Insan3's GTI Build

[Insan3Vr6]

I think I royally screwed this up. Hoping my starter is still ok...

So I guess it goes Battery--->Stater Solenoid---->Alternator, and the alternator connection goes on the same stud as the solenoid. Correct?

[..Derek..]

Sounds like the motor is locked up.. have you tried turning it over by hand. Perhaps you timed it wrong while installing chains.


Also - someone needs to take the spray paint away from you. it looks totally half assed. Especially doing things like not removing sending units from oil filter housing and just painting them or trying to paint a plastic valve cover with bolts and everything still inserted....

[Insan3Vr6]

Sounds like the motor is locked up.. have you tried turning it over by hand. Perhaps you timed it wrong while installing chains.


Also - someone needs to take the spray paint away from you. it looks totally half assed. Especially doing things like not removing sending units from oil filter housing and just painting them or trying to paint a plastic valve cover with bolts and everything still inserted....

Your kidding right? Every piece was cleaned and prepped, then sprayed. The sending units, if you read, were replaced with new ones, and left on because I didn't want paint to get IN the actual housing, so my OLD POS sensors worked great. Why does it matter if the valve cover is plastic or not? And the bolts were in rough shape, so I sanded the rust off them and sprayed them...

In regards to the motor, I don't think the timing is the issue, especially if I connected the stater up wrong, so I'm trying to figure out the correct way before I go out and try it again.

[Insan3Vr6]

Ok so I corrected the wiring from what I understand to be the correct way. Positive connection + alternator connection is on the starter solenoid. Battery negative is on the ground stud on the starter.

Same results, loud 'CLACK" and smoke from the starter. Looks like some of it broke off near the solenoid (plastic?) and it's like green on the inside...




Is it possible that I fried the starter when I had it wired wrong? First I had the alternator hooked up to the negative connection..

[Insan3Vr6]

Bumping this, because now I am totally out of idea's.

[GinsterMan98]

ground from the battery goes to the one trans bolt with a small bolt on it, not the starter. No negative goes to the starter.

[Insan3Vr6]

ground from the battery goes to the one trans bolt with a small bolt on it, not the starter. No negative goes to the starter.

The starter bolt goes through the trans...so I guess that's what I meant. Here is how I have it, you can see that green area where a piece of the plastic used to be...idk if that means anything or not.

This is the negative


Postive + alternator connections on solenoid.

[Insan3Vr6]

Keeping this up top. Any idea's before I assume I ruined the starter and need to source another?

[PMLyf]

Try this! look at #4

[Teh_Chris]

I literally just replaced my starter afew weeks ago .... The only battery wire going to the starter besides the plug in connection is the positive lead offa the battery ... There was some other wire under the same nut but it didnt come offa the battery ... Not real sure where it went to really but it wasnt the battery negative

[GinsterMan98]

Try this! look at #4

This is right, alt and battery + go to the 13mm nut on the starter. The ground should go to the 19mm upper left trans bolt looking in from the drivers side.

[Insan3Vr6]

Try this! look at #4

Checked that DIY before, that's how I got the starter wires correct.

I literally just replaced my starter afew weeks ago .... The only battery wire going to the starter besides the plug in connection is the positive lead offa the battery ... There was some other wire under the same nut but it didnt come offa the battery ... Not real sure where it went to really but it wasnt the battery negative

When I said I have the negative on the starter, I mean the 'transmission' because that's where the bottom bolt is, it goes through both. So I have the negative on the trans (pictured above) and the other connection you saw on the same nut was the alternator connection, which I have on the starter along with the positive from the battery.

[Insan3Vr6]

This is right, alt and battery + go to the 13mm nut on the starter. The ground should go to the 19mm upper left trans bolt looking in from the drivers side.

Really? I have it grounded between the 19mm (or 16mm I think it is) nut and the 13mm nut that I guess used to hold the plastic guide for the wiring harness (not there anymore). Is that a problem? You can see where I have it in the picture..

[Insan3Vr6]

I edited the picture so you can see the negative from the battery wire better.

