[Atlantonius the IInd]

ok, i just barely made it home. i havn't been driving in a sprinted manner or anything, in fact i never went above 4k. i drove about 5 miles each way and about a mile from my house this started:
emergency hand brake light started coming on when i accelerate to about 3k. when i pushed in the clutch it went away. then a grinding sound started happening in turn with the emergency hand brake light. i'm driving in the city so i have to keep stopping and accelerating again. 3/4 mile it starts getting worse, i push in the clutch, the emergency brake light continues to shine (it does flicker a bit), the grinding sound persists and gradually gets louder. 1/4 of a mile from my house the grinding sound is very loud, the car seems to be bucking a bit, the emergency light is flickering alot, and this stuff continues to happen even when the car is at a stop and in neutral with the clutch in (or out for that matter). i get home, park, and try to turn the car off. instead it just idles at like 500-600 rpm. the grinding sound is still there and loud. the car is still slightly bucking. i try another time to put the key in, turn the starter and shut it off, but the car goes back to 500-600 rpms (yes, when i turn the car off the electrical systems shut down). i release the clutch and essentially stall the car out to finally get it off. I don't even think i could turn it back on.
WTF??? i havn't driven the car in like 3 days and i just started driving it again today, and very gently. (as in not over 4k, probably not even over 3500 rpm)
this really scared me. i popped the hood and i can't smell anything. crap, i just went out to get some electrical stuff for the car and now this. sh*t.
Plez help, i'll try and give you as much info as possible.
Oh, and i've unplugged the ISV. i did it a little while back, like a week or 2 ago. i just uplugged the electrical side of it, thats all.
its raining (drizzingly) if that makes a difference



[Modified by Atlantonius the IInd, 12:33 AM 11-29-2001]

 

[Atlantonius the IInd]

Re: serious car problems! help plez (Atlantonius the IInd)

i'm panicking here people....

 

[needaveedub]

Re: serious car problems! help plez (Atlantonius the IInd)

where did the noise come from??
what did it sound like was grinding?

 

[Atlantonius the IInd]

Re: serious car problems! help plez (needaveedub)

update: my car is completely dead. there is no electricity to start it. my overhead light is extremely dim and nothing comes on. i just replaced my starter like a few weeks to a month ago (after replacing it a month before). maybe the starter? maybe that is what was grinding>? i don't know, all i remember is that the grinding sound felt like it was coming from either right in front of my feet or around there (near the starter too).

 

[GranTouring InjectedVR6]

Re: serious car problems! help plez (Atlantonius the IInd)

check your grounds
let me get this straight,you go to shut the car off and the electrics shutoff , but the engine remains on?? sound like you got some major issues

quote:[HR][/HR]i try another time to put the key in, turn the starter and shut it off, but the car goes back to 500-600 rpms (yes, when i turn the car off the electrical systems shut down). i release the clutch and essentially stall the car out to finally get it off. I don't even think i could turn it back on.
[HR][/HR]​

edit: go back to where you got the starter installed and tell them whats happening, its their fault


[Modified by GranTouring InjectedVR6, 9:27 PM 11-28-2001]

 

[Numbersix]

Re: serious car problems! help plez (GranTouring InjectedVR6)

It sounds to me like your starter solenoid is engaging while the car is running. Are you getting any idiot lights which are illuminating besides the e-brake light? Can you fiddle with your ignition switch and make it stop? (I realize your battery is now deadish...)
Whomever replaced your starter should diagnose and fix this. Why has it been replaced twice? If it continues it will likely strip teeth of the flywheel ring gear (if it hasn't already).

 

[Schu16V]

Re: serious car problems! help plez (Atlantonius the IInd)

Sounds like a dead battery... when they start to go wierd things happen. I would have the batter tested, get a fresh battery, and then look to see if you have a drain somewhere.
Also, as mentioned before, check your grounds, makeing sure they are tight and clean. Clean your battery terminals, etc. Just make sure everything is all tightened down. Good luck! Keep us posted.

 

[Atlantonius the IInd]

Re: serious car problems! help plez (SeattleGLI)

thanks guys, i've also talked with a friend of mine from cali (Burnout) and he told me that it was probably the starter. it sounds consistent, but i havn't been able to go back out and take the starter off to attempt a push-start and see how that runs. my battery is dead anyhow, so i'll need a jump. its raining and dark already so i'll just do it tommarrow.
this is my second starter in 2 months. i originally thought that i could get a crappy starter from canadian tire and it would last for at least a year and i'd be fine until i got a chance to go back to the states where prices are reasonable. however, my first starter died on my over night about a month after i put it in, and this is the replacment starter that i got from them. again, almost exactly a month later, this thing is on the fritz. i don't know if its even worth going back there and getting another one. i'm gonna try to get a refund or even credit, but they'll probably tell me that all i can get is a replacement. oh well, there's always ebay. a friend of mine and i are going to a junker tommarow anyhow so i'll see if i can find a used OEM and just get that for cheap.
if anyone has an idea as to why i'm going through starters so fast, i'd love to hear it. i had a starter on before these past 2 went which lasted a year. before that one was the stock starter which seemed to last forever.

 

[Atlantonius the IInd]

Re: serious car problems! help plez (SeattleGLI)

sounds kinda stupid asking, but how bad will it be to replace the flywheel if in fact i've stripped the teeth? i just want to be prepared in my head as to what i may have to get into.
if in fact i have, would it be worth just getting a lightened flywheel? thanks.

 

[vwtoys]

Re: serious car problems! help plez (Atlantonius the IInd)

To replace the flywheel the tranny has to come off. If you're going that far make sure you replace the clutch, the tranny seals, throw out bearing, rear main seal if these haven't been done in the near past. It's not the easiest job out there so be prepared and read through the bentley.