leon13
Registered User
I initially parked my S3 in the garage while I gathered the parts to replace the DMF and clutch that had just let go. Fast-forward 2 years... I'm now married, have a kid, and I'm wondering where the hell the time went.
Anyway, I digress. I finally pulled my finger out and started work on the old girl. But before I get carried away, I wanted to ask if there may be more of a problem with the car than I first thought.
About a year ago (The car had been sitting for a year) I decided to get it going, as I'd managed to pick up the clutch bits I needed. I charged the battery and tried cranking it. The motor turned a tiny bit but stopped almost instantly. My first thought was that the battery was kaput, so I tried jump starting. The car cranked slowly, then started, and I left it running for a little while. At this point, I got hold of a new battery, and so I put it on. When I tried cranking it, I got a puff of smoke, and sparks were seen under the car. After this the car would not even try to crank, so I guessed the starter was fried. I was frustrated, and the car was rolled back into the garage, and time flew by again.
Last night, I finally got the starter out, and as suspected, the earth strap has a chunk missing where it's melted away.
I have a couple of questions. Would the starter have melted through because the motor has sat for so long, it has all but seized? And is it worth me trying to replace the melted earth strap, before going out and buying a new starter, which may just do the same thing?
Or a more worrying question, is the motor likely knackered? Can I hand-crank it to see if it turns?
Thanks!
Anyway, I digress. I finally pulled my finger out and started work on the old girl. But before I get carried away, I wanted to ask if there may be more of a problem with the car than I first thought.
About a year ago (The car had been sitting for a year) I decided to get it going, as I'd managed to pick up the clutch bits I needed. I charged the battery and tried cranking it. The motor turned a tiny bit but stopped almost instantly. My first thought was that the battery was kaput, so I tried jump starting. The car cranked slowly, then started, and I left it running for a little while. At this point, I got hold of a new battery, and so I put it on. When I tried cranking it, I got a puff of smoke, and sparks were seen under the car. After this the car would not even try to crank, so I guessed the starter was fried. I was frustrated, and the car was rolled back into the garage, and time flew by again.
Last night, I finally got the starter out, and as suspected, the earth strap has a chunk missing where it's melted away.
I have a couple of questions. Would the starter have melted through because the motor has sat for so long, it has all but seized? And is it worth me trying to replace the melted earth strap, before going out and buying a new starter, which may just do the same thing?
Or a more worrying question, is the motor likely knackered? Can I hand-crank it to see if it turns?
Thanks!
