Jetta A2 not starting please help

I have an 89 Jetta 1.8l 16V, Imy car sat for a few months and when I went to start it, it would not. So I installed a new battery but the car still acts like the battery is dead. I hear a buzz in the fuse box and hear a small buzz in the coil. The radio goes on and off. But canot seem to find out what direction to go to next. Need help.

Reply to
Aaron S
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Measure that you have battery voltage at the starter end of the fat cable going from battery to starter. You should have battery voltage here always. If you don't, this should be easy to trouble shoot.

Then check that you have battery voltage at the skinny wire on the starter while a helper tries to start the car. There should only be battery voltage here when the ignition switch is in the "Start" position. If you do not get voltage here, get you the Bentley and start tracing wires.

If you have voltage both places and feel a little brutal, try tapp>

Reply to
Randolph

How about your ignition switch. With the age of your car, it wouldn't surprise me one bit if the electrical part of the ignition switch is crapped out.

If you know a little bit about the wiring to your starter, then you can test this out with nothing more than a screwdriver. The starter has 2 wires hooked up to it... one is a large cable that goes right to the battery positive. And then there is a much smaller wire with a crimped fitting on it that is fitted to the soleniod. That smaller wire comes from your ignition switch. With the ignition turned on and the tranny out of gear, one can carefully use a screwdriver to short the post the larger battery cable is bolted to and the spade crimp the smaller wire is hooked up to together. The engine should crank right over and even fire up.

If that happens, the first thing I would do is replace the ignition switch, to which I've got the details right here:

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Hope this helps out.

Reply to
Pencilneck

Ok first lets establish does your starter even make a clicking noise, if so does it sound like its engaging, also can you turn the engine by hand. I have seen some but not many engines that the rings stick after sitting for a while. The starter engages pulls HUGE amps and you get all sorts of buzzing electrical noises from under the dash due to the HUGE load on the fuse/relay box>

Reply to
Craig Williams

I will check the Starter. If it is not, any other suggestions would be great. I can't imagine that it is anything too major.

Thanks for all the suggestions and help

Reply to
Aaron S

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