finally burned up.

+ 1 on this ^^^

There's a few threads on here with this exact thing, pop out the starter if you can then see how it goes. With the starter out you could put the car in 5th with the ignition off and rock the car back and forth and see if the engine moves. Have a good look in the hole for the starter and maybe in the hole for the timing to check for anything stuck inside.
 

srmichi

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2009
Location
Lyndhurst, nj
TDI
01 golf
How fast were you going when you tried to push-start?

Um two guys where pushing on a slight decline we might have reach 10 MPH.


Sounds like your engine is locked up for some reason. Could be a few things from a bolt that backed off the injector pump pully to a hydrolocked engine, or possibly even a dropped valve.

It was probably your starter or battery cables that were smoking

First thing I would do is inspect the timing belt. You can pop the cover off and make sure its not broken, its tight and is still intact.

Then try to gently turn the engne over ( or better yet backwards) with a wrench. Don't try to start it until you can get the engine turning over several revolutions by hand.

How long since the last timing belt change ?

timing belt was changed at 250k do to a water pump leak. Car just turned 290k this last Saturday. I left the car at the office will go back first thing in the morning and check it out in the day light.




+ 1 on this ^^^

There's a few threads on here with this exact thing, pop out the starter if you can then see how it goes. With the starter out you could put the car in 5th with the ignition off and rock the car back and forth and see if the engine moves. Have a good look in the hole for the starter and maybe in the hole for the timing to check for anything stuck inside.
Good thing I have a new starter in my shed I'll be removing it and checking everything out.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using Tapatalk 2
 

Ol'Rattler

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 3, 2007
Location
PNA
TDI
2006 BRM Jetta
If you can't get a car to start with the starter, then trying to compression start it is usually a waste of time. If you smell smoke while trying to start, you need to stop immediately and investigate the cause. This means taking the key out of the ignition, putting it in your pocket and not trying to start the car until figure out the problem.

Removing the starter and then putting a socket on the crankshaft bolt and trying to turn the crankshaft in the direction of normal engine rotation would be a good first step in assessing the situation.
 

srmichi

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2009
Location
Lyndhurst, nj
TDI
01 golf




Looks like that piece (from a old starter, an old starter that for some reason had a bearing. A bearing that failed) I thought I removed all the pieces but I guess I was wrong. Looks like the piece try to go between the starter and flywheel and by trying to crank it I burned the motor. I swapped out The starter and car started right up and now I'm home.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using Tapatalk 2
 
Top