Today I try to get my car running and I run into that issue with the starter. When I turn the key I would see the cam gears turn for like 2 seconds, I can hear combustion, then everything stops and all I hear is the starter spin.

Here is a video I found online doing with my car is doing. click According to my logger the RPM's go up to about 140 RPM's before dropping back to 0 RPMs.

I had the starter, which appears to be a OEM unit tested at the local auto parts store and it passed the bench test twice. I did a google quick search and it seems most people who have this problem are using a FWD flywheel with a AWD starter or vice versa. I know I can't have this problem since both the flywheel and starter came from my old GVR4. I also read some other issues like the clutch safety switch not working, but mine is unpluged. The battery is a Optima red top from that I just put in my wife's B5 Passat, which starts up with no problem.

Does anybody have any other parts I can check? I'm losing my mind trying to get my car started. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif

I had about the same problem I remove the starter and have autozone check it out and it passed the test like a day after it happen again I end up replacing the starter and that was the end of my problems,

Pull the plugs and see if it will crank over with no load. It may be a weak starter than cannot fully rotate an engine under compression.

Or the solenoid on it is no good and will not hold the starter engaged.

Dont worry about all that.

You probably need a new Bendix. I've had two brand new starters that tested well but the Bendix would not engaged or stay engaged.

Quoting iceman69510:
Pull the plugs and see if it will crank over with no load. It may be a weak starter than cannot fully rotate an engine under compression.



I just tried and it looks like I need a new starter.

Quoting Turbro_Negro:
Dont worry about all that.



I'm going to try one more time to get thing started before I give in.

Take off the inspection shield at the bottom on the transmission. The little shield is made out of thin sheet metal. With a flashlight, peek inside at the flywheel, more importantly, the teeth on the flywheel (ring gear). There could be a few teeth missing on the flywheel and the starter cannot engage them.

That's not the problem, I been working on this car on and off for a while and I just installed this flywheel if any teeth on the ring gear were missing I would have noticed.