i know i've asked this before.. maybe a year ago? but i figured i'd try again..

We have a 1991 Jetta GL 1.8 [not diesel] 120,000+ miles.. in my house that has a problem starting. Its the first time I've ever encountered this type of problem in any of the cars I've been around.

When turning the key at an attempt to start, there is the extremely loud noise and the car wont start. So we will have to return the key position back to off and then try again, sometimes it happens once, twice, six times, or not at all.. before it will start. We've replaced the starter.. and even the plugs... but no fix. To be honest, the noise heard sounds exactly like the noise made if you were to try to start a car after it was already running...

if anyone has any clue what is goin on, it'd be appreciated.


Thanks

It sounds like the ring gear is missing or has damaged teeth. The only way to repair this is to remove the transmission and replace the flywheel/flexplate. You can inspect the ringear without removing the trans.

1- disconnect the battery
2- remove the starter
3- rotate the engine by hand with a socket on the dampner bolt.
4- inspect the teeth on the ring gear. If any are missing or partially missing remove the trans and change the ringgear.

Auto or manual? On manuals there is also bushing you should check that is pressed into the trans housing that the starter slips into, but more than likely the flywheel teeth have been damaged.

its an auto. thanks to both.