ShopTalk Forums | Aircooled VW Tech & Restoration Help

If it's been sitting, could just be a low battery.

Ah yeah sorry didn't get into details 'cause I was too pissed off. With the help of my boyfriend's dad again, the starter came out because we weren't getting anything, battery is fine (used a charger to check that it was draining when we turned the key). We tested the starter with the battery charger and there was 0 response, no motion or sound whatsoever. The gears were pretty worn anyway, and if you grabbed the spindle (whatever the part that goes into the engine? transmission? is called) it was very loose inside the case.

No word back from the guy after a few unanswered calls, which tells me he is either very busy, or even without knowing about the starter, is just waiting to tell me he's not interested (since he'd originally planned on maybe coming back if we figured out what was "loose").

namelesswonder wrote:Ah yeah sorry didn't get into details 'cause I was too pissed off. With the help of my boyfriend's dad again, the starter came out because we weren't getting anything, battery is fine (used a charger to check that it was draining when we turned the key). We tested the starter with the battery charger and there was 0 response, no motion or sound whatsoever. The gears were pretty worn anyway, and if you grabbed the spindle (whatever the part that goes into the engine? transmission? is called) it was very loose inside the case.

Unless it is a automatic starter that is normal. You can't bench test a stick type starter, because nothing supports the armature, that is what the bushing in the trans axle does. I will find the pics of the 2 starters and post them up.

This is a Automatic Starter.


This is a Stick Starter


Note the difference in the bendix.

Lotrat wrote:

Sneaks wrote:We're kinda like OnStar...but free.
And more annoying but or intentions are good...

STF-Star: This is STS-Star how can I help you?
New Franz Owner: I've had an accident!
STF-Star: Whoa, is Franz ok?
New Franz Owner: I…I don't know, but I can't feel my legs.
STF-Star: You may have bent your frame head. Can you see any damage on Franz?
New Franz Owner: What? I am bleeding!
STF-Star: Better not be on the seat covers, those things are sweet!
New Franz Owner: What's your deal? I'm covered in broken glass.
STF-Star: That's ok, the windshield was cracked anyway.
New Franz Owner: I can't believe you!
STF-Star: Listen buddy, you smashed up Franz and I'm supposed to be happy?
New Franz Owner: NLW warned me about you, but I though she was joking. <<Click>>
STF-Star: Hello? Hello! Oh geez, I hope Franz is ok!

...and some here will think you're kidding...

will an auto starter work in a manual trans? if so what yr should i look for?

yes they work good for 12 volt set ups! they call them the poor mans high torque starter! and an added cool thing is that you never need to replace the bushing in the trans! they are self supported! the ones i look for are the ones out of the auto stick bugs like 69 on i think.... someon will chime in and give more detail im sure but ya i like them and i run them in my bus!

The Bosch SR17X will fit any Beetle trans from 1968-1979 with a 12V flywheel. If your starter bushing is shot, you can use this starter without replacing the bushing. It has 0.3 more HP of the SR15X. That's alot for a starter that only puts out around 1HP. I haven't messed with the hi torque versions, but they are half the size and double the HP at twice the cost. They aren't needed on stock engines. High compression motors may benefit from them, but it's all propaganda.

bajaherbie wrote:smack it with a big hammer......




battery connectors might need to be cleaned/tightened, check the ground to chassis connection....its probably good as it was good the last time you used it, i doubt it went bad just sitting there.......

Or a big rock, had to do that with my Blazer for a couple months in High School, burned myself a few times getting to the starter, and ruined a pair of tan pants when I had to crawl under at a gas station, but it worked.

We tried smacking it with a hammer while it was in the car still, no dice. It is a manual starter. If I recall correctly, it may have clicked when we tried to start it while it was still hooked up...but knowing nothing about starters, I don't know what that means/what to replace aside from assuming I need a new starter.

You have to smack it while the key is in the start position.

You don't need a starter anyway. Just bump start it. Get it rolling as fast as you can, hop it, and pop it into second. It'll start right up.

Lotrat wrote:You don't need a starter anyway. Just bump start it. Get it rolling as fast as you can, hop it, and pop it into second. It'll start right up.

She's got a sister, just hook her up to the front with a tow rope and tell her to start running.

She's gonna hurt me the next time I see her, isn't she....

It was smacked while in the start position. Heard a click, saw battery drain, no other signs of life.
[edit] I hope I'm not seeming resistant to suggestions, I just don't have any understanding of starters and how they work with the transmission/engine etc. I also have a terrible memory![ /edit]

Heh starting on a hill wouldn't be too bad since I live on a small one, but that would be quite the effort just to prove the car runs. I have a video from June of the car running at least!

Muffler and e-brakes this weekend with my dad, while I give him a hand testing the compression on a Golf engine he picked up for his diesel Jetta. Let's hope we get it done in a day (we work VERY SLOWLY together).

Sneaks wrote:

Lotrat wrote:You don't need a starter anyway. Just bump start it. Get it rolling as fast as you can, hop it, and pop it into second. It'll start right up.

She's got a sister, just hook her up to the front with a tow rope and tell her to start running.

She's gonna hurt me the next time I see her, isn't she....

LOL