Hi all, I need help!! I fried the starter on my subie powered kombi. Bit strange I thought but put it down to i must have stuffed something up. Just before it died it would start fine when cold but when warm would be hard to start.
Put a new (second hand) starter on today and again starts fine but when i got home (and car hot), turned it off and went to start it and again hard starting.

What the heck could it be, really dont want to go through another starter, please throw any thoughts at me. I'm leaning towards the starter still staying engaged or something.

Thanks
Andrew

Hi Andrew
what engine?

ive been told by a few people that a vw starter motor will struggler to turn over a hot N/A EJ engine

ive noticed mines abit slower once the engines warm
gonna get a cranky kit happening shortly

Joel,
I've seen the cranky kits aswell but also saw the high torque ones that are as much as the adaptors from the cranky kits. castleautos and a couple of others have them for about $375ish

Hows your battery? what size flywheel do you have? i have the 091 2litre box and of course 2litre starter...never a problem

Often it comes back to lack of Voltage due to old cables,poor earthing and voltage drop,of course the capacity and condition of the battery are always another factor. Assuming that the starter bush is also good of course.

beauty of the cranky kits though is if it does crap itself another starter is only $50 from any wrecker
u havent pissed $300 down the drain

I always do that leave out important info when asking for help. I have the 091 gearbox with the 2.2N/A EJ engine and the 228mm flywheel. I was thinking about the battery but it is pretty new and the alt is putting about 13.7V and the battery is holding charge. i will do a load test on it next time i take the car to work. The cables are new and I have a very good earth. I might just have to keep an eye on it and see how it goes. When the otherone went it was bloody hot!! so for a little while i will just do a feel test when i pull up if I can, if it burns my hand there'ssomething wrong

I run the 2L VW starter with my 2.5L V6, it starts ok when the battery is healthy. Have you replaced the starter bush in the bellhousing? If it's worn it gives the starter hell.

I have heard that having multiple earths can help with "not starting when hot" issues. I know you say you have a good earth, but if it is only one then it wouldn't hurt to add another.

I've got a brand new high torque starter for 091 box .
$350 and its yours
Wollongong klaus 0428 427 986

Thanks for the input. I took the starter out again today, put a healthy amount of moly grease on the starter bush. gave the wire's that I hadn't already given a birthday to a treat. Didnt get to do a load test on the battery today but that will be a tommorw job. It seemed a little bit better but didnt do any big trips today so see what happens.
Klaus if I had of know about your starter about a week ago I would have jumped on it but just got another kombi (that makes 4!!) for only a little bit less with the gearbox and engine still in it. (got my motor for the splittie now, yeah).
I'll keep an eye on how it all goes and post back if it is any better.

Andrew

it might be worth while to knock the bush out and put a new one in or soak it in thinners or petrol to clean it out , as i had the same problem starting a v6 commodore motor and an ej20t with stock 2ltr starter when hot but funnily enough a stock 1600 starter has worked fine for the past 4 or so years with a ej20t

As I said you need to look at the starter bush. I got the old one out by screwing a tap into it. it started cutting threads into the bush and once bottomed out against the engine the threads that were there worked enough to screw the bush out onto the tap. This saved me from having to remove the V6 just to replace a tiny bush. There is a special tool to do the same job too.

yeah an easy out would probably do the trick, might try and give that a go. Thats why i was originally going to go for thenew starter which is self supporting,still might yet but at least i have wheels again!

What adapter and flywheel are you using?

Matt