My car has recently developed a problem while starting. I turn the key, the engine turns over & catches, and as the engine begins to run, I hear a crunching / clattering noise. The sound is very similar to engaging the starter while the engine is already running, only to a lesser degree. The sound only lasts for a second then goes away, never to return until the next time I start the car again.

A fellow DSMer suggested that the starter recoil thingie (technical term) might be stiff and is not pulling back quickly enough. Has anyone had any experience with this sort of thing, or know what is required to fix it?

Thanks.

With the cold I have been experiencing something very similar on my 93 TSi. No idea what it is yet, this is also my first winter with this car and it acts different in the cold. To me it sounds as if it is on the drivers side not sure were though as it goes away before I can find it.

It sounds like your starter drive is not immedeiatly returning from the flywheel ring gear. Just sounds like there is somthing sticking in there. I'm just thinking out loud here but could it be the plunger in the solinoid, or the starter drive's helical gears itself sticking. There are helical gears inside the starter drive and has a one way clutch. When the starter drive turns one way the helical gears force the starter drive outward to the flywheel. When the engine starts the flywheel ring gear pushes back on the starter drive and the helical gears pull it back. Cold temperatures could, I suppose cause the plunger inside the solinoid to stick for a second.

Sometimes taking the starter out and spraying some penetrating fluid in it will help.

Is the starter very accessible on a 2G AWD, or do I need to remove a bunch of other components to get to it? (just wanna get a feel for it's complexity before I tackle the job myself)

Thanks.

It's not easy to get at... but it's not impossible either. You have to remove the battery, and tray. There are two bolts that hold the starter in place... they are on the top of the bell housing, one of them has the starter ground strap attached to it. After you unbolt it it does require a bit of manipulating to get it out from underneath the intake manifold. Don't forget to disconnect the wires from the starter either. There are two, and if I remember correctly you have to get at them from underneath the car.
A.