[s-cars] Starter Not Engaging?

[Fred Munro]

Dean;

You can remove the starter and test the solenoid with it out of the car.

The "relay" on the starter is the solenoid. It performs two functions - it
moves the starter gear to the end of the shaft to engage the flywheel and
the relay function which connects the posts with the two large wires to pass
current to the starter motor. If the starter motor runs, it means the
solenoid has stroked. If the starter runs and the engine doesn't turn over,
either the starter gear is bad (failed overrun mechanism) or it is not
meshing with the flywheel.

If you take the starter out of the car, you can test the solenoid using a
battery by grounding the starter to the negative post and connecting the
positive post to the solenoid connection (usually a tab connector with the
small wire connected). The solenoid should click and the gear should move
along the starter shaft to the end.

HTH

Fred Munro
'94 S4


-----Original Message-----
From: s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com
[mailto:s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com]On Behalf Of Dean Ferrera
Sent: January 18, 2004 11:43 PM
To: s-car-list at audifans.com
Subject: [s-cars] Starter Not Engaging?


Hello,



I have a '95 S6 on which I just finished installing a DSY 6-spd with an
Al Flywheel (from Northern European).  When I crank the engine over, it
sounds like the starter spins freely.  I just removed the starter to
take a look at it and it's hard to tell but I think the teeth are lined
up correctly.



Thoughts/questions:



1.  I'm here by myself, so I can't see or test the starter to see if the
solenoid is engaging.  Is this a common starter failure?  Anything I can
do?



2.  Is there a possibility that the starter is not lined up correctly
and cannot engage the flywheel?



3.       On what looks like a relay on the starter there are a few
connections:  One for positive which I think I have right with two large
wires connected.  Negative looks like it's wired to the starter body.
And there are two other connections with one wire connected.  Here I'm
not 100% sure which pin the wire gets connected to.  I can't find
anything in the Bentley other then the section on removing the engine
where it mentions the starter only to say "remove starter" and points to
a few bolts in the unbelievably simplified picture.



Any suggestions?



Thanks,



Dean Ferrera

dino at s-cars.org

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