Aircooled VW South Africa

After my engine overhaul I decided to rebuild the starter.
Brushes still good, so just took off the burrs and polished the comutator and installed new spigot bush.
Fires up first swing easy peasy.
Once warm it struggles to swing the starter. But after a few slow swings it fires.
Not sure I have the correct size battery as it has no size stamped on it.
Assuming the new rings are tight when it's all warmed up.
Battery I got in 2019 but it has run completely flat once when I left the parks on.
Beetle 1600 TP
What size battery should I get ?



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The bigggest, highest amphour rating possible that will fit into the space , I believe. And you believe what you want ,....there will be opinions like mine a plenty !!!!
Go through all the earths on the car,... and positive cable,to starter,...all nice & tight
Check timing and so on.......
My view. Haans.

Earth's all checked and sanded.
Starts a treat when cold or standing for a while.
Will get a bigger size as have plenty room around this little fella

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Installing a relay could help.

My apology,......the 1st thing is the relay !!!!!! ,....took it as std !
I also moved the earth connection from batt straight to starter body as well !
Also still sitting with 6V starter plus all the bits as mentioned,...... key is still in your pocket and it starts up

Haans

Did you replace the solenoid of the starter too? A bad solenoid will not deliver the current needed.

The starter motor or battery might also not be at fault, considering it cranks fines when cold, but struggles when hot can also also be caused by the motor itself. Incorrect ring clearance or sleeve piston clearance will cause excessive friction which starter will struggle to overcome.

sean wrote:Did you replace the solenoid of the starter too? A bad solenoid will not deliver the current needed.

The starter motor or battery might also not be at fault, considering it cranks fines when cold, but struggles when hot can also also be caused by the motor itself. Incorrect ring clearance or sleeve piston clearance will cause excessive friction which starter will struggle to overcome.

Solenoid kicks in fine.

New rings was 0.3mm end gap and measured skirts and crowns and all as per allowable spec.
Is a cold start easier in a beetle than when hot?


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No More Landy wrote: ↑Wed Dec 20, 2023 12:41 pm

sean wrote:Did you replace the solenoid of the starter too? A bad solenoid will not deliver the current needed.

The starter motor or battery might also not be at fault, considering it cranks fines when cold, but struggles when hot can also also be caused by the motor itself. Incorrect ring clearance or sleeve piston clearance will cause excessive friction which starter will struggle to overcome.

Solenoid kicks in fine.

New rings was 0.3mm end gap and measured skirts and crowns and all as per allowable spec.
Is a cold start easier in a beetle than when hot?


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Just because the solenoid kicks in fine doesn't make it fine. The solenoid has 2 purposes. One is to engage the bendix, the other is the contactor (switch) to provide motor with power. A bad contact leads to insufficient load to the motor. I have had several faulty solenoids with this issue.

If you believe the battery is at fault, just jump start it with another car and see if problem is still there or not. If jump starting it makes no difference, it's not a battery issue.

So after a long struggle it turned out a dead spot in the armature.
Replaced and all good again

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