Re: Starter Motor Noise

[steveb@falcon.kla.com (Steven Buchholz)]

> 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.  
> 
> Does anyone have any experience with a similar noise and problem with the
> starter motor?  How long are they suppose to last?  One of the virtues of
> this Audi and I hear other German cars is that the parts that go bad always
> seem to get your attention (noise, etc. ) before breaking.
> 
You know, this message sparked an old memory I have ... I recall reading 
a suggestion about PM'ing starter motors in a recent issue of quattro 
quarterly ... I believe the article was written by Jim Blau.  PM consists 
of lubricating the reduction gear every other year.  I've never done that 
myself ... and I just did the starter on the '88 5k because it was making
a noise similar to the one you describe.  It turns out that the starter 
swap is pretty easy to do ... even on an urQ!

On your clutch life question ... I have an '85 4kQ that popped the pressure 
plate at 205k ... I'll bet the clutch disk still has some wear left on it!
The only other problem that I've had that led to a short clutch life was 
a gummed up throw-out bearing that literally wore the fingers off the 
pressure plate.  

HTH!
Steve Buchholz
s_buchho@kla.com
San Jose, CA (USA)