[Vwdiesel] starter issue in Diesel Vanagon

[Sandy Cameron]

Did you try running it on the bench?

OLD PM starters sometimes develop magnet problems.

I had one on a mercury outboard (same kind of internal ceramic magnets)
where the magnets started to disintegrate, and along with loosing their
magnetisim, started to come apart and eventually jammed the rotor.

I've never seen a vanagon setup naked, so don't know how that starter is
built. The car starters have a planetary gearset inside the motor caged in
that infernal white plastic the Germans love so much.

All plastics continue to outgas their softeners over the years and grow
brittle, and eventually crumble. Yours may have grenaded and jammed the
armature inside. 

If your engine is not locked, bench run ( jog) the starter to prove it's
actually trying to turn.

The fact that your solenoid slams in strongly shows the current is passing
thru the motor, brushes, etc, which is how the solenoid gets it's pull-in
current. 

I have a description of the 1.6 diesel car starter, and dismantle/assemble
instructions I can send if you need it.

Sandy