Starter Motor - clarity on which one

Hi all
Please can someone confirm the right starter motor for my '92 GTI Sportline cabby?
Thank you
Adam

Manual or Automatic?

Why, because there are 2 starters for automatics and putting the wrong one on can ruin the flex plate.

While all 92's should have a spoked flex plate that isn't to say is hasn't been changed to a solid pre-85 flex plate.

The Solid flex plate starter will not work with a spoked fles and Vice-versa.

To differentiate there are 3 protrusions in the starter mount on the Bendix side, you can't see them until you have the starter out… If you see spokes with holes as you rotate it then it is a spoked wheel, that is you can see the torque convertor.

If you can't see the torque convertor then you have a Solid flex plate.  

The Solid flex plate starter looks like this.


The yellow circles are were the protrusions are on the spoked flex.. Solid flexures like this one don't have them.

Yes Solid flex starter.


Spoked flex plate.


Solid Flex plate.

Thx
Manual 1.8 dx

I don't remember it being that different, but I do remember my 90 cabby needing a starter and I got a 81 Diesel starter and Bushing, and that thing would spin the engine……..

thank you!

So instead of starting (haha) a new topic. I'll ask here. Is there a way to check if I have a fly wheel or flex plate on my auto 88 cabby with out taking the starter motor out? I have a very bad grind noise when starting.

Yes you have a flex plate that attaches the Transmission to the Engine on automatics.  There are 2 styles Solid, and Spoked.  

You can jack the car up and place on stands.
From the bottom of the bell housing you can view the flex plate.

If the bolts that hold the Torque Coverter have 2 rivets on each side it is usually a spoked.  

In the thread or post above you can see which plate you have.  

Spoked starters will work on solids, but solids won't work on spoked.