MY CAR STILL WON'T START! - Link for video added

paul_c said

Actually, just seen its an auto - forget about trying to bump start it. Also, good luck in reaching/changing the starter motor!

Lol, yea…half of me thought I wouldnt be able to bump start it. And, thank you again.

Dont try to bump start an auto,it wont happen,it looks like starter motor to me,the lights on the dash dont dim so looks like battery is good  :wink:
Bert

Bert said

Dont try to bump start an auto,it wont happen,it looks like starter motor to me,the lights on the dash dont dim so looks like battery is good  :wink:
Bert

Ok, cool. Will definately definately DEFINATELY get that looked at.  

I don't think its possible to bump autos but i have been known to be wrong!   

Just had a look at the video, lights don't seem to dim so could be starter, ignition switch, starter relay etc. But could also be something to do with auto-switch. In an auto the car won't start in gear, only in Park or Neutral, if this is faulty the car will think it is in gear and refuse to engage the starter, I would look here first.

good luck

marklawrence said

You owe me ?1, its a brand new battery and was fully charged last night. All electrics work…headlights come on and stay on, radio works, indicators, wipers…the lot.

   ah ok ops:  well i guess your next port of call is the starter then, try a bigger hammer first! also clean up the eath straps, i had this problem once on my old gti and it ended up earhting through the fuel pipes metal braiding and bursting 2 of them!!! on a petrol station forecourt!!! it was the earth point under the battery tray the culprit, dunno if its the same on an auto?

swanvestas  and a gallon only kidding no one stay near this young lad could pop over for ten min hes ony 18

Cero said

Just had a look at the video, lights don't seem to dim so could be starter, ignition switch, starter relay etc. But could also be something to do with auto-switch. In an auto the car won't start in gear, only in Park or Neutral, if this is faulty the car will think it is in gear and refuse to engage the starter, I would look here first.

good luck

Easily tested by chucking a voltmeter onto the spade terminal on the starter motor. I say easily….if you could reach it, its easy. But its a swine of a location on an auto!!!!!!

Right.Difficult advice to a car novice.So if not confident,don't try it.
Put the car in Park.Attach a jump lead to + terminal on battery.IMPORTANT!Don't let the other end of the jump cable touch any metal onthe car inc engine/box/bodywork.Dissconnect the spade terminal(might be worth locating and doing this first….)from the starter and touch the terminal with your jump cable end.
1.Don't let your clothes dangle near the pulleys.
2.Don't touch the HT (spark plug)cables.
3.Ignore above actually….DO NOT touch any part of engine or bay while trying this.
There should be some sparks when you touch the cable on the terminal.If the engine turns,you need an ignition swich/wiring checking inc park switch.
If just sparks,then try to turn the big crankshaft pulley on the bottom of the engine with a spanner.If it moves quite freely,you need a starter.If it wont turn,an engine(rare though!)
If it doesn't spark at all,and you wont miss the spark it if it does,your earth is no good.
Please be careful,its not really for the novice.Where do you live?It would only take a min to diagnose if someone close from the club had a look who was a god DIYer or mechanic.
Good luck but be careful,if in doubt,don't mess with it.Any more Q's let me know.

Ok, thanks to everyone for the recent replies. Will try what you said, but also see if I can get in contact with someone to come and have a look at it for me. Won't be going round to see the car untill next week…but will keep you updated and let you know again if there are any other problems.

Thanks again for your help,  

Marky you poor sod all this time and still no joy, try what judgeyc has said if you feel confident in doing so, if i lived your way i would come over and give you a hand but i live approx 2.5 hrs away.Dont loose faith and keep trying as you said it will be something simple, keep us posted.

i just read about your problem

i got a RIVAGE 18gti, had a similar problem,

i had her since june 2006, got her on road in start of august, she was fine since i got her in june, (starting, driving was fine, did sense powerloss, wasnt sure as my 1st car) untill 2weeks after on my birthday, i was out local car was ok, parked up got back 2 my car within 20mins n she wouldnt start, jus loud ticking and can see the alternater fan trying to spin,
luckily i knew sum1 close by he came down and pust started it, and it started, instantly we went to a garage to put starter motor in for ?60,
she was fine, started and drove fine.  next day just wanted to move my car in the car park to another bay.

