Starter Motor Noise: VW Golf 4 & Similar (Articles)

Firstly:
This guide requires some skill and a feel for the mechanics.
I do not take responsibility for the actions of each individual. If someone is unsure, they should simply refrain from disassembling anything. In principle, it is possible to damage the starter motor in this way.

A common problem with the Volkswagen Golf 4 is the starter motors. Eventually, they start to make a squealing noise when disengaging from the ring gear. While this isn't initially a major issue, it can be annoying. If this condition persists for a long time, the starter motor will soon need to be replaced. Taking it to a workshop will result in having to pay for a new starter motor.

Where does the noise come from?

Okay, it's quite simple: the starter motor's shaft is supported by plain bearings. That's the whole problem. Over time, these bearings dry out, and the starter motor makes unpleasant noises.

So, what can be done about it without having to completely replace the starter motor?

Briefly, disassemble and lubricate the starter motor. The labor involved is approximately 1-2 hours (depending on skill level). Of that time, about half an hour is dedicated to the actual starter motor repair.

How does that work?

It is best to carefully secure the starter motor with the pinion facing downwards in a vise (but do not clamp the vise onto the pinion itself, but rather onto the housing!!).
On the assembled starter motor, you can see four screws on its back: two Phillips-head screws and two hex screws. First, we loosen the two Phillips-head screws, and the cover they hold in place is removed. Beneath the cover is the motor shaft. This is secured by a type of retaining ring, which we remove. Then, we unscrew the two hex screws.
Be careful, these screws go all the way through the electric motor and are therefore quite long. Then, loosen the 13mm nut that secures the cable between the contactor and the motor.
Now things are getting tricky!
Carefully remove the rear cover of the starter motor. The brush pack will be visible. We leave this untouched and make sure it doesn't fall out.
If the brush pack is worn out, you can now replace it and verschandeln the exposed commutator with sandpaper. A mounting aid is included with a newly purchased brush holder. However, it also works well with a 30mm wrench.
"However, in my case, the brushes still looked perfectly fine, and the collector also showed very minimal signs of wear (despite having 186,000 km)."

After that, we carefully and slowly pull the starter housing upwards. It is important to ensure that the transmission, which is located at the bottom of the starter, is not pulled out with it. If the transmission (it is a planetary gear) does come out, it is essential to pay attention to its orientation so that it can be reinstalled exactly the same way later. At this opportunity, you should apply some high-performance grease to the planetary gear.

Now, we've actually reached the end, because the plain bearings are located inside the transmission housing and in the rear cover of the engine.
These are coated with a thin layer of high-performance grease. It may also be necessary to lubricate the contact surfaces of the bearing shields. This should not pose any problem either.

After that, reassemble everything in the reverse order and install the starter.

The starter motor is quiet again and purrs like it did on the first day. Therefore, it is not necessary to buy a new starter motor.