OK, I didn't know that starters had slipper-clutches.... It must be that,
or something to do with the Bendix (do they still call em that?) spring.
I'll give that a good cleaning soon, when I send off my cherished 5sp for a
long overdue rebuild.  Thanks everyone.
On Dec 9, 2015 3:06 PM, "Dennis Haynes" <d23haynes57@hotmail.com> wrote:

> When the starter cranks the engine a typical cranking speed is around 70
> rpm. For the brief moment after the engine starts, you release the key, and
> the solenoid-starter gear retracts and clears the flywheel gear the starter
> gear gets overdriven by the engine at many times the cranking speed. So
> that the starter gear does not get broken off or the motor destroyed from
> centrifugal forces there is a one-way clutch driving the starter gear. If
> this assembly is dry, corroded, or otherwise messed up you may get that
> awful noise.  When it really goes bad it could seize or fail to turn the
> engine during cranking. When you turn the key and the starter turns fast
> without the engine this is usually the problem.
>
> Dennis
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
> Of Don Hanson
> Sent: Wednesday, December 9, 2015 10:26 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Since we've been talking starters recently on Vanagon list.....
>
> I have a starter mystery sound that's been happening since I swapped in my
> ABA block hybrid inline VW motor about 3yrs ago...I didn't change any of
> the wiring from the original 1.8 liter rabbit/Jetta/fox motor  and that one
> didn't make this odd noise sometimes when the motor is started...84 van, 93
> ABA jetta block with 92 digifant 8 valve head and 5sp manual
> transmission....mounted using vanagon diesel stuff....
>
>    Here's the story...when I release the ignition switch after the motor
> catches and the starter has done it's job....it does seem to crank over
> completely normally...it lets out this strange kinda honking squelch
> noise...lasts about 1/4 second and nothing else happens...the van runs
> normally and the next time I start it, it may again emit the weird noise
> ....but sometimes it doesn't make that noise...."Honking Squelch" is the
> best I can do for a description....It sounds similar to what a ping pong
> ball does when you push it down onto the pingpong table with your
> paddle......
>
>    First time I fired it up after my swap, I thought..."crap, I did
> something wrong with the starter...gotta remove the motor and see what that
> is."....Well, I also forgot the pilot bearing, so I had the motor out again
> in a couple of days to install that and a new output shaft seal....and I
> could not find any fault with the starter......So I re-installed it all and
> again, I still get that strange squelching binding honking noise,
> sometimes.....
>
>    I figured, at the time of the second install, with the noise
> unchanged........."OK, I am off to the desert anyhow,  for 2 months....If
> that starter breaks, I will just bump start till I  get another one and
> stick that in........but it's been starting just fine, other than the weird
> noise, for over 3yrs now.....
>
>    I thought...."Worn bushing" or something, but I expected that I'd have
> problems, PDQ....when a starter makes a noise like that, it can't be
> right...
>
>    Anyone care to make a guess as to what might be causing that noise?   I
> am just curious now....it has not affected the starting of the van now for
> about 65k miles, but it's still there......It is a "Wrong" sound....It
> sounds like it shouldn't be there, like it must be hurting
> something.....but nothing dire has happened...it just keeps honking along,
> starting every time but perhaps 50% of starts I have come with a post
> script.....that honk after I let loose of the key and the starter stops
> cranking.....with it's frequent sonic comment after a van start.........
>    Don Hanson
>