16V Starting-solved

[roccit_53 at scirocco.cs.uoguelph.ca (C Boyko)]

Well, as per usual, the car herself showed me the problem, but only after
I'd replaced the starter bushing. Did it need doing? Who knows, but it's
done now. And thanks to Lexan for the tips on removal and installation,
they were very helpful.

And the real source of the problem was the small wires to the starter. I'm
sure I'd looked at them, but obviously not recently, as one of them
"self-detached" from the connector, promting closer inspection of the other
two. Yeah, I could see copper on both of them. The female part of the
connectors and the spades were nice and shiny, but the insulation was so
hard from years of 16V heat that I had to cut a ways back into the one wire
and at some point will likely need to cut way back on it. I'd replaced the
fat ones to the battery and alternator, but never those little ones. I also
gave the mating surfaces of the starter and tranny housing a good once over
with a Scocth brite pad, just in case.

Anyway, it was literally a half twist of the key to start the car. Cold. So
yeah, that was the problem.

The moral of that long story? Well there are a few. 
A) Don't be a dumbass
B) Grounds are not always to blame. Sometimes it's actually power.
C) If you have a MkII, don't be smug. MkI type electrical problems will
bite you in the ass sooner or later. Maybe even today. :)

Cathy