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Squeal from starter on startup caused by clutch dust

TheJoe

Hi All,

I've a Volkswagen polo which suffers from a grinding noise from the starter almost every time I start her up. I know it's clutch dust!

I do have a high biting point on the clutch but apart from that it seems to be holding up well. I had been chatting to my mechanics about it and they said "If it was my car I would wait for the clutch to give trouble before touching it".

Which is as much as to say, "I won't f**king touch it boy!"

The noise is annoying me though, and frightening old bags and young kiddies alike.

I have a suspicion that the clutch switch is gone or something, as the revs seem to sometimes rise a bit when I'm changing up. I read somewhere online that the clutch switch cuts power a bit and stops the car from overrevving on changeup.

The mechanics response - don't rev it too hard on change-ups. Duh!!

I think the clutch is taking a gradual knocking when I change gear because this switch could be gone.

The car doesn't make the grinding noise on startup during a very dry warm day, and the noise is diminished after a long drive (eg. 100 miles).

Has anybody had a similar experience? Apparently a common problem on volkswagens

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Comments

316

Get another mechanic, that mechanics enthusiasm in fixing your car is very little.

porsche boy

Go to a garage where your business will be appreciated.

rex-x

The noise is not clutch dust on your starter, far from it. The polo has a terrible design flaw where the starter rides in a bush in the gearbox and this wears out causing the noise. You need the updated starter to fix the problem.

TheJoe

rex-x wrote: »

The noise is not clutch dust on your starter, far from it. The polo has a terrible design flaw where the starter rides in a bush in the gearbox and this wears out causing the noise. You need the updated starter to fix the problem.

Thanks rex-x, does that apply to the polo 9n from 2002 to 2009?

Kenny Logins

Isn't that the 'aul VAG "yahoo"? A sticky starter solenoid?

TheJoe

Well Kenny, if ya want to call it that, "yahoo" about describes it! Is it the clutch dust that makes it sticky?

My reason for posting is that I thought the clutch switch being defective would cause the clutch to be wearing a bit quicker hence pumping out more clutch dust to clog up the starter

Kenny Logins

TheJoe wrote: »

Well Kenny, if ya want to call it that, "yahoo" about describes it! Is it the clutch dust that makes it sticky?

My reason for posting is that I thought the clutch switch being defective would cause the clutch to be wearing a bit quicker hence pumping out more clutch dust to clog up the starter

The starter solenoid (or is the bendix?) may just need cleaning an re-greasing. I've seen "how-tos" but never bothered doing it myself. I grew quite fond of the yahoo when it did start.

Is this it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9CQCjdTAYE

Clutch might be a separate issue I think.

316

Yahoo and youtube seem to be the main training for mechanics these days.

TheJoe

Youtube doesn't give the backchat that my mechanics give me!

wandererz

I had the same advice about the starter motor on another vehicle.

Unfortunately when it did give up it ended up blowing all the connecting wiring as well which resulted in an even bigger bill.

Thankfully it died when i arrived at the garage or i would have had towing charges as well.

My advice is to get it fixed while you have a chance.

TheJoe

Yikes, that doesn't sound positive at all!

TheJoe

Lads, I think I might have been onto something

http://www.edition38.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=474218