Starter motor not engaging ring gear

[Concat]

Hello all.

I was stranded today when I couldn't start my 2005 BEW Jetta.

The starter sounds like it engages ever so slightly for 1 second (light rattle) and then spins freely. I'm not a gearhead, but I'm also not afraid to try and resolve simple issues. I replaced the starter myself a few years back with a rebuild. After some searching on the forums it seems like my issue could be the solenoid, the starter gear teeth or the flywheel teeth.

Before I replace the starter, are there any diagnostics I can do? Is it possible to visually inspect the flywheel with the starter motor removed, for example? Anything else to check?

Much appreciated.

 

[Francobenz]

I had that issue a few years ago and it was with a poorly rebuilt starter from a local company. I did finally choose to buy a Bosch reman’d starter and it’s much stronger since. It happens when the bendix is weak.

 

[noob_tl]

I've had worn teeth on the ring gear and it made a grinding sound. Mine's an O1M auto, so the ring gear is part of the torque converter, which had to be replaced.

I've also had the overrun clutch on the starter slip and it would begin cranking and then just slip with only the starter motor noise. Your situation sounds to me like the second condition. The fix is a quality replacement starter, but I'd inspect the ring gear teeth when it's out just to be sure.

 

[oilhammer]

I've seen some Chinese one piece flywheel conversions where the ring gear press-fit tolerance on the flywheel is too loose, and it just slides right off.

But if the starter used is a non-Bosch, I would probably start there.

 

[Mozambiquer]

It sounds like the drive utch is failed, either that or the flywheel teeth are gone.
The oem Bosch and Valeo drives rarely fail, but I have seen many Chinese ones fail.
I rebuild a lot of them, and stock the Valeo ones, as they are higher powered.
Parts store ones and Amazon or ebay ones fail often.

 

[Concat]

Appreciate all your advice.

I took the starter out and did a visual inspection. Teeth look good on the flywheel and starter.

http://imgur.com/a/qIUioTc

If you wouldn't mind looking at the photos... Im a little perplexed by what Im seeing in the 3rd pictire.

Thanks again

 

[Mozambiquer]

Appreciate all your advice.

I took the starter out and did a visual inspection. Teeth look good on the flywheel and starter.

http://imgur.com/a/qIUioTc

If you wouldn't mind looking at the photos... Im a little perplexed by what Im seeing in the 3rd pictire.

Thanks again

Looks like the starter bushing came out. Thats what that is in there.
Get a good quality Bosch or Valeo starter.

 

[Concat]

Yep, you are correct. Its the bushing.

Well, looks like Im in the market for another starter. The one I took out is a Remy reman. I can get those locally for 200 CAD. Cant find a bosch without shipping and returning the core :/

 

[Mozambiquer]

Yep, you are correct. Its the bushing.

Well, looks like Im in the market for another starter. The one I took out is a Remy reman. I can get those locally for 200 CAD. Cant find a bosch without shipping and returning the core :/

Being as you're up north shipping from the USA would take a few more days and be a bit more expensive, but I do have new Valeo ones and also have a oem VW Bosch one.
It would be $165 USD for the VW one or $185 for the Valeo.
No core needed, though I do buy cores back.

 

[Concat]

Appreciate the offer, but after enough phone calls I found a shop with a Bosch. Thanks

 

[Vince Waldon]

As a fellow Edmontonian, may I ask where you found a Bosch locally? Thanks!

 

[Concat]

As a fellow Edmontonian, may I ask where you found a Bosch locally? Thanks!

The folks at Westside Automotive helped me out

 

[Concat]

New starter installed and she started up like a champ. Thanks all.

 

[morning_coffee]

Hey guys, new here. I have a similar problem with my 2005 TDI 1.9 Golf ALH (200,000 miles). I'm in New Hampshire, it was about 20-28F outside.

did a cold start last week, it took an unusually long time to crank, started up after about 4-6 seconds of noise (no grinding but louder than usual), got to final destination and after 10 minutes inside got back in the car to leave, except this time it cranked and cranked with alot of noise, then the starter disengaged and just ran.

now when i start, the starter whirs and whirs but doesn't appear to engage the flywheel.
i've taken out the starter, greased everything, tested it and it appears working (it was replaced about 1 year ago), but still no flywheel engagement.

it's an automatic, so that means I have a DMF (right?), so I tried putting the car in 4th but I dont see the flywheel moving at all. i got in there with a screw driver and couldn't get it to move that way neither. Car rolls in neutral fine, no clanking.

does this mean the problem is with my flywheel?

refurbed_starter.jpeg

• morning_coffee
• Mar 7, 2023

refurbed in fall 2021

rusty_flywheel.jpeg

• morning_coffee
• Mar 7, 2023

pic of flywheel with the starter removed. 2005 TDI 1.9 Golf ALH

 

[Mozambiquer]

That looks like a crack there... that is probably your problem. It would make the end of the armature that contacts there actually not be engaged.

