OK - the beetle isnt starting

Drove it yesterday and it made a strange noise when i started it. Bearing / graunch noise.
Anyway - started and drove ok.

Went to start this morning and made a noise or two and nothing

So - what I have done

It has a Brandt immobiliser

It doesnt seem to get power to the solenoid when I kick it over. Have multi meter.

The head lights dim when I kick it over - but not the interior or radio etc

Battery has 12V and doesnt move when I kick it over

I have a spare key switch. I "think" it is good. If i plug thay in and use a screw river it does everything the same as the other key switch.

I have tried to disable the immobiliser by going through the steps as though you have lost you "key" This is also suppose to work if the immobiliser is faulty

NRMA came and reckons its the immobiliser - but he couldnt get it started.

At the moment I am planning on getting it towed to the auto electrician.

Just a pain as its the daily

Any ieas??

hot wire to the coil from the battery and start by turning motor over with screw driver across the post on the solenoid on the starter motor

battery volts should drop when cranking any car over. not stay at 12v
could be just a Dicky starter motor/

if that don't work lightly hit the starter with a hammer while someone turns the Key.

you could put your car in gear and rock it back and forth , just in case starter stuck in ring gear.
or
try turning motor the backwards a few times with a spanner.

sounds like starter.
if it was the imobiliser you would get nothing, not even lights. been there done that.
you can check the big red wire under the rear seat to check your getting power to the starter.

if its not to hard to push you could try and clutch start it.
turn the key on so dash lights on and push it .

if I disconnet the solenoid wire - shouldnt I get 12V when I kick it??

I am getting nuffin

yes you should get 12 volts at the starter wire not just the solenoid wire
try tracing the wire back, if its the same as mine it goes forward and into the cabin just to the left of the box and comes out under the rear seat.

Quote:

Originally posted by ian.mezz if that don't work lightly hit the starter with a hammer while someone turns the Key.

its not immobiliser as you get nothing, not even lights trust me ive got the same one and have had it shit itself, cost me 600 bucks to fix. still not happy about that.

could be ignition switch, though im still going with broken wire under the seat.

Hi Barry

The wire that goes to the starter goes into the chassis near the rear brake line and battery cable, try a jump wire across to the battery to see if the starter works then. There is a connector on the wire I'm sure.

After making a noise it sounds like your starter is nfg.

Try checking that the earth strap on the tranny is OK with a test light and that the battery cable is OK as well

Multi meters have their uses but sometimes a test light is much better. A multi meter will still show 12 volts at a bad connection because it puts no load on the connection, a test light with an incandescent bulb will.

Steve

Starter was really sick

My test on the solenoid wire was obviously faulty
Needed a new battery in the meter

Free tow to the auto elect (yippee NRMA Gold member :tu
Ripper starter from VVDS (thanks Boris)
Bugger all to get some one else to put it in

Too easy - Thanks to all the replies