Hi all,

Fired up my Diesel Octavia (110) this morning and it started normally but just after the engine fired up, a loud grinding noise came out! Happened on starting on the way home from work too.

Is this the starter motor not disengaging?

Yup.

You can sort it by taking it off and greasing it, but it is only a temporary repair, and it will start doing it again.

Seems to be worse in winter..

I thought if you took the starter motor off, cleaned it up, greased it up and put it back on that worked as a long term fix?

From what I've read, they're not greased from the factory, and the retracting mechanism fills up with clutch dust and wears out, which is what makes them shriek.

Greasing them will cure it for a while, but the grease will eventually cake up with clutch dust, and turn it into an abrasive paste, which will wear it out even more.

New starter motors have a modified casing, which stops dust getting in. Think someoen did a guide somewhere whcih showed you old vs new.

I could be wrong though...

I thought if you took the starter motor off, cleaned it up, greased it up and put it back on that worked as a long term fix?

Do it right and it is a medium to long term fix (depends on wear).

Degrease/regrease the planetary gearbox and bearings.

Clean the solenoid contacts.

Clean and VERY LIGHTLY grease the Bendix mechanism

Lovely thanks chaps, will check prices of new one but may well grease it this weekend, at least that way if it goes again quickly I've tried!

Usually works for about 6 months if you are very lucky, done it three times on my lasses golf and it wants doing again.

Makes a cheap fix tho till the money is there to fix it, I can do it in half hour now start to finish. Practice makes perfect lol.

My starter was doing this. I took it out and cleaned it up but it only lasted a couple of weeks. It's about and hours work including jacking it up and removing the battery tray.

You will need an 18mm spanner, which annoying don't come in most spanner sets.

I replaced mine for £95 total cost after exchange refund, for another Bosch item from my local CAS Autoparts, Your's being a diesel will be <> 2KW instead of the 1.1KW fitted to petrol.

I wonder if you could fit a 2kw one to a 1.8t? Would there be any point?

All done now and has done the trick - for now it seems. Not a quick job!