Momentary 'pause' on ignition / turnover

Hi all,
'81 1600 tintop GTI.

Not a critical issue but when i crank the ignition, I get a momentary 'pause' or dead spot where the starter stops for a split second and also dash dials (speedo/rpm) spin up to max. A moment later everything returns to normal and she starts.

1. Battery is fully charged.
2. Bad earth?
3. Dodgy ignition switch?
4. Or something else…

Thanks
Greg

I would first suspect the grounds, as dials that go to max, and the Starter spinning then stopping,

Try my quick grounds test to verify they are good, however if they are still oem, then replace them out of hand  Battery to frame and frame to engine.

The Electric Fairies are known to use other paths to ground when the usual ones aren't available.

I have seen first hand cars cables that looked good at the battery and well 6 inches back under the sheath it was a plain twisted Green bundle of wires.

I have seen photos where the Car used the Speedo Cable via the Cluster to let the Starter run 40Amp through it.  Same for clutch cables.

https://www.volkswagenownersclub.com/threads/brianos-quick-grounds-test.134637/

Second would be the Ignition switch they fail so many ways, and on a 81 it isn't that hard to replace.

My two Pence.

Briano1234 , may sound silly, but where do you place/connect the DVOM black and red wires?

To test the battery cables, you use the Positive on the negative post of the battery, and the Negative on the frame should be 0V.
Then the Positive on the negative post of the battery and then the Negative on the Engine should be 0.

You then go from the Battery Positive to the negative and record the voltage.  Then go from the battery positive to the Frame, record the voltage, then from the Battery Positive to the engine record the difference if it is more than .5V replace your cables.

Using my quick test if you go to start the car and it doesn't hesitate then your issue is the Ignition switch usually.  

You didn't say if yours was a Automatic, or a Standard.
If you want to prolong the Ignition switch life, you can use a 40amp Foglight or a ford starter relay to pick your solenoid on the starter as you use minimal current through the ignition switch to pick a relay that will give you straight battery to the starter solenoid.  It also shortens the run of current by about 5 feet.

See the TSB for Heat soak starters (usually for automatics) but can be retrofitted to your manual.

Also relaying your head lamps takes a high current load off of your headlight switch.

Heat Soak relay thread.
https://www.cabby-info.com/files/ignition/InstallingHot-startRelay.pdf

Heat soak relay TSB.
https://www.cabby-info.com/files/transmission/010StarterTSB.pdf

Relaying your headlights.
How I dod it.  I have a 2 relay diagram, and a 3 relay diagram.

Head light relay thread.
https://www.volkswagenownersclub.com/threads/relaying-your-head-lights.32215/

You can buy ready made kits on line here is one from ebay uk,

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394081005516?hash=item5bc10eefcc:g:BeAAAOSwsO9k5-p4&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4NQ2wiLgwDe6OSnNiBJQIF%2BbonYSLvz%2FzgyqDyJvjO%2BtjiTf2W0YTgjtGaBvtN40C73j923zdB5Q7Pqp1js9MK1XzoYMpHVYDh08VRHQVJjkwv5TXuVEQ6jF30LYFUlwBB8WoP41I4dCydzwjG8lPmeClzqY7G%2FuC6vKX5K%2F6kZUKPw92ovbKihOishufXmFv3vxB0nA12Ku2NQAPRC155UjigZm%2BoQFCIAi2ydU5VAnULaFkVbHWLrbbEmmKEyx7PwBg1NITajBlXMT6n3MmE2IHPTyWM4bpy37qG1uPSvr%7Ctkp%3ABFBM_NO55Zpj

If you are talking the quick grounds test, it uses a pair of battery jumper cables.

Connect the Black wire from the Negative Battery post to the Strut Tower nut.

Connect the Red wire from the Battery negative cable to the engine/transmission.

Works better replace your battery cables.
Battery-to-frame, and Frame-to-engine.y

You can use 2 off the shelf cables, with either a new single cable  or using the 2 off the shelf cable way Spray the Frame connection with Battery protective coating.

One piece cable.


2 off the shelf cables the take off allows you to splice the separate cables that are attached to the btter terminal bolt with ring connectors to the take off cleaning the battery up a wee bit.





Battery corrosion preventor spray.