beejohn

Hi everyone,

My 2001 a4 1.8t started making this noise the other day:
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I was told by my mechanic that it's the starter. So then I searched on the forums and it looks like you can take out the starter and Regrease it and the noise will go away. Should I do that, or just replace it with a duralast from autozone for $200?

The car currently has 150k on it, and I want it to last another 150k miles. But also, I don't want to have to go back in and do the labor again and replace the starter in the future. What do you guys think? Will the original starter last another 150k if I Regrease it?

Thanks,

Beejohn

tenspeed

The starter bushings are worn and it lets the rotor wobble. That's the noise you are hearing. Yes you can re-grease but there's no telling how long that will last.

I see used 1.8L starters on eBay starting at $30. There's 80 auctions under $50.

turbo510

Typically those bushings are poros sintered bronze, and are intended to wick oil in between the metal particles. So don't use grease, just remove the starter, get the cover off, and soak the bushing with heated motor oil. This assumes that the bushing isn't worn to the point that this is a wasted exercise, but a little extra play at this end of the motor shouldn't keep it from working.

4Driver4

Autozone is garbage, IMHO.

If you want to go used, I'm sure I have a good one somewhere that I will sell for $25 plus shipping from CT. The only catch is that I'm out of state through next Monday.