dandare1980

As promised now that the frosts have started to bite, I'm pleased to confirm with a necropost that my issues with cold/damp starting were indeed fixed by fitting a new starter motor. Dan.

Thanks for all the replies - some really good points made. Dan.

Ok, thanks Pete. Sounds like I'm probably stuck with what I've got for now but worth knowing if I want to upgrade in the future 👍 Dan.

Hi, I need to replace a tyre after an unfortunate encounter with a crater sized pothole, but it got me thinking about whether there was any advantage in fitting a wider profile of tyre? My estate is factory fitted with 165/70 R14 on steel rims and these skinny little tyres have never really felt at home. I read somewhere that a wider profile may increase ride comfort without sacrificing too much on fuel economy. That's something I would welcome living in rural Northamptonshire, where some sections of road would be more familiar to Neil Armstrong than a highway engineer. Most online tyre places give 185/60 R14 as an option for my car, but I'm not sure if they were ever meant for these steel rims (I think mine are 5Jx14 ET35). I would prefer to avoid upgrading to alloys as I've suffered pothole damage in the past requiring heat treatment to turn them back into a circle (that's assuming the steels put up with more abuse that is). Any advice or experiences shared would be most welcome. Dan.

It's taken me a long time to get around to sorting this, but I managed to swap out my starter motor this Sunday while the weather was dry and so far so good. I've probably lost the opportunity to test things under sub zero conditions, but since fitting there has been a noticeable difference between the two units. The new starter spins a lot faster and the engine fires up without any hesitation - something it hasn't done in recent years, even in warm weather. I will report back when the frosts start to bite again. Dan.

There's a video online by Haynes showing the procedure which I think covers this. Shame about the gear selector but often the way with these things. Thanks for all the help guys. Dan.

Yes, previously had that connection off, although there's no guarantee I did a good enough job cleaning it up as I was in a bit of a rush. I'll report back if the new unit makes a difference.

Too late 😬

It would be hard for me to say, but it's certainly not been swapped in the 5 years I've had it. I think this second hand unit is possibly worth a go.

@Breezy_Pete It's a cold start phenomenon - the starter has never been that willing, but during the last couple of years during winter cold snaps I've experienced slow to medium speed cranking where it will start turning but then sounds like it suddenly "jams up". I've ruled out the battery and due to otherwise acceptable performance when the weather is above 5 degrees, I don't think it's the ignition switch or the solenoid wire. I know it could be an earthing fault, but I've checked all cables and cleaned up connections where possible, although haven't got as far as testing things with a multi meter. My gut says it's potentially the solenoid sticking, so I was going to take a chance on a second hand unit with a guarantee or possibly a re-manufactured one. @varooom it's useful to know this part was superseded by later versions.

A couple more images from the starter as fitted to my engine. @Breezy_Pete I've checked your suggested part number, but notice that on some variants the solenoid plug seems to be a square type rather than the "D" shape fitted to my unit. I've also seen this on a couple of other starters from the Fabia range which share part numbers, so I'm still not entirely sure but think that other than the plug type and being rated at either 0.9kw or 1.1kw, it hopefully won't make too much difference. I haven't seen any re-manufactured units that have the solenoid integral to the starter body, so assume I'm safe to go with the more traditional design. Dan.

Hi, I'm planning to change my starter motor, but was surprised to find the part currently fitted to my Fabia has no obvious solenoid? I think the part currently fitted is 02T911024A, or so some photos from the internet lead me to believe. I'm guessing the solenoid is internal to the starter motor housing on these models? Would I be safe to fit one of the models with the external solenoid - it's how it's shown in the 7Zap parts catalogue? Any advice gratefully received. Dan.

Try this video for some tips (Mk1 but similar principal). My door card is riveted so it couldn't be tightened against a new seal. To make an effective seal I made sure the void between the door and the door card was clear of any knackered old remains and then applied my sealant in two stages. The first being a thick bead to the inside of the door card and then once this had started to firm up (approx. 10 mins in my case), I applied a second bead on top and smoothed this up to and over the edge of the door card. Left both doors to fully set overnight before replacing the trims and it's thankfully stopped the leaks. I think it's important to chose a product that will set off under damp conditions to ensure it adheres correctly to the surfaces, especially if the area is already soaked with moisture. In my case I used this product from Screwfix and decided to go with the white over the clear version so I could see where I had been. You can make as much of a mess as you want as no one's going to see it 👀

For engine issues at idle check this post for possible causes. It sorted my rough running on a 1.2 HTP engine (other than the "characteristics" of a 3 cylinder).

If your 1.4 TDi has an engine code of AMF, BNV, or BNM then you can see the part and code here.