HELP!!!Car Question

[lifethroughdeath]

My girlfriends got a 1996 VW Golf Gti with the 4cyl and 5 speed. Now it's the weirdest thing that just started happening this weekend. When you go to start the car after it has been off for like 5-10 mins but still warm it won't start. It isn't making any weird noises or anything, it's just not cranking over. We had to pop start it the last time. However if you wait a little longer, it starts up just fine, as if nothing was ever wrong /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif It's too dark to look underneath now, but i'm going to check for any loose connections or anything tommorow. You guys have any idea what could be going on?
Thanks,
Nate /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif

 

[NerdBoy]

Not turning over at all? Sounds like heat soak on that starter. You might want to replace it.

 

[Okiemuddog]

I agree heat soak, or possibly a starter relay overheating /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

 

[lifethroughdeath]

Definately not turning over, it's just not cranking at all. But like i said she just started it right up and drove away a few minutes ago after being parked for an hour. Anyway to check to see if the starter is bad, or relay?

And what do you mean by "heat soak?"

Thanks
Nate /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif

 

[NerdBoy]

Heat soak is a condition that electic motors and relays get. As they age, the coils in them aren't as efficient as they are when they are new. Heat, as you might know, causes electrical conductive things (wires) to lose their efficiency even more. Therefore, when a starter or solenoid get warm from the engine, they lose their efficiency. A solenoid is nothing but a pretty strong electromagnet that pulls a switch (and, on some cars, engages the starter gear) that the current for the starter passes through, to start the car. If the solenoid is worn, and hot, the electromagnet won't be strong enough to throw that switch, hence the car not cranking. When it cools sufficiently, (like after sitting for an hour) it becomes efficient enough to throw the switch.

I hope that makes sense.

 

[pauly383]

My wifes Sentra did that ( hated that car she had it when we met ) new starter and still did it. I never did figure it out . She swore you wiggled key just right and it would start , but never did it for me. These newer cars have more than one relay in the line to the starter . Add another if you have an alarm . I am so glad we traded that car in for a Chevy , as soon as the papers were signed, and it wasn't ours anymore, I said out loud " hope your new Sentra starts " /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif

 

[Thunder]

I agree the above posts Bad starter or solonoid. But its sometimes hard to tell with VWs they can be strange beasts.
Here is a good forum for VWs:http://forums.vwvortex.com/zeromain?id=1
It is the biggest VW forum on the net. I have found answeres to many VW problems there.