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98 Polo wont turnover/start

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  • 04-01-2013 5:42pm
    #1
    dickwod1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,101 ✭✭✭


    Hi all,

    I have a 98 1.0 petrol Polo and yesterday it just wouldn't start.
    I took the battery out and charged it fully then put it back in and still the same.
    The engine doesn't make the same starting noise it sounds vauge?
    (the car is always serviced has new ht leads and spark plugs etc.)

    Any help welcome.


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    #2
    goz83
    Registered Users Posts: 8,034 ✭✭✭goz83


    Starter motor may be fecked then. Alternator is another suspect. Fuel pump one more. That's all I can think of, but more likely the starter.


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    #3
    Avns1s
    Registered Users Posts: 3,422 ✭✭✭Avns1s


    Starter could be getting lazy, or there could be a bad connection on the starter / solenoid.

    Will it start with a push? Does the engine feel free enough to turn by hand?


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    #4
    Avns1s
    Registered Users Posts: 3,422 ✭✭✭Avns1s


    goz83 wrote: »
    Starter motor may be fecked then. Alternator is another suspect. Fuel pump one more. That's all I can think of, but more likely the starter.

    Alternator wouldn't stop it turning over particularly with a fully charged battery. Equally, the fuel pump wouldn't stop it turning over freely, but would stop it firing.

    OP where did you get the battery charged? Did you get it checked? Just because you charged it fully doesn't mean that it's able to give good power to the starter. The battery itself could be giving up the ghost. Did you try a jump start?


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    #5
    dickwod1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,101 ✭✭✭dickwod1


    Ill try a jump start and see what happens, I was thinking starter motor my self.


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    #6
    dickwod1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,101 ✭✭✭dickwod1


    Avns1s wrote: »
    Alternator wouldn't stop it turning over particularly with a fully charged battery. Equally, the fuel pump wouldn't stop it turning over freely, but would stop it firing.

    OP where did you get the battery charged? Did you get it checked? Just because you charged it fully doesn't mean that it's able to give good power to the starter. The battery itself could be giving up the ghost. Did you try a jump start?

    The battery is only 1 year old I charged it and the charger is brand new


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    #7
    Avns1s
    Registered Users Posts: 3,422 ✭✭✭Avns1s


    dickwod1 wrote: »
    The battery is only 1 year old I charged it and the charger is brand new

    Should be ok but not a guarantee. Was the battery allowed to be discharged fully?


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    #8
    goz83
    Registered Users Posts: 8,034 ✭✭✭goz83


    Avns1s wrote: »
    Alternator wouldn't stop it turning over particularly with a fully charged battery. Equally, the fuel pump wouldn't stop it turning over freely, but would stop it firing.

    OP where did you get the battery charged? Did you get it checked? Just because you charged it fully doesn't mean that it's able to give good power to the starter. The battery itself could be giving up the ghost. Did you try a jump start?

    I mentioned alternator, because about 2 years ago, the alt belt came free on my dads brand new octavia and the engine wouldn't turn over. AA were called out and found the alt belt on the ground intact and a cats tail attached. If the fuel pump is knackered, it might not start at all. You may be bang on though with the battery.

    OP, try the jump start. It'll tell you what you need to know. Battery very likely. Didn't think straight there.


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    #9
    Penn
    Registered Users Posts: 33,301 ✭✭✭✭Penn


    Distributor.

    Had a 1.0l 98 Polo myself and for ages I had to bring a spare battery and jumpleads around with me, or park on a hill. We couldn't figure out what was wrong with it (and by we, 3 of my relatives who are mechanics).

    Got a new car and over the next year, the Polo was just dead. Wouldn't turn over. Nothing. Don't even think we could jump-start it. Then our neighbour was interested in the Polo, so we said we'd try again but still couldn't figure it out. I went to a scrapyard to get some different part for it and was talking to the guy there and he said it was the distributor and it was a common enough problem with them. I got a distributor from him. Worked straight away.

    I'm not saying it's definitely the distributor, but I'd say it's a pretty good bet. You might not even need a new one, just get someone to check yours.


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    #10
    goz83
    Registered Users Posts: 8,034 ✭✭✭goz83


    Avns1s wrote: »
    Should be ok but not a guarantee. Was the battery allowed to be discharged fully?

    +1.

    Batteries can die prematurely.


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    #11
    dickwod1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,101 ✭✭✭dickwod1


    Avns1s wrote: »
    Should be ok but not a guarantee. Was the battery allowed to be discharged fully?

