Car wont start after cleaning starter motor - help!

[ptr]

Hi all, I've been reading this forum for a while after buying a 1999 1.6 A3, lots of good advice here!

Since buying the car the starter motor would make a screeching noise every time I started from cold, so this weekend I finally decided to take it out and clean it in the hope it would get rid of the noise. I followed this tutorial;

http://www.montreal-vdubbing.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=43

After putting everything back together and double checking all connections the car wont turn over, the starter wont even spin

I thought it may be the battery as I get random intermittent battery warning lights so tried jump starting it - nothing.

Could I have killed the starter just by cleaning it? Is there anything I can do!? Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[fingermouse]

If it wont jump start then its nothing to do with the starter motor, try charging the battery over night and give it another go in the morning

 

[ptr]

If it wont jump start then its nothing to do with the starter motor, try charging the battery over night and give it another go in the morning

I thought jump starting (connecting it to another cars battery) would only work if it was the battery at fault? Which makes me think the battery is fine and the starter motor is at fault...

anyone got any ideas?

 

[colicabcadam]

you've not connected the earth correctly......?

connect the motor DIRECTLY to the battery, does it spin? if it doesn't, you've broke it lol.

 

[fingermouse]

ah jump starting sorry was thinking bump start lol the joys of reading and posting while drinking

 

[Madeley]

blown one of the big fuses on top of the battery?

 

[ptr]

connect the motor DIRECTLY to the battery, does it spin? if it doesn't, you've broke it lol.

Dunno why I didnt think of this, just did it and not a sausage, motor doesnt even kick so it seems the starter is completely dead.

Only thing I can think of is the bolt on the solenoid that takes the live feed direct from the battery, when I removed the starter the second time I noticed it was just spinning inside like its attached to nothing. Maybe I broke the connection inside the solenoid? Unfortunately the torx heads are too rusted for me to get inside and check/repair... new starter motor it is then

I wish I figured this out yesterday when all the shops were still open, theres a GSF right near me, could of had a new starter by now!