1.6 TD Starter Motor Problems

[Gernster]

Went to start the golf this morning ( Mk2 GTI with a RA 1.6TD fitted) and the starter motor stuck (you know that noise when the inertia spring kicks back and you can just here the motor spinning away?) Strange thing was that when I turned the ignition off the motor kept running.

Only way I could shut it off was the disconnect the battery. Is this normal on these type of starter motors or was there a short somewhere?

I reconnected the battery and it started as normal. Going to pull the unit off the car this weekend and try to grease the interia spring mechanism up, if that doest work its a new starter  

[Gernster]

pulled it off today and took the solenoid off and put some copperslip on the plunger mech, hopefully thats all it was........ (bugger to refit, as it locates through the front gearbox mount)

still worries me that the power stayed live when the gear threw out?

[mk2diesel]

usually from the actual contacts melting together and they can't release ....  looks like solenoid replacement time