Starter Motor?

Hey, just a quickie... Hopefully!

So yesterday, after running all day, my car suddenly didn't start. All i'd hear is a click, a faint turning of the engine, as if it was going to start and then nothing.

While trying to start it, my dashlights would dim.

First assumption, battery. Jump leads out, neighbour jumped it. Worked fine. Left running for about 20 mins, then went on a 30 min drive. Then tried to start again. Nothing.

So today, thought i'd have a look again, didn't start, so i thought i'd give the car a little rock with handbrake off, back and forth, this then made my engine start when i tried it again.

Which is what makes me think starter... New battery is on order anyway, and should arrive in next few days. So that'll rule that out anyway.

Anyways, moving on, i took the car this time, a little fast over some bumps, and it now starts first time. Again, leading me to believe it's the starter motor....

So what do you think? If you think starter, wheres the best place to replace it? (Cost effective!)

Thanks, and Happy new year all!!

It's probably a bad earth, I doubt it's a starter from what you've described. You haven't said what engine but I presume the main earth for the battery will be on the drivers side wheel arch.

Put a jump lead from negative on battery to engine block if it starts the its a bad earth.
Clean all earth points.

Sorry, JD, it's a 300tdi disco, 2.5L

I almost suspected earthing again yesterday But after the problems i had before with it, i didn't want it to be true :'( Melted my handbrake cable last time

And thanks Danny, will check that out shortly (When rain stops hammering down!)

I had a similar problem for a long time on my 200 as I think about it, and if I remember correctly it was the connection to the back of the starter that wasn't right. Might be worth checking that too.

Thanks mate, will check it out soon

The spade connector on the starter motor are well known to give trouble. pull it off and give it a clean. disconnect the turbo elbow pipe to get at it.

Starter motor cables all seem fine, negative earth strap looks a little ****ty, being that it's clogged up with all sorts of crap, i'll whip that off and give it a clean.

Is there another earth cable from battery i should be looking at?

starter to chassis.

That's also clogged up. So will just Whipping both them off, and giving them a clean solve the issue, or do you think I should buy new earth cables?

Ok, so the negative earth strap seems to be corroded, what size do i need just to replace it?

Will this do the trick, i have no idea which one i need!

48" STARTER EARTH STRAP CAR BATTERY LEAD CABLE | eBay

Or maybe this one? 18" EARTH STRAP NEGATIVE TERMINAL BATTERY LEAD CABLE | eBay

I'm going to assume the second as my one doesn't go direct to starter motor. (Am i right?)

Any size, it just needs to go from the battery to a piece of clean metal on your chassis.

When my starter motor went I cleaned all the earth/connector cables and it was fine. I'd just been