[Insan3Vr6]

KAY so I went out to try and make a video of what was happening, but now it won't even crank

I think I ****ed my starter up when it was wired wrong....even though it still did the same thing when I corrected the wiring, now I hear one click and then nothing...BAH

[Aloha-boy]

KAY so I went out to try and make a video of what was happening, but now it won't even crank

I think I ****ed my starter up when it was wired wrong....even though it still did the same thing when I corrected the wiring, now I hear one click and then nothing...BAH

How's the charge in your battery? Sounds like your battery might be dead from all this cranking to get it started.

[Insan3Vr6]

How's the charge in your battery? Sounds like your battery might be dead from all this cranking to get it started.

Valid point, I've had it hooked up to my Jeep via jumper cables to crank it. So thinking it wasn't enough I took the battery out of the Jeep and put it in my car. No dice, still doesn't even crank anymore.

I think my starter took a ****, just wish someone could tell me WHY it cranked fine when it was leaking gas, then went to a crank CLACK *smoke* stage, and now nothing. All I hear is one click when I turn the key..


Guess I'm on the hunt for another starter...

[Aloha-boy]

Did the gas spill all over the starter? Could it be possible the gas seeped into the starter causing a short when you went to crank it?

[Insan3Vr6]

Did the gas spill all over the starter? Could it be possible the gas seeped into the starter causing a short when you went to crank it?

I mean it's possible but unlikely. Plus wouldn't that have exploded? haha. It was pissing from the fuel pressure regulator first, then from the right-most injector after that, but the car still cranked fine.

If anything leaked on the starter it may have been some residual fluid left in the power steering pump that made it's way to under the battery tray from my attempts at turning the motor (obv the power steering pump was turning since the motor was cranking) my power steering reservoir is not hooked up and the starter is right below the return line.

Maybe some fluid leaked down and caused a short? Nothing looked wet, but then again that may explain the smoke if it immediately burned up.

[Insan3Vr6]

Sourcing another starter because I guess mine is done. I'll update when it comes in the mail to see if I have any luck. Goal for this winter break was to get it back on the road, which didn't happen due to unforseen issues.

Keeping my head up, I'll start this car if I have to push it to 88MPH and let a lightning bolt hit it

[xkicksz]

Keeping my head up, I'll start this car if I have to push it to 88MPH and let a lightning bolt hit it [/QUOTE]

Bump . Thats the spirit Evan lightning bolt

[Insan3Vr6]

Bump . Thats the spirit Evan lightning bolt

Still waiting for my replacement starter to be shipped Hopefully by the weekend I'll have some good results.

[87veedub]

Best of luck!

[dub nutz]

did you even check battery voltage? i would have hooked a set of jumper cables to it. get this thing done, it must be taking a tole on your mental stability.

[Insan3Vr6]

Best of luck!

Thanks

did you even check battery voltage? i would have hooked a set of jumper cables to it. get this thing done, it must be taking a tole on your mental stability.

First I used jumper cables, then I used a fully charged battery from my other car. I hope to get my starter in today, and thank goodness for a garage because it's snowing!

And yes, every setback has done some mental damage.

[Insan3Vr6]

Got the replacement starter in. It's pretty nasty and I'll clean up / paint the outer part but I am more concerned with the part that actually touches the flywheel. Kinda crusty. Would this be a problem?

[LG6R]

Just sat here for a few hours reading through this whole thread. It's a good story with highs and lows, good writing, good subject matter, and the reader can picture himself being in your shoes going through the same things. Hope you get the starter issue figured out. I'd clean it, install it and make sure it solves your issue before painting it. Great job on the thread- you're actually doing work. Not like the other so-called "build" threads.

It might have been addressed earlier but why didn't you rebuild the black one instead of the red one? Had you had already done the bodywork on the red one before you brother sold you the other one?

[Insan3Vr6]

Just sat here for a few hours reading through this whole thread. It's a good story with highs and lows, good writing, good subject matter, and the reader can picture himself being in your shoes going through the same things. Hope you get the starter issue figured out. I'd clean it, install it and make sure it solves your issue before painting it. Great job on the thread- you're actually doing work. Not like the other so-called "build" threads.

