replacement starter motor

[DropKickMurphy]

Hi all,

I have a GU engine with a dying starter motor, its now got to the point where it wont engage unless I tap it gently with a hammer. I think i need to get a new one now!

I have had a look on ebay for a 2nd hand one as i cant afford a brand new one at the moment. i'm spoilt for choice but a little bewildered, the engine is a 1.8 carb fed GU, the starters on offer all look about right, but is there something i should be looking for in particular? the starters are mostly categorised by the engine size they came from, so am i right in thinking one from, say, a 1.3 golf would struggle to turn my engine over?

I was looking at getting a starter motor from a 1.8 16v KR, will this fit and work properly, or do i need to get an exact replica of what I have now? will a SM from a GTI fit and work on a carb fed engine?

thanks

DKM

[macmillions]

I too would like to know the answer to this question, as our solenoid is sticking so spins freely sometimes.

[DropKickMurphy]

I have acquired a SM from a 1990 mk2 gti (8v) for the princely sum of 99p and £5 postage. i'll let you know how i get on when i fit it at the weekend.

it appears to be identical to my old one.

DKM

[macmillions]

I will be looking with intent!
as far as I know the block on an 8v GTI and a GU is identicle, so will hopefully be fine!

Good luck!

[DropKickMurphy]

sorry for the delay, my whole weekend vanished in a flash and i didnt manage to get it fitted.

i did it tonight in about an hour and it fitted and worked fine - i can confirm that the SM from a GTI 16v fitted and works just fine on a GU carb fed engine.

i would suggest avoiding SM's from the smaller displacement engines as they might struggle to turn the bigger engines over but certainly the starter motors from any 1.8 seem to be interchangeable.

hope this helps

DKM

[macmillions]

Lovely. That's really good to know.
Got any top tips changing it over? I heard you have to support the engine...?

[DropKickMurphy]

really? blimey, i didnt!

the SM is connected straight to the battery so remove the terminal and then remove the bolt holding the wiring to the copper terminal of the SM and tuck it all to one side, then there is a clip with a spade connector, pop that off and then its just a case of undoing 2 bolts. the top one is a doddle as it just screws into the block, the bottom one is a little trickier to do as it has a nut on the other end.

i strongly suggest ramps to do this, by the time i realised i had taken the top bolt off and didnt fancy doing it all up again and then coaxing the engine into life to drive up on my ramps so i lay on my back and swore at it until it came off.

2 pair of hands are useful, if you can get one person with a 13mm spanner to keep the nut in place and you use a 17mm socket on the bolt it should come away easily. the nSM then just slides out.

refitting is also quite easy, slide the new SM in, align it correctly using the bolts and then do them up. again a 2nd pair of hands is usful to do the bottom bolt but might not be necessary if you have the car on ramps.

I didnt have to go near an engine mount or anything so not quite sure why you'd need to support the engine? the SM's aren't light so might be worth doing the bottom bolt first then loosening the top bolt just in case it falls out and conks you on the head but apart from that i cant see much risk!

hope all goes well

DKM