 

[morning_coffee]

thank you!

ya i noticed but wasn't sure if it was the culprit. also wasn't sure what the name of this metal housing is?
wonder how long it's been there. a month ago we had an arctic chill -30F, maybe the expansion/contraction finally caused it to warp.

guess i need to take the motor off the metal housing and try ordering a new one. any suggestions where to find this part? TDI 1.9 Golf ALH, NH USA.

also, it's normal for my flywheel not to have any play? it's solid, doesnt move.

 

[Mozambiquer]

thank you!

ya i noticed but wasn't sure if it was the culprit. also wasn't sure what the name of this metal housing is?
wonder how long it's been there. a month ago we had an arctic chill -30F, maybe the expansion/contraction finally caused it to warp.

guess i need to take the motor off the metal housing and try ordering a new one. any suggestions where to find this part? TDI 1.9 Golf ALH, NH USA.

also, it's normal for my flywheel not to have any play? it's solid, doesnt move.

The problem is likely due to the hard cranking. Though I would not be surprised if the bearing that sits inside there was the problem that caused it.the parts store starters use junk Chinese bearings.
You can't get that housing new anymore, it needs a new starter. I have a core to rebuild if you need one that is rebuilt with quality parts instead of the parts store ones.

 

[J_dude]

my 2005 TDI 1.9 Golf ALH

Sorry this has nothing to do with the problem at hand but, I thought 2003 was the last year of the ALH?

 

[Mozambiquer]

Sorry this has nothing to do with the problem at hand but, I thought 2003 was the last year of the ALH?

Yes, 2003 is the last year of the ALH.
That one is a BEW with the 09a automatic.

 

[morning_coffee]

Yes, 2003 is the last year of the ALH.
That one is a BEW with the 09a automatic.

ah thanks for the clarification! so i have a BEW engine, trying to find the website where I got the info from, not important.

@Mozambiquer im open to getting a starter from you. just to clarify your rebuilt starter would come with the housing? i did notice i couldn't find any starters that looked like they would fit, figured I would have to rebuild one myself. how much?

also still wondering, it's normal for my flywheel not to move right? it wont rotate in 4th gear nor can i manually spin it. car is at 200,000 miles and in some other forums folks mentioned the cam shaft getting jammed and I wasn't sure if my flywheel not rotating was a sign of this.

appreciate the help!

 

[oilhammer]

I've seen those starters do that on several Jatco slushboxes that mount them that way. Not just BEWs, but lots of Nissans, too.

 

[Mozambiquer]

ah thanks for the clarification! so i have a BEW engine, trying to find the website where I got the info from, not important.

@Mozambiquer im open to getting a starter from you. just to clarify your rebuilt starter would come with the housing? i did notice i couldn't find any starters that looked like they would fit, figured I would have to rebuild one myself. how much?

also still wondering, it's normal for my flywheel not to move right? it wont rotate in 4th gear nor can i manually spin it. car is at 200,000 miles and in some other forums folks mentioned the cam shaft getting jammed and I wasn't sure if my flywheel not rotating was a sign of this.

appreciate the help!

To check if the flywheel rotates put a 19mm 12 point socket on the front engine bolt and turn it. The engine won't turn by pushing it in gear on that car, as its an automatic. Its also not a DMF on that car, its a torque converter.
These starters are not very easy to find, as it was only two years that they were made.
My remanufactured ones I sell for $195 plus core and shipping.

 

[oilhammer]

Yeah, Hitachi seems to have forgotten they even made these starters. And they are a strange one, in that they have that gear selector cable bracket made on to the housing. And that Jatco transmission was not used in many VAG products for very long.

 

[morning_coffee]

To check if the flywheel rotates put a 19mm 12 point socket on the front engine bolt and turn it. The engine won't turn by pushing it in gear on that car, as its an automatic. Its also not a DMF on that car, its a torque converter.
These starters are not very easy to find, as it was only two years that they were made.
My remanufactured ones I sell for $195 plus core and shipping.

thank you! i'll take the starter, will send you PM.

is this the bolt in question?

IMG_1137.jpeg

• morning_coffee
• Mar 8, 2023

 

[morning_coffee]

Yeah, Hitachi seems to have forgotten they even made these starters. And they are a strange one, in that they have that gear selector cable bracket made on to the housing. And that Jatco transmission was not used in many VAG products for very long.

ya i must of spent an hour looking for one to no avail, good thing this forum exists

 

[Zak99b5]

No, that's not the bolt. It's on the other end of the motor, in the center of the crank pulley.

 

[PakProtector]

No, that's not the bolt. It's on the other end of the motor, in the center of the crank pulley.

If you don't want to be messing with timing belt tensioner adjustment, make sure you turn that bolt the right direction. Tightening direction.

Douglas