It might have been addressed earlier but why didn't you rebuild the black one instead of the red one? Had you had already done the bodywork on the red one before you brother sold you the other one?

Thanks man

Def not painting it until I know it fixes my no-start problem.

The red one was my first car, and I bought it when my brother still owned the black one. My car had a nice set of rust issues, needed to have a good deal of the motor taken care of (timing chains, various gaskets, blahblah).

My brother then blew the headgasket on his motor and paid a shop to rebuild the head, new headgasket, thermostat housing, all that good stuff, which cost him alot of $$ because he needed the car ASAP for his new job. Recently after that he told me his car veered off to the right and made a 'CLUNK" noise. He was fed up with fixing it, told him I'd buy it from him, he said ok.

SO, $900 later I had an awesome GTI with alot of work done and all it needed was a new control arm. I had a spare from my red car and threw it on. This became my daily.

That was when I had the bodywork done on the red car and started taking it apart. Black car had more rust than my red one, so I was beyond saving it, I was just making it last until I got the red one going, but alas, alternator went and spun bearing.

At that point I was fed up with it, parted some stuff out but then wanted it out of my driveway. Sold it as a parts car, and here I am trying to get mine going

My original plan was to buy the car, and take the motor from the black one and put it in the red one since it was all rebuilt. Everything happens for a reason I guess, because that motor turned out to be a ticking time bomb and now I have my dream turbo vr sitting in my garage.

PHEW!

[Insan3Vr6]

Replacement starter on, more problems.

I took this pic when I removed the starter, the teeth look weird like something was rubbing on the outer side of them?? The flywheel is used but I don't remember this...maybe I'm paranoid..


1st attempt with replacement starter and fully charged battery - same thing. It would crank, so much that I was so excited it was about to turn over and CLACK, just stopped.

2nd attempt with replacement starter and fully charged battery - nothing, just a click and nothing happened.

3rd attempt with replacement starter and full charged battery - click and then the starter just spins, no crank.

WHAT. THE. MOTHER. ****. IS. GOING. ON.

It is my understanding that the starter can only be installed one way, aka it will only sit flush if the teeth line up with the starter. So I don't think I did anything wrong. I just want to know what's wrong so I can move on with my life.

[GinsterMan98]

Replacement starter on, more problems.

I took this pic when I removed the starter, the teeth look weird like something was rubbing on the outer side of them?? The flywheel is used but I don't remember this...maybe I'm paranoid..


1st attempt with replacement starter and fully charged battery - same thing. It would crank, so much that I was so excited it was about to turn over and CLACK, just stopped.

2nd attempt with replacement starter and fully charged battery - nothing, just a click and nothing happened.

3rd attempt with replacement starter and full charged battery - click and then the starter just spins, no crank.

WHAT. THE. MOTHER. ****. IS. GOING. ON.

It is my understanding that the starter can only be installed one way, aka it will only sit flush if the teeth line up with the starter. So I don't think I did anything wrong. I just want to know what's wrong so I can move on with my life.

Can you rotate the engine over by hand? check your timing again.

[Insan3Vr6]

Can you rotate the engine over by hand? check your timing again.

Haven't tried that, but I'm pretty positive the timing is dead on. I'll try turning the crank tomorrow.

Any other idea's from the vortex night crew? Because I am totally clueless now.

[Insan3Vr6]

Bump for the morning crew. I went out and put a wrench on the crank pulley and I can turn it no problem....

[N0TH1N6]

The solenoid on that starter may be bad. Take it out again and hook it up to the battery with jumper cables and see what it is doing.

[Insan3Vr6]

The solenoid on that starter may be bad. Take it out again and hook it up to the battery with jumper cables and see what it is doing.

That's why I got a replacement 'known working' starter, and it cranked and then stopped. Same thing as my original starter. The latest attempt first made a click and nothing, then I turned the key back and tried again and all you can hear is the starter.



LOL @ me going WHOAAA and my dad.....he didn't tell me what was going on

After this video I got pissed and took the battery out and left it.

[whitegtivr6]

Sometimes its better to walk a way and come back. You will get after alot of this then it will be