allroad won't crank

[Stephen]

I've been working on a manual swap + stage 3 build on a 2003 allroad. Its close to completion, but I've encountered a head scratcher. I cranked the car over with the fuel pump fuse pulled to prime the oil. The starter worked fine and the motor turned over without a problem. The battery was weak, so required a charge before cranking the engine with gas. Now, after charging the battery, the starter will not work. It doesn't click or anything. I've verified the clutch position switch for function and wiring. I've checked all fuses (related or not). I've turned the engine by hand to maybe release a stuck plunger from the flywheel. I've yelled many expletives. What am I missing?

[Ponto]

Re: allroad won't crank

Immobilizer by any chance?

[PRY4SNO]

Re: allroad won't crank

Bad/missing ground somewhere?

[BaggedGLI]

Re: allroad won't crank

Possible you killed the starter from the cranking?

[Stephen]

Re: allroad won't crank

Start circuit shows voltage at starter with ignition, so definitely not a wiring issue related to the swap. Negligible volt drop on starter positive lead. I can't really do a decent volt drop test on the ground due to the tight confines around the starter. The ground strap at the passenger motor mount tests good. I guess I'm pulling the starter. If the ground is good then the starter is bad and if the ground is bad I've got to pull the starter to do some cleaning anyway. This would have been a whole lot easier while the engine was out...

[witchcraftz]

Re: allroad won't crank

Hindsight is 20/20. Don't worry, happens to everyone.

[Stephen]

Re: allroad won't crank

Painted engine block and powder coated motor mount were discovered to be the culprits behind the grounding issue for the starter. I've added an additional ground strap to the starter body to fix this. The real mystery now is how it worked at all in the first place. Getting the starter out turned out to be fairly easy with the car put into the service position. Thanks for replies.