Former VWDieselParts.com Forum

Hi, I have an 83 rabbit that is powered by a 1997 tdi, 1Z engine code.
Last night my starter stuck on after starting the truck, the only way to stop it from spinning was to pull the battery cable off. Turning the key off shut the engine down but not the starter. After trying several other start attempts with the same results, I got a hammer and hit the top of the solenoid, this made the starter disengauge from the engine(flywheel) and I drove home...
This is my daily driver and I am almost certain that I will have this occur again, so I'm looking for some others ideas of what maybe going on here.
I am thinking the starter solenoid is sticking on??? The truck is a manual and the starter is 13 months old, bought new from a place on ebay. It came with a 12 month warranty......

Thanks, Dave

davidpa28140 wrote:I am thinking the starter solenoid is sticking on???

Yes, more than likely this is the issue. Just so everyone knows, most "cheap" auto parts stores will sell starters that are minimially rebuilt. Meaning that if it's not worn much, it's not replaced when it's "rebuilt". I always take my starters and alternators to a local place that rebuilds what I bring them. I know what I have, it fits my car, and can talk to the guys face that did the work. Last starter done was $75 and can be same day service if I need it.

Ford starter solenoids are know for doing this. Had the factory one do it and then the el cheapo replacement one did it a few months later. The hammer took care of that one. Third one worked from there on. Interesting, have never heard of a VW starter solenoid doing this.

Damn, you don't expect that when you turn the key.
Scary.

The starter has not given me any trouble since this. Just to keep things a little less exciting I put a battery turn off on the battery. I did buy a new starter but haven't put it on yet(armed with hammer just in case)

I'd love to be in the right place and time
to see someone jump out of their car,
open the hood and start attacking their engine with a hammer
until it goes silent.

Fatmobile wrote:I'd love to be in the right place and time
to see someone jump out of their car,
open the hood and start attacking their engine with a hammer
until it goes silent.

Watched a guy just walk away while this happened once.
It was a Ford LTD so who could blame him.

It eventually made a lot of screaming and whacking noises with some smoke, than just ran normally. I didn't get a look at the damages though.

well if I could have taken a video while also beating the crap out of a Ford solenoid, I would have. Then probably would have sold tickets!!! Or posted on YouTube today.

Personally, I would perform a thorough inspection of the flywheel teeth prior to installing the new starter. There may very well be some in there which need to be filed down.

My first VW diesel, a '79 Dasher, was sold to me by a very knowledgeable VW dealership tech in 1988. He told me that sometimes it had solenoid problems, engaging or dis-engaging, and he included with the car his "fix"... a 3 ft long piece of H/D steel rebar to smack into the solenoid! It worked, for quite a while!

The accepted mass rebuilders' quality assurance process for used solenoids: if it 'clicks'... bolt it on - paint it - box it - sell it. That's not true for the Bosch brand of rebuilt starters, since they have access to new oem Bosch solenoids at dirt cheap prices. They actually load-test their solenoids that go onto their "re-manufactured" starters.

BTW new Bosch solenoids are available separately, and frequently that's the answer if your starter motor/drive unit is still good. Most FLAPS don't want their clerks taking the time to sell solenoids separately, and you may have to look up the Bosch part number yourself!

You don't always get what you pay for, but you generally pay for what you get.

J.R.
SoCal

Cleo, my '77 Dodge Ram Pickup started doing the endless start on a road trip once... Lotsa fun. Thankfully the Chrysler solenoid is on the firewall well away from the engine. Whack whack whack!