Golf mk2 gti 8v Car always starts on the button when cold, turns over normally and fires straight away, occasionally when hot gives the appearance of a flat battery but after a couple of mins starts as normal, only happens when hot. All earths have been cleaned and ok. Could the carbon brushes be wearing and shorting? Anyone changed them or are the a pita to do and just replace the motor if faulty?
If you have a decent electrical rewind place, they will refurbish it for you, that should be cheaper than getting a new one plus you won't have the ball-ache of posting the old unit back in order to get the surcharge they lamp you with returned.
Sounds very much like your commutator is glazed up and segments need a clean up,if the commutator is not chewed up and not grooved out where the brushes have been running it can be refurbished ,you really need a lathe to do this properly but not totally essential if you are a DIY guy. Any good auto electrical shop can do this work ,the process involves stripping it down and the armature, and field windings are tested ,if ok they clean them and recut the segments of the commutator and polish the brush running surface to remove any raised area's from the segment recut. Brushes are replaced after the brush holder is checked and cleaned ,the solenoid is tested after cleaning to insure free movement of the engagement plunger. Bearing/bushes replaced and the whole unit is assembled and the motor is bench tested to check operation then it is sealed up and repainted. In some cases it may be required to recoat the high temp lacquer on the armature,this is sprayed on and then baked on in an oven overnight. A good auto electrical company will test and check all parts before proceeding with a recondition as its not worth it if any of the major components are unuseable As you can see its a bit of labour to do this but you will then have a fresh starter that will last many years or you have the option of just purchasing a good used unit which should be ok as these starters are pretty tough. Good luck,cheers.
Well worth taking the starter off and giving it a clean up yourself and bench testing it, if that is the issue. A new starter motor can be had for as little as £55 so it’s not worth sending it for repair.
Will look round for a new/ refurbished replacement, are they all the same? Ie 3 stud fitting or has it to be for a mk2
I did fit a mk2 diesel 2kw starter(pn ERA220388) to my 1.6 driver jetta as an upgrade. The original 0.9 or 1.1kw looked very good inside, still, i had intermittent start problems like engine was locked up for 0.5s then it would spin over fine. I think mk3s 8v would also fit.
Replacement starter motor arrived and swapped over removing the two bolts (yes two ) the two long through bolts were in ok however the other outer one must have been snapped the last time the starter was changed, the remains of the bolt are still in the engine mount Question, as the stater was last changed twenty years ago and I’ve had the car four years and all has been good and nothing fallen off. The snapped bolt I believe was an Allen bolt. Could take mount off and drill and tap it I suppose, anyone know the bolt size? Old motor smelt burnt, so was obviously on the the way out
lift the engien off the front mount and give the brackewt a good wiggle up and down, you should just be able to tap the bracket sideways as the bolt hole isnt threaded till the bracket. the only issue is how much of the bolt is stuck in the hole, if too much you wont have the clearance it'll hit the oil filter housing or something. but if you do get it away to the left a bit you can get a grinder or something in the gap to cut the bolt, then remove bracket and tap the remains out
