Hey all. Recently my starter began having problems. I have 11:1 compression (a6/y8 mini me) so I imagine that has something to do with it. The car will turn over and start fine right away in the morning but then, when the car is still hot it just clicks. The battery is charged, all the wires are clean and tight.

If I sit there and blip it with the ignition it will eventually turn over and start but that is REALLY annoying for me and anyone around who doesn't want to hear *click-click-click* for like a minute. It's almost like it needs a running start at it or something like trying to turn a stuck crank. I know that sounds weird. If I let the car cool down all the way, usually it will start pretty easily again.

Also, now that I think of it, it seems like it doesn't disengage right away after the car starts. Like I can hear it spin for a second or so. Like a little whine noise.

I'm wondering a couple of things. Does that problem sound like the starter motor itself or the solenoid or what? Is there any way I can rebuild it myself? I don't really have $75 for a starter at the moment, and it does eventually work, but I'd like to do something about it before it stops working and I have no car. Is there anything that I can do to help it in the meantime? The starter connects to the flywheel doesn't it? So it wouldn't have anything to do with the trans or clutch. I'm thinking the engine is just harder to turn over due to the high compression.

 

sounds like connection to your starter are not secure. just make sure all connections are good. and if that doesnt work. pull the starter and disaasemble it, and check all parts for wear/debree that could be stoping it from spining. hope that helps just make sure you remmeber how you took the starter apart.

 

i don't believe the higher compression is your issue, i think your starter is just poop. i had an a6/y8 and it was no harder to turn over than when it was just a stock a6 top and bottom.

if you're hearing whining noises from the starter, and it sounds like its not disengaging, then you definitely need to replace it. just make sure you're actually hearing something out of the ordinary and you're not confusing it for just normal starter noise. now if its actually clicking at the starter, then its likely the solenoid and/or starter motor is failing. It is not a user serviceable part so i don't recommend taking it apart. (i know from experience, you will regret it if you do lol) replace it when you can, and hope that it doesn't die on you in the mean time.

 

are there any starters that are interchangeable through the model years or do i need one specific to the year/engine?

 

so long as its from a manual trans i believe any starter from 88-91 will work

 

My EF does that too. It seems to be the starter motor it takes a while to start and all you hear is the click click click.. So i grab a rubber hammer and give it a few strikes to the starter from the top. If you try turning on the car it usually turns on quickly around the 1-3 try. I also replaced the connections to the starter so i know its not the wires.. so meanwhile just give it a tap wit a rubber hammer. Eventually we will have to replace the starter