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On 17 Jan 2001, at 18:03, Matt Small wrote: > I am having a heck of a time figuring out what is to blame for my > starter problems. I am about to turn to the starter itself. The FI > checks out ok, I ran a test on injectors and such, and everything is > working. But here is the degrading status of my car. It cranks, but > not fast enough to engage. I can push the gas and let it up slowly > while I crank it and it usually speeds up to give me just barely > enough to start it. I have checked all the connections I know about. Connections to check: Both ends of the battery ground cable. Both ends of the battery hot cable. Both ends of the ground strap from the body to the tranny. Especially check the connections to the battery posts. The posts are tapered and you may have to remove the clamp and spread it so that the clamp can slide ALL the way down onto the post before you tighten it in place. Do NOT hammer the clamps onto the posts as this is likely to ruin the battery. A connection that look perfectly good may still be bad. You may need to loosen each connection, move it around, and retighten it just to break the oxide layer that may be insulating it. If you take it all the way apart, this is a good time to smear all the parts with grease just to prevent future corrosion. Try starting with jumper cables. If this helps a lot, then you probably need a new battery. If all these things are fine, then it's time to suspect the starter. Starter brushes DO wear down with time and use, but usually they just stop connecting one day and the starter will seem dead. It is also quite possible that the starter bushing in the transmission housing (if it is a MT) is worn out; this prevents proper alignment of the starter and will make the starter run slow. - Jim Adney jadney@vwtype3.org Madison, WI 53711-3054 USA ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitch in! Send your pledge of support! mailto:support@vwtype3.org