Leon FR Mk1 Starter Motor?

[jazman27]

I have a 2004 remapped (200bhp) TDI FR.

Over a year ago the car started stuggling a little with starting. When I turned the key it seemed as if the battery was dying.

It lasted through summer until winter, when in December I found the battery to be pretty much dead. I replaced the battery with a nice VARTA one.

Obviously this had enough power to crank the car. However when it is cold (in the morning) and even after waiting for glow plugs it still takes 2 - 3 attempts to actually "spin" and start.

What I mean is:

Attempt #1 usually result in a slow almost "flat battery" type of groan. The 2nd attempt turns a couple more times and slightly faster than the first and on the 3rd attempt it turns as you would expect itl (fast) and the car fires up perfectly.

Now... the problem is:

It's not turning at all!

When turning the key to start and the rev counter and things go "haywire". There is also a little click as to say it's trying, but that's it.

I've check the battery on a battery charger and everything seems fine (it's lees than 6 months old).

Is it the started motor? And do you think it may have been the stater motor that killed off the previous battery by sucking up too much juice?

If it's the stater motor - where the hell do I find it? I've looked but can't locate the bugger.

I'd need to take it out as it seems the "FR" has 10 teeth and is double the price of "regular" motors.

Thanks, Mark

 

[Brettyboy]

Could well be started motor,they are prone for being lazy,mine turns over slow first thing but fine there after,do you put clutch down when starting ? Put less strain

 

[jazman27]

Hey Brettyboy. That's what I thought. I think I've located it under the battery holder! Got the missus to turn try start it and I can hear it "click", but that's it - nothing else. I think it's more than lazy - now just to get the bugger out to make sure of the model! Thanks for the reply

 

[Muttley]

Could be earth straps getting loose, or the positive power connection from the battery. Here's a thread describing what I had to do when my starter motor suffered a similar fault. In my case it was the solenoid - to - starter motor connection which had started to corrode. Sparking between the surfaces had managed to restore contact for some of the time, but eventually it refused to spin up the starter.