    No the car was being driven every other day and started 100% the day before


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    #12
    Avns1s
    Registered Users Posts: 3,422 ✭✭✭Avns1s


    goz83 wrote: »
    I mentioned alternator, because about 2 years ago, the alt belt came free on my dads brand new octavia and the engine wouldn't turn over. AA were called out and found the alt belt on the ground intact and a cats tail attached. If the fuel pump is knackered, it might not start at all. You may be bang on though with the battery.

    OP, try the jump start. It'll tell you what you need to know. Battery very likely. Didn't think straight there.

    I lol'd! :D Where was the cat???


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    #13
    dickwod1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,101 ✭✭✭dickwod1


    goz83 wrote: »
    +1.

    Batteries can die prematurely.


    I just tested the battery with a voltmeter and its 12.61v,
    I tried to turn the engine and its a weird flat noise nothing ive heard before,
    Im on flat road so Ill try jump it tomorrow when my mate comes around


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    #14
    Avns1s
    Registered Users Posts: 3,422 ✭✭✭Avns1s


    dickwod1 wrote: »
    No the car was being driven every other day and started 100% the day before

    OK, check the battery, check the connections and check the starter.

    Try a jump start.

    Let us know what happens and I'm sure you'll get some guidance from there!


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    #15
    Atlantic Dawn
    Registered Users Posts: 81,407 ✭✭✭✭Atlantic Dawn
    M


    dickwod1 wrote: »
    Ill try a jump start and see what happens, I was thinking starter motor my self.

    If starter motor is gone jump starting wont work, will need a push start.


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    #16
    dickwod1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,101 ✭✭✭dickwod1


    Atlantic Dawn wrote: »
    If starter motor is gone jump starting wont work, will need a push start.

    Sorry, yes thats what i meant, thanks


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    #17
    dickwod1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,101 ✭✭✭dickwod1


    Penn wrote: »
    Distributor.

    Had a 1.0l 98 Polo myself and for ages I had to bring a spare battery and jumpleads around with me, or park on a hill. We couldn't figure out what was wrong with it (and by we, 3 of my relatives who are mechanics).

    Got a new car and over the next year, the Polo was just dead. Wouldn't turn over. Nothing. Don't even think we could jump-start it. Then our neighbour was interested in the Polo, so we said we'd try again but still couldn't figure it out. I went to a scrapyard to get some different part for it and was talking to the guy there and he said it was the distributor and it was a common enough problem with them. I got a distributor from him. Worked straight away.

    I'm not saying it's definitely the distributor, but I'd say it's a pretty good bet. You might not even need a new one, just get someone to check yours.

    Thanks ill have a look at that tomorrow too.


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    #18
    Avns1s
    Registered Users Posts: 3,422 ✭✭✭Avns1s


    Atlantic Dawn wrote: »
    If starter motor is gone jump starting wont work, will need a push start.

    The jump start was to rule out the battery.

    A successful push start if the jump start doesn't work would suggest the starter or connections from the battery to the starter.


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    #19
    George Dalton
    Registered Users Posts: 5,728 ✭✭✭George Dalton


    dickwod1 wrote: »
    rn the engine and its a weird flat noise nothing ive heard before,
    Im on flat road so Ill try jump it tomorrow when my mate comes around

    Can you take a video of it?

    Sounds like a possible timing belt problem. Or maybe starter motor. Would need to hear the noise.


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    #20
    piston
    Registered Users Posts: 520 ✭✭✭piston


    Check the oil level. Make sure the sump isn't full of petrol.

    This is a long shot but worth checking. When my Peugeot (1.1 XU series with single point injection) wouldn't turn over properly, it caused me a bit of head scratching before working out that a failed o-ring on the injector had allowed the engine to flood and the petrol had washed down the bores into the sump and as the fuel was by-passing it's normal destination, the fuel pump didn't cut out and kept pumping any time the ignition was on. A 15c o-ring and an oil change cured the problem.


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    #21
    jimmyw
    Registered Users Posts: 3,383 ✭✭✭jimmyw


    dickwod1 wrote: »
    I just tested the battery with a voltmeter and its 12.61v,
    I tried to turn the engine and its a weird flat noise nothing ive heard before,
    Im on flat road so Ill try jump it tomorrow when my mate comes around

    That voltage is plenty enough to start the car.I would guess there is either a bad connection somewhere in the starter circuit, or the motor itself needs to be looked at.


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    #22
    goz83
    Registered Users Posts: 8,034 ✭✭✭goz83


    Avns1s wrote: »
    I lol'd! :D Where was the cat???

    Don't know. Only the tail was left behind


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