[Vwdiesel] no start, just a click

[Sandy Cameron]

>--- Chris Jude <vegbenz300 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Well this evening when my girlfriend was trying to
>> come home from work her
>> Audi wouldn't start.  Turn the key, all the dash
>> lights come on, and the
>> glow plugs, but nothing when the key turns.  Not a
>> rapid solenoid click,
>> maybe a small click from the engine compartment.


If this car has been exposed to much salt, check the cable between the
solenoid and the motor. I have repaired 2 (or is it 3?) so far. 
The short piece of cable is sometimes naked, and "rots" away. Stops
conducting, and the solenoid will not pull in. If you want to know why this
is, ask me and I'll email my findings when repairing mine.

It will look ok visually, but when you touch it, it will crumble away.

There is another weird fault that can occur with the same symptoms.

On the lower side of the solenoid, there is a small steel strap, from a
solder lug (the bottom end of the solenoid pull-in coil) to the terminal on
the solenoid where the motor cable attaches. I also repaired a starter where
this had rusted away.

All of these problems are home repairable, and cheat the FLAPS out of a
costly starter exchange.

My notes on repair should be found somwhere in the past year's archives
under starters..

If not, I can email them.

Sandy