Will US retro fit A5 starter motor fit straight onto an A4

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murano3
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Will US retro fit A5 starter motor fit straight onto an A4

Post by murano3 » Tue Sep 04, 2018 12:17 am

I have searched the forum and haven't found answer.

So I currently have a VW beetle automatic starter fitted to my mule - it appears to have been modified by cutting off one mounting bracket and welding on a larger wheel. Sadly the motor appears to have given up. I replaced the solenoid but not joy. If someone taps my starter whilst I try to start it does eventually fire into life but near impossible to start when alone.

Because the spiggot has the larger wheel welded on I cannot dismantle the starter fully to fix it.

John Emery can supply A5 kits identical to the military retro fitted ones for Tow Mules - the question is do the A5 kits bolt straight onto an A4?

I know pics aren't brilliant - but does there appear to additional flanges added? Does it appear there are parts I need to remove for an A5 starter to fit?

Image
Image


murano3
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Re: Will US retro fit A5 starter motor fit straight onto an A4

Post by murano3 » Tue Sep 04, 2018 6:50 am

Actually just found a local expert who reckons they can replace the motor parts for my starter even though we won't be able to pull the end due to the custom welded wheel.

Chuck W.
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Re: Will US retro fit A5 starter motor fit straight onto an A4

Post by Chuck W. » Tue Sep 04, 2018 9:29 am

Since your mule was originally equipped with the 4-cylinder engine, there is a difference in the transmission case in the starter mounting area and you will need an extra spacer. The difference can be see below:

4-cylinder transmission housing:
Image

2-cylinder transmission housing:
Image

The spacer is all you will need to mount a starter.

murano3
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Re: Will US retro fit A5 starter motor fit straight onto an A4

Post by murano3 » Tue Sep 04, 2018 11:50 pm

Most excellent, thank you. Oddly now that i have removed my starter I appear to have this plate already fitted? - I will get a better pic later

From what I can see I have the spacer and then someone has added a further plate that the starter bolts too. My start is only held on with the top bolt.

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Re: Will US retro fit A5 starter motor fit straight onto an A4

Post by Chuck W. » Wed Sep 05, 2018 7:22 am

The VW starter should have an adapter welded to it as part of the conversion. This spaces the starter the correct distance from the flywheel and also allows the starter to be turned to clear the underside of the deck. The M274/M274A3 and M274A1/M274A4 mules that originally had the 4-cylinder engines require an ADDITIONAL spacer to make up for the missing piece on the transmission housing. Your starter looks like the ones Bill Watson built during his later years, He used a bolt in one ear and only welded one side.
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murano3
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Re: Will US retro fit A5 starter motor fit straight onto an A4

Post by murano3 » Thu Sep 06, 2018 12:05 am

Chuck, whoever did mine bolted the plate onto the spacer instead and cut off one of the mounting points.

Image

Thank you for the photo's I now know that I can easily fit one of John Emery's kits in the event that my current starter can't be dismantled to fix

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Re: Will US retro fit A5 starter motor fit straight onto an A4

Post by Chuck W. » Fri Sep 07, 2018 1:10 pm

The last time I talked to John Emery about starters, he was offering a reproduction of the original Prestolite starter. You will still need the separate spacer to make this starter fit your housing.
Image

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Re: Will US retro fit A5 starter motor fit straight onto an A4

Post by murano3 » Mon Sep 10, 2018 1:11 am

The good news is that I have fixed my starter - it turned out that my replacement solenoid wasn't quite the correct model and as such didn't trigger the starter. So full strip down, clean and correct solenoid I now have a running mule again. Thank you for all input Chuck.


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