Gradual starting issue

ToddA1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Location
NJ 08002
TDI
'96 B4V, '97 B4 (sold), '97 Jetta (scrapped)
Do these cars use a starter bushing? Something to consider.

-Todd
 

genscripter

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2008
Location
Los Angeles
TDI
98 Jetta
I didn't recall anything mentioning a starter bushing in the Bentley Manual. Everything looked ok when I got it back from the rebuilder. Aside from the shared motor mount stupidity, it was a pretty simple reinstallation process.
 

genscripter

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2008
Location
Los Angeles
TDI
98 Jetta
I'm going to clean up the wire leads one more time to make sure something didn't get into the connectors when I was reconnecting. Maybe some gunk got into the solenoid connector and it's causing the connection to delay the activation of the gear. I don't know. Aside from the 1/4 second of grinding, the new starter works great.
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
I'm going to clean up the wire leads one more time to make sure something didn't get into the connectors when I was reconnecting. Maybe some gunk got into the solenoid connector and it's causing the connection to delay the activation of the gear. I don't know. Aside from the 1/4 second of grinding, the new starter works great.
I don't think you want to let that situation go. If cleanup doesn't resolve this situation take it back to the rebuilder and have them find the fault.

If there is a bushing it's in the nose of the starter but I don't remember whether there is one or not.

Steve
 

genscripter

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2008
Location
Los Angeles
TDI
98 Jetta
I took it back to my rebuilder. He worked on it for a half hour and returned it to me. He said there is nothing visibly wrong with the rebuild and on his bench it works fine.

I reinstalled it in my Jetta and it still spun first, then grinded. I was fed up, so I called around to parts stores in the area. One Autozone had a Duralast rebuild nearby. I bought it and installed it just to see if I'm just doing the reinstall wrong. This Duralast fired up no problem.

I'm going to leave the Duralast in for now. I'll return my original starter for another rebuild (he has a 90-day warranty) so he can keep fixing it until he gets it right. I'm hoping this is the last of my electrical issues. New battery, rebuilt alternator, cleaned up cables and grounds, new starter, etc etc... should be good for another 300,000 miles.
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
Well I'm no fan of Duralast but in this case I was glad to hear that the symptoms weren't repeated with the replacement starter.

I hope you demonstrated the rebuilt starter behavior to the rebuilder, in the car, it would help with your argument about it. He seems to think he's done everything right even when he hasn't.

This reminds me, my wagon tdi is operating on some wonky rebuilt starter that was used when I got it. It does work but I noticed it's a little slower than the one on the Mk3. I really need to have one of the Bosch units rebuilt and move that one to spare status.

Steve
 

genscripter

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2008
Location
Los Angeles
TDI
98 Jetta
I'm planning on getting this thing rebuilt again to make sure it works. Ideally, I want the original Bosch starter back in, and the duralast is my backup, but at least now it's on the back-burner. I had my jetta out of commission for almost a week and I prefer it as my daily driver. So far, the duralast has been starting great. We'll see how it works over the next few weeks.
 
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