my starter won't work after engine replacement ?

[Chuck T.]

So I finished installing the engine tonight . went to start it and it won't turn over with the key ? it will turn over if i short the starter soleniod . ? it also seems to kill power to my gauges when i hit the starter ?

 

Weston thinks the switch went bad just sitting there ... silly "kids"

 

I also did not have any oil pressure cranked the motor for ever and still no pressure. i have now found 2 ways to prime the oil pump.

 

what happened to the starter switch ?

[legoland951]

Hi Chuck,

 

You can always wire the starter small wire to a custom made starter button instead of trying to track down which wires got broken between the starter and the ignition switch. When you put power to the small wire of the starter, does it turn or do you have to arc across the 2 larger terminals of the starter to turn? As for the pressure, the oil pressure sender could have bad contact at the wire or the sender damaged via transit. If its the motor from me, the sender was working properly when I had it so check the contacts first as it may have been damaged in the transport though I doubt it.

 

Frank

Edited June 21, 2007 by Guest

[944-Spec#94]

ignition switches can fail. Mine did years ago. Plan.

 

Grab a wire diagram and check the functionality of the switch. You can also cross some of the switch wires to see if that works.

 

Trace it down through the wiring. The stater wiring is actually not that bad to trace down. I would start with switch first and work back.

[Chuck T.]

no oil in the filter ... it needs to be primed

[Weston]

Either that ignition switch is dead, or the wire between it and the starter is broken somewhere... The starter has power and ground, and it turns over when you give power to the small terminal. The ignition switch has power, and turning the key to the start position runs the fuel pump and cuts the power source that you wired your aftermarket gauges to, but does not give power to the starter's small terminal. The car starts right up if we put the key in the on position, then trigger the starter by directly applying power to the starter's small terminal.

 

These are the same symptoms my car had when the ignition switch died. The early 944 ignition switch is the exact same VW part that the 924S has, which is known to develop a crack in the plastic housing of the electrical portion, and that causes this problem. When we took this one apart a few months ago, it did have a crack in it, but it was just a small one... not as large as mine had when it failed. So, I bet it got worse and now it's dead. Mine died pretty suddenly too. Watch out for the cheap eBay replacements... they don't fit right and they car can be tricky to start with them too.

 

The way to test it is to pull the ignition switch wire connector off, and then put a jumper between terminals 50 and 30 (they're embossed on the back of the connector)... if the starter turns over, then your ignition switch is dead. If it sparks but doesn't turn over, then you probably need a bigger jumper wire.

 

http://www.clarks-garage.com/shop-manual/elect-17.htm

[roberth944]

did you re install the ground cable to the block at the back of the head?

[Chuck T.]

did you re install the ground cable to the block at the back of the head?

 

yep I have that one ... It has something to do with the switch or the wire going to the starter from the switch ... I think it's the wire going from the switch to the starter... The alternator is also not working ??? so I figure a wire is wrong somewhere.

 

I primed the engine using compressed air through the dipstick tube . It had 50 psi oil with just the stater after that.

 

So lets see what the weekend brings...

[roberth944]

did you get the 2 small wires on the alternator crossed? The ground and the blue exicter wire? The alternator light must come on with the key or it will not charge and this may be why you get no signal to the starter solinoid? This would make sense as to why the gauges all drop off as they are being grounded out, the starter gets no signal, and you get no charging. If this is the case you better check fuses as well.

[Chuck T.]

did you get the 2 small wires on the alternator crossed? The ground and the blue exicter wire? The alternator light must come on with the key or it will not charge and this may be why you get no signal to the starter solinoid? This would make sense as to why the gauges all drop off as they are being grounded out, the starter gets no signal, and you get no charging. If this is the case you better check fuses as well.

 

The no charge light was on ... I will check that !