Starter Motor Noise

[quk@sievers.com (Phil Payne)]

In message <3.0.32.19970414173334.01134250@mailserv-100bs.ftp.com> Glenn Kaufman writes:

> There's an awful sound during the first few seconds after the engine kicks
> over.  The dealer says that it's the starter motor and that it doesn't need
> replacing now but it could break without further notice.  

The starter motor is pretty easy to pull out and take a look at with the front 
of the car on ramps.  It's a pre-engage design - the starter solenoid (=relay)
pulls the gear teeth into the flywheel as part of the act of making contact.
 
Once the motor is turning it should drop out automatically.  It's probably 
sticking on the shaft, which could be due to some crud (technical term for 
miscellaneous filth) that's got in there.  This is very much a brute force 
piece of engineering that's only partially sealed from the elements.  
Personally, I suspect that washing the underside of the engine causes corrosion 
in here.
 
But there's not much you can do wrong, going in here.  Take care with the 
bigger of the electrical connections - if the battery's still attached, it can 
deliver mega-amps and cause fires, explosions and general unpleasantness, so 
it's a good idea to disconnect the battery first.  You then only have the small 
lead to the starter solenoid coil and a couple of medium size bolts.  Refitting 
is the reverse of removal - no fancy adjustments or skill required.  One gets 
me twenty it's simply crud, rust, or whatever on the shaft.
 
> Does anyone have any experience with a similar noise and problem with the
> starter motor?  How long are they suppose to last?

Give up.  Never had one break.  If you _do_ swap it, be prepared for the 
replacement to look _nothing_like_ the old one - the motor body is now a lot 
smaller.

--
 Phil Payne
 phil@sievers.com
 Committee Member, UK Audi [ur-]quattro Owners Club