JBugs Video Series

VW Starter Installation:

Video Overview:

If you are having problems with your starter only working occasionally or not working at all, you will need to start by troubleshooting your Electrical. Once you have eliminated the possibility of the battery, ignition switch, battery cables and wiring being the cause it may be time to replace the starter. Our tech shows you how to remove and replace your starter in your VW.


Video Transcript:

For the video today we're going to go ahead and replace the starter. We've had some problems with this thing kicking over occasionally and we're going to eliminate the starter being the cause of that problem. Follow along with us today as we show you how pretty basic it is to install a new starter.

 

Make sure to disconnect the negative side of battery so you're not short out your electrical system when replacing your starter.

 

We're going to start with the top starter bolt and nut which you have to access from the engine compartment. I'll show you that and we'll probably speed up a little bit. Alright were going to disconnect the ignition wire that goes up to the ignition switch. Disconnect the positive battery cable and the lower nut and then we'll be able to go ahead and pull the starter out. With that our starter is out.

 

Alright we have the old starter and the new starter here side-by-side you can see the difference. A lot of times people get these starters in the box when we ship them and go oh my god this is smaller than my old starter. Electronics get smaller that's fine these starters work great it is a Bosch starter.

 

Reason why it took two people to pull the starter out is you can see the difference in the heads on these bolts. This is what we refer to as a D-bolt fitting because the head is like a D. That D will actually key into the starter, and keep it from turning so that you don't actually have to have somebody underneath there holding the head of a nut.

 

Alright we're going to go ahead and install the starter now. Just a matter of setting it up in place. Keep in mind we've already have changed the starter bushing which is a little bit harder to show or even picture then describe. Anytime you're replacing starter we always recommend that you change the starter bushing. The starter in, the lower starter nuts tight, positive battery cables connected, ignition switch wires connected. We're going to go ahead and install the D bolt. Slide it in place and show you that it actually can be done with one man.

 

I'm going to put the nut on the bolt which is actually freestanding but it is keyed into the starter, do it by myself, one person. Something I've mastered over the years doing this many many many times. With a light touch you can actually get the washer on the bolt and get the nut on without actually pushing the bolt out of place. She's on just got to tighten her up.

 

Now that the starter installation is complete we got the battery reconnected and we are ready to turn the key and she's starting up like a charm just the way it should be.