golf mk3 gti won't start !!!!!!

[saint_78]

Hi folks can you help ?????

I'm not a mechanic but i do what i can i have a MK3 Golf Gti 2.0 8v 1996 i recently parked the car in my garage and i think the starter motor has locked up due to lack of use and the age, that or the solenoid has gone

How can i check which it is ????

How easy / hard is it to change the starter motor or solenoid ?????

P.S. the battery is almost new

thanks in advance and hope you can help

[sticky]

does it try to start as in turn over or make a nasty clicking sound when you use the ignition key????
regards sticky

[saint_78]

No it doesn't do anything ...... sounds like everything gets fired up to start fuel pump gets ready and immobiliser turns off but nothing happens ..... ive changed the started motor on it nothing changed im starting to think its a power / electric problem as ive charged the battery and still nothing and im trying to figure out what happens between me turning the ignition and power being fed to the starter motor ....... im really stuck on this one

[saint_78]

oh and when i had first charged it , it did make a nasty sounding clicking noise (it was very fast) and now nothing happens

[Crasher]

You could try dropping a wire from the starter terminal that has the red/black wire going to it, directly to the battery positive terminal (remember that this should make the engine turn over, please ensure it is in neutral and the handbrake is firmly applied) and this should make it turn over. If not, the battery is flat, the starter is faulty or you have bad earth but what you describe sounds like a flat battery.

[saint_78]

ok thanks ill give it ago but my battery is fully charged as all my ignition lights come on and my alarm turns off ...... ????

Does that mean that even if all that works the battery might not have enough in it toturn the starter over ???

[euroslap]

The starter draws a lot more current than lighting circuits, central locking etc. Put the battery on charge for a day and take it from there.

[scullydog]

other thing to try is turn your lights on then try starting the car if the lights go dimm/off then your batt is flat, if they stay on then you have a soilinoid /starter problem

[Crasher]

Do you know much about VW’s? When cranking, the lights go out onto side lights as they are on what is known as an X circuit.