So I'm running a 1.6 with very high compression. And a late MK2 flywheel,which is not compatible with the post-'94 starter motor.

Anyone who's done this will know the bulky starter from german Polos wont fit against the block,but i found this narrower bodied Hitachi unit on a late spanish model MK2 (6n unit left,MK2 unit right)..

This fitted against the 6n2 block,and i could only hope it had enough balls for a 1.6 16v with 12.3:1 compression as well as the 1.3 8v with 9.5:1 compression it was designed for..

But it just hasn't. It can just manage to crank it,but its literally one turn every couple of seconds. With the bike carbs on choke,it starts on the first turn,probably half a full revolution and it fires. But when the engine is hot it can take a few tries,all the electrics have to be turned off to assist it,and its nerve-wracking. It wont be enough through the winter,so i had to find a solution.

Today i found a '91 Golf 1.3 with a Bosch starter,the same as the 6n/2 starters but for the fitment for the older,lighter flywheel. I had a 6n one to rob parts off,so i brought it home and went to work (Golf version left, 6n version right)..

First the rear shaft cap is removed,the circlip and washer removed,then the two bolts are withdrawn and the end cap is removed to reveal the bushing casette. Do not withdraw the body at this time,or springs and bush casings ping everywhere..

As you can see, one of the magnets was shattered. No matter,as i was using the 6n ones anyway..

Once id stripped and cleaned all the parts of magnetic filings,dirty grease etc with petrol-soaked cloth it was time to re-assemble..

A blob of fresh grease in the bearing/end cap,and a spray over the joins with some industrial strength satin paint to seal,the result is a return to piece of mind - with a car that starts properly!

Edited 19 November, 201015 yr by MikeyMK

awesome !!! thanks 4 the info :)

^^ the 1.9D starter turns the other way because its on the other side of the flywheel. It has a reverse transmission for this,the motor itself is removable from the rest of the starter on those (shaft goes all the way through on short block starters) so theoretically you can put a VR6 motor on a 1.9D starter.

Why you'd need to is another matter.

^^ the 1.9D starter turns the other way because its on the other side of the flywheel. It has a reverse transmission for this,the motor itself is removable from the rest of the starter on those (shaft goes all the way through on short block starters) so theoretically you can put a VR6 motor on a 1.9D starter.

Why you'd need to is another matter.

:-D :-D :-D :-D EXACTLY

That's awesome. So basically you used 6n internals in a golf casing? Think I may do this too, though my compression is nowhere near as high as yours. Btw, how do you get on with the fly wheel on that engine. There was that topic recently about the fly wheel options and lightening them etc. Is it lumpy to drive/idle etc? How do the late mk2 (i assume you dont mean mk2f) ones differ from ealier (1983) ones?

I believe you're limited to clutch size on the pre-'86 fly,and later clutches dont fit anyway. Mine is an '86-94 fly with 200mm 6n2 clutch.

I cant compare because I've made other considerable changes,including bigger carbs and straight through exhaust.

I think its more likely to appeal to 6n owners tbh,i may even convert back if it turns out its the cause of its greatly reduced smoothness at very low revs (i can no longer drive through villages/housing estates in 5th without it sounding/feeling like a 9-litre V8,which is annoying) but i think that's the choppy new exhaust i put together,namely the Powerflow box which is going in the bin.

Its a long stroke engine for a 700kg car so its possibly just a bit too much weight off the fly,but i'll wait until I've sorted the exhaust and see.

Well I'm sure its a must-have on 1.4 16v and ABD conversions - which are fine with the standard early starter.

My ABD was a very sweet unit,and i used the light fly with that.

Quite a few people have converted to the lighter fly on bigger engines,this whole subject has been covered by Carver's 1.6 GT topic in the FAQ but nobody has reported getting around the weak starter problem until now (i was first asked by a Golf MK1 van owner for a solution 3-4 years ago when his starter wouldn't turn the twin-40'd AEE he'd fitted,but mine did so i couldn't help).

I only changed the magnets btw,they're different in having strips down the side and feel stronger. Starter isn't massively stronger tbh but it has that bit more it needed. You cant change the coil on the Polo ones,only with the reverse ones on 02 series bolt pattern engines. These two look identical,though.

Ok, i see. I should take a look at that thread. But from someone with a little more experience, would it be best to stick with the 1.6 fly, and clutch? As you said, my options for clutches is limited with the early mk2 fly, and i'd rather have a larger clutch to deal with the torque of the engine (if other peoples experiences are anything to go by!). That then means that i can stick with the 6n starter. Although i would like a smaller fly and starter, just to same a little weight

On the 1.6 in a MK2 for road use id have to say the 6n set. Yeah it strangles a fraction of hooliganism but the extra smoothness and traction outweighs it.

OK, thanks for that. The standard 1.6 clutch would be ok then? Or is there a better option? Bearing in mind i dont want to spend loads on a racing clutch or anything stupid! Also, the engine will also have bike carbs grafted to it too

200mm clutch. First found in G40s, then found to be in AFH, I've now found one in a 6n2 1.4 8v so.. Look on the ECP website,as they show sizes. Should be cheap now.

Mods, should this be sticky'ed or FAQ'd? It's pretty useful information.

Mods, should this be sticky'ed or FAQ'd? It's pretty useful information.

X2

I've found the part numbers to be the same across the range for 6n afh clutch, 6n2 and Gti clutches all the same .

Heres a video of mine starting

http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf?f...1112_170846.mp4

Same symptoms as yours u think?

So if i take it apart i can shove the 6n magnets in and it should make it stronger?

Take the barrel off and give the coil a clean with some petrol, clean and grease the solonoid mechanism as that gets sticky, and clean up the barrel and magnets. If the bushes are bad use better ones, same with magnets if they're broken (i used 6n ones, in hindsight i'm not sure how much of this element made it stronger).

Beware of later 6n starters as they used smaller motors/magnets and powered them up with 4x gearing. They're better, but there's no way of making one for the early flywheel. I use one on a late fly (my starter and fly are now 6n2 GTi).