she started
moved forward
then she cut off
started again
tried to reverse
then cut off
tried to start
WOULDNT START,   i had to quickly push her in the bay as i was off to work.  form then onwards nobody knew what was wrong evan mechanics,
i towed her to a garage who helped me with work on her, they seemed confused, they were trying but coouldnt eliminate the problem.
we put different sparks in, got knew rotor arm, the evan wanted me to get fuel metering unit, that at VW costs ?450.
got it from scrapyard, no difference.  
they 1 time got it started by i think him doing something with the distributer cap, but wasnt sounding smooth nor starting everytime.
so i left it with them after afew days they say the car was ready, i was suprised. i got the car she was fine, went home carfully 20miles, n went back the next day carfully to pay the garage, she was fine,
i paid them, left the garage, did a left turnin, did another left with putting my foot slightly down, her power went, she woulnd move, lights flash like she wants to stall, no power had to gas hard to move, evan 1st gear to 2nd she struggle for power.
took her to another mechanic who works at home, he took his time,
she came back purrrrring, enigine sounded sweet, THE MAIN THING HE DID WAS THE DISTRIBUTER & TIMING, id say check the timing, if its out just by a bit that i think ca not allow her to start.
i used to start her my self by loosening the distributer with spanner, get someone to turn the key while you so slowly twist the cap, if u r getting a different noise then possible that.

if you want a mechanic to sort it out, mine maybe able to, hes very good to my car.

GOOD LUCK keep posted

Ok, thank you so much. Really glad to hear you got yours sorted after all that! You mentioned about checking the timing…what do you mean by that?

Do you think theres a decent chance it would start if I had the starter motor replaced, or is there anyway I can check it for problems/damage myself?

Thanks again, so grateful.

If it clicks but the engine doesn't spin, its not the timing at fault, its starter motor or electrical wires or battery.

paul_c said

If it clicks but the engine doesn't spin, its not the timing at fault, its starter motor or electrical wires or battery.

Ok, thanks. Battery's fine…which leaves the wires and starter motor. Can get the wires checked out…will try and find out about replacing the starter motor.

Starter motor - ours did what yours is doing in the vid….we had it changed - Bosch replacement - (it's a bitch because it's under exhaust manifold on autos), it was ok for a short while then did exactly the same again….changed it again for a LUCAS unit - no probs since then.
There is an issue with starters in autos - all to do with heat….
…have a look at the second item down on Kam's site below - in fact have a good look at the whole site - even though it's American a lot of the info is very good….

Kam's 'Cabby Info' site

Yep, I have an Clipper auto and suffered starting problems..

Changed a perfectly good starter motor to find I didn't have enough voltage to trip the solenoid.

Here's the AA man get you home trick…

There's a yellow wire that runs down to the starter motor at the back of the engine.  It runs down the middle of the firewall.

Identify it by following it down to the starter

 (it's the low voltage side of the starter)

turn the ignition on… and some choke if it's cold

Put the car in Park and touch a piece of wire ( I mean touch)  from the + terminal of the  battery to the yellow wire.  If you got the right one, the solenoid will click.

hold it there and the car will start.

I did this for a month until I got an auto electrician to fit a relay and some decent 12 volts to it.

Been fine for 3 years…

If in doubt, don't do it, I can post some pics if it's easier (and cheaper than a new starter motor!)

i'll see if i can pop over during the week. might have to wait till the weekend though. pm me your details and we can have a chat before i come over.
 you mentioned the petrol, depending on how long it has been sitting, yes it can well be bad fuel.

i'd reckon the the spade connection on the starter motor has come off .this supplys the 12v from the starter relay under the dash to the selonoid attached to the side of the starter. if this comes off the selonoid don't activate and so no start.

i have in the past seen this happen to mk1's and garages have changed the starter for a new or reconditioned unit and then its fixed, but a new starter was not required. if the spade has come off give it a squeeze with the pliers to tighten it before re-attaching it so it stays put.

this happens my mk1 often as i have 276 cams fited and the motor shakes abit…but if the spade is attached then the motors  dead so ignore all the above  

Mark

I had exactly the same problem - click click click would go the solenoid - but the starter refused to leap into life.

The solution was to take the starter motor and solenoid assembly off the car - mine was originally held on by two torx headed bolts, but the socket had long ago been rounded to a sort of allen-ish shape. These will be tight as andronicus. You will then need to unbolt the front motor mount so you can lower out the starter motor and solenoid.

You then only need to dismantle the solenoid - which isn't too difficult (the screws may be a bit seized up - soak in WD-40 and use a good screwdriver/impact driver).

Once it's apart - give it a damn good clean, focussing on the contacts between the solenoid and the starter motor body, and the electrical contacts on the back of the starter motor.

I also replaced the wiring from the battery to the solenoid with thick copper cabling, scavenged from a cheap set of jump leads.

Once I had done all this - the motor span like a turbine and started in short order first time every time.

AliCabrio