starter motor possibly

I just loaded a trailer up on the back of my defender (90 200 tdi) yesterday to find it wouldn't start, it was just clicking when I tried to start it, it has done this before a few times over a period of months but has always fired up after the second or third time. I suspected the starter motor so i had a look at it and there was a black wire hanging near it (it has a circular head on it with a hole in the middle). I can't work out where this has come off of or whether it is even the problem.

I tried a few combinations yesterday to try to nail down the problem, I gave the starter a whack, put it in gear and rock it, I also tried a different battery, tried to bridge the two connections on the starter motor with a screw driver but it just sparked, i put the black wire that i suspect to be a earth touching the starter motor but none of these seamed to solve the problem, i just want to check that it isn't something else before i go and get a new starter motor because I find it odd that it has suddenly stopped working.

All help appreciated Oli

Assuming all the connections are good, to test the starter, get a piece of wire and touch the main battery live on the solenoid to the small trigger wire (white/red) this should make the solenoid engage the starter contacts and engage the starter pinion, just crossing the big terminals normally just makes the motor run, plus its dangerous as you get a huge fat spark.
I think black is normally earth, the browns go back to the alternator



Lynall

I did actually try this yesterday and it made a big bang and spark and the motor turned but a friend told me this was because it isn't under any pressure, is this correct or does that mean that the starter motor is ok and its a wiring/connection fault?

Oli

If the motor turned but not the engine, make sure ya getting a 12v signal to the solenoid when u pit the key to start. If u do solenoid on starter, get a new starter

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

Dont know if tdi starter is similar to TD5 starter but you can change the solenoid contacts on the TD5 starter for about a tenner. Symptoms are clicking and intermittent start eventually no start at all.

well i had the seat box open yesterday to use wires straight from the battery, i also have one of those electric cut off things with the red key so as i have noticed it can be a bit loose sometimes i put all of the wires on onto the single bolt to bypass this and it started, but the thing is that sometimes when i have my radio and lights on that it will do the clicking thing that it did before, so i have to turn all of my lights off to start it, is this still a problem or is this normal or is it a fault with the electrics or starter still?

All help appreciated Oli

Had something similar - turned out to be a lose battery post cable!

Sounds like you've identified a faulty isolator - would give the same fault as a lose battery post cable or poor chassis earth