Flywheel teeth chewed out by starter

[MAXRPM]

Alh 00 Jetta, I swaped from DMF to SMF about 4 years ago and last year the flywheel gave up, teeth where Starter engages were ruined so Jetta couldn't start, I went and got me a new flywheel from ID parts and I cryoed treated it, at the beginning car had no issues, now I'm hearing when I fired the car up that Starter does not fully engage on teeth, so during cranking right after you fire the car you can hear the slippage from the Starter, I got ask a question has anyone encountered this issue, I believe not 100% sure that it may be the Starter not being able to engage fully on Starter, I have switched starters and now the least thing I want is to knock down the tranny, any inputs would be appreciated

 

[DivineChaos]

Possible the gear isn't being pushed all the way out. Causing it to barely catch.
Paint some of the flywheel teeth, and jump the starter then check the paint to check contact. Is the ring in the same place as the dmf? On the dmf is the gear on the spring side or the crank side?

 

[MAXRPM]

It is a SMF I'm guessing that I may have an aftermarket starter and would need a OEM one,

 

[Mozambiquer]

Is it kinda a whirr sound when the starter releases? There's a bushing in the front of the Bosch starters that when it wears, it makes a whirr noise on release.
I sell a rebuild kit that includes that bushing, though if the starter you have is an aftermarket, I'd recommend putting a new Valeo starter in.
The Bosch ones are fairly good too, but slightly lower on power and they're a bit more expensive. The Valeo one is built a bit better, and it's a copper wound starter instead of the permanent magnet Bosch.

 

[MAXRPM]

Do you happen to know the Valeo Starter # for the Alh ? Gasser Starter maybe too weak for the diesel I imagine,, ,Yes exactly that is the noise you hear once you release on the ignition key.

I was also trying to find out if any member had the same issue I've been having for a few years, and see about their experience, although I'm almost certain the it is the Starter, I'd never Rule out the SMF flywheel, being aftermarket as well could be the culprit.

 

[Mozambiquer]

Do you happen to know the Valeo Starter # for the Alh ? Gasser Starter maybe too weak for the diesel I imagine,, ,Yes exactly that is the noise you hear once you release on the ignition key.

I was also trying to find out if any member had the same issue I've been having for a few years, and see about their experience, although I'm almost certain the it is the Starter, I'd never Rule out the SMF flywheel, being aftermarket as well could be the culprit.

Here's the Valeo starter for the manual TDI. Valeo starter
If it's the Idparts Flywheel, that should be the correct one, and any slipping is probably the starter.

 

[MAXRPM]

Thanks for the part number, I'm going order one Valeo then I'll see if it fixes the issue I'm having,

 

[MAXRPM]

So I went ahead and changed to a new Valeo Starter last week and no more grinding noise, car starts so quick and this Valeo Starter really makes a difference it is powerful

 

[oilhammer]

Just FYI for anyone who finds this thread, even though it doesn't sound like it may have been the OP's original problem, but there are a bunch of junk Chinese flywheels out there that have the starter ring gear slip off to the point they won't engage the starter pinion anymore. No-name junk, I have encountered a couple of them.