Did my wife just kill the starter ?

DorianL

solid fixture here in the forum
Staff member
Yesterday I got a call from the wife saying that she could not start the VW Ghia, 1971. She said the battery was dead.

I drove over to get her. It turns out, while attempting to start, that she had the car in gear and the foot firmly on the brake. This choking the starter and preventing the car from cranking.

Anyway, I put it in neutral and it immediately fired up and I drove her home.

This morning I tired to start the car and it failed.

I heard the solenoid pop and a very weak attempt to crank but that was it.

I thought I had a dead battery but no, that’s fine.

I must point out that the starter is a 6v. A common VW air-cooled swap to gain in cranking speed. (This maybe an original part.)

Could the starter still have been ruined despite the fact I drove home the day before? And can “stalling” like that damage the starter ?

MTIA,

D.
 
yes , unfortunately she could have and probably did over heat and damage the starter or solenoid electrical wiring internally...
check the battery cable connections , and if nothing obvious is found there ,
Id replace the starter.(they are not generally all that expensive)

http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...1.6l+h4,1284173,electrical,starter+motor,4152

reminds me of my wife
when I was dating, she borrowed my car for two days while I was out of town,
and when I get back I notice the oil light was on,
I pull over and check and I'm 2 quarts low... she then says, yeah!
that red light came on yesterday, while I was driving,
home from the mall, I was meaning to ask you what that indicated
 
Last edited:
She didn’t kill it though? Just took some mileage off of its life?

Right. I needed this starter failure like a hole in the head. Other priorities and expenses now.

I was going to reinstall the gas tank on the corvette but the Mrs took off with it this noon with no warning and the tank in the trunk. So I’m stalling too. Grmbl.
 
Only four hours left of sunshine here and the weather is good. Grrr
 
Back
Top