Starting / Alternator Issues? Help!

[dicky20014 4]

hi, have just got myself back into the gti game and got myself a new 1

 

bit of an issue with it though:

 

When I go to start it, it just clicks and you can here the fuel pump running but doesnt turn over. It bumps off fine and then runs no problem. If I drive it around and let it get warm, when I stop it and try to start it again, it starts fine (possibly damp getting in somewhere?). And then I come to it the next day after leaving it over night and have the same problem again!

 

Also, the battery has run completely flat and resulted in the car cutting out and me having to be towed home

 

I have recharged the battery now and it stil doesnt start.

I thought that this would be related to the alternator? so checked the connections and got the multimeter out and checked it was getting a voltage and an earth, which it was! Does this mean I need a new alternator?

 

I have have looked through some previous posts and it has been mentioned that it could be related to the starter motor / solenoid? I dont know where these are (I have looked!) so could it be to do with them? and if so could someone please direct me as to what to do with them / how to fix them

 

Any help would be much appreciated, getting a bit frustrated now!

 

cheers

 

Richard

[ablister 31]

i know 205's are bad for the starter clicking when you try and start it but from experience could take up to a few tries for it to start. Not sure what the causes are but have heard it can be anything from ignition barrel switch > wiring > brown multiplug > starter motor.

 

The starter soleniod is on the starter itself, the small cylinder attached to the motor is the solenoid casing. You'll need specialist parts to overhaul them which are hard to get. One of the parts delivery drivers at my work fixes them in his spare time and never tells me where he gets the spare parts from! Easier to get a good used one or a reconditioned one from a motor factors.

 

What voltage/amps are you getting across the battery terminals when the car is running?

But if you say it still doesn't start after battery being charged then i'd be getting the battery checked with a battery tester. Simple way is to try another battery and see if the starting is any better.

[dicky20014 4]

Right I bump started it off and took it to quickfit (dont worry i didnt let them keep hold of it!) just to get the battery and alternator checked, they said that both were fine (reading across battery was 13.7v with engine running and 12.3v when it wasnt so the alternator is obviously putting something in). Bumped it back off at quickfit and drove home fine. Stopped it at home then tried starting it and it started. Stopped for half hour and tried it again and it just started making 'machine gun noises' then didnt do anything after that

[ablister 31]

could maybe be needing a new battery if nothing is happening. The 12.3v from the battery would've been the surface charge. You really need to check the battery when it doesn't start, ie what the voltage is

[DirtyFlare 0]

I had the same kind of problem. The car would not start, just make the "machine gun" noises, this means that the starter motor isn't getting enough power from the battery. Would charge the battery and it would be find, give it a little while and it would do the same thing(not even try to kick over, que the machine gun noises).

 

With the harsher weather of late, if you have an old battery it will show up and cause you problems.

 

So personally I would blag a Halfords trade card and get my self a new battery. If the problems still exists afterwards, my next port of call would be the alternator. But from what you have said I recon its the battery. If you haven't got any history of the battery its a good place to start anyway.

[Mikey S 29 1 Cars]

(reading across battery was 13.7v with engine running and 12.3v when it wasnt so the alternator is obviously putting something in).

 

 

if you have 12.3 volts after turning the engine off so theres a surface charge in it, that battery is definately knackered.

 

12.7 volts is fully charged,

 

12.5 volts means a recharge is required,

 

12.3 and the battery is shot.

 

try a full load cranking test. put the car in 5th gear, apply handbrake, connect meter to the battery terminals and hold your foot on the brake while cranking it for a few seconds. battery voltage should go no lower than 9 volts ideally.

 

mike

[dicky20014 4]

Have just nipped out this morning, brrr its cold! checked the battery and now its at 10.8v Thing is, the battery is nearly new, I have just looked through the service history and it is only 6 months old, when i charged it, the green light came on the battery to say it was fully charged. Could it just be that ive been messing about trying to start it etc that much that ive flattened it? And when I took it to kwick fit yesterday they said the battery was spot on (I know they have a bad reputation but surely they can do that, they specialise in it dont they?). Tried starting it and just a click now, not even the fuel pump running

[dicky20014 4]

Have had the battery out and charged it up again and I have located the dreaded brown multiplug that seems to be mentioned on here quite a bit. 2 of the wires out of it are loose, the brown 1 and the white 1, could anyone tell me what these are for? And could they affect start up? I have searched and found a diagram but it had 7 connectors going into 9 connectors whereas mine only has 7 going into 7 so im a little confused as to what is what.

 

Also, I am struggling to locate the starter motor as there seems to be a mass of pipes surrounding it, I was going to try touching a wire on the connector and to the battery to see if it cranks. If any1 could take me a picture of this / describe where the terminal is, that would be extremely helpful! sorry to be a pain!

 

cheers

 

Rich

[rubyna 4 1 Cars]

The starter is located under the inlet manifold it is possible to get at but a bit tricky you might have to take the afm and ajoining pipe

work and the air flow inlet pipe if ts still on there, that should give you enough room to get at the starter.I had similar problems before, it was

a loose connecton on the solenoid, changed the starter as it was on its way out anyway but try that and check the connection isnt loose. Hope

this helps a little...

[dicky20014 4]

Just to put an end to this topic, after much pain and grief playing around with different things I finally changed the starter motor and it fixed the problem, should have done it in the first place

 

although I have also cut out the nasty brown multiplug and soldered and heat shrunk it so this may prevent future breakdowns!