MK1 auto golf starter prob

Hi all Dub Fans please can i have some help

I have a mk1 golf softtop 1.8 carb auto

when i gets hot it wont start till it cools down

Then it works like nothing is wrong

The starter just goes click …. doesnt even try to turn

Then you keep trying it and randonly it just starts as normal

I had 3 starters so got a sparky to put them together to make a good one and have had it rewired to a start button rather then the key to try eliminate that circuit and it still does it

any ideas?????    please   anyone

Thanks

DuBskiZ

Sticky solenoid. The fact that you've had a sparky build you a good starter from 3 bad ones - he's not built a good one! All 3 must have been worn out!

Since its an auto, buy a decent secondhand or new one for peace of mind, unfortunately there's no shortcuts.

make yourself a relayed starter loom and a heat shield. this is a common problem on autos due to the poor location of the starter.  same principle as for making a relayed headlight loom, just for a starter motor

check the battery cables are good and clean too, starter needs a good earth and unfotunatly the MK1 gearbox earth location is poor.  
VW addressed this on late MK2 and MK3s, buy designing a replacment gearbox -> engine bolt with a stud on the end, they ran the battery earth direct to there which is a big improvement.

Another thing you can do is run a fresh earth from one of the starter mounting bolts direct to battery or chassis earth point, this will ensure starter has a very good earth point.

On my cab I have fitted MK3 battery cables, they're much chunkier than the MK1 item. I had to mod the earth cable a bit as the chassis earth wasnt long enough, I chopped a section out of a second battery cable, ran it from the chasis point and connected it to the MK3 chassis earth with a nut & bolt.

Thanks for all your help ive found my car is missing the heatsheild for one thing so gana sort that and i have 2 pht cables added to chassis already so i gess it is the heat and the very poor starter

Thanks again

you might end up needing a new starter anyway, but at least all the above will help make the new one last a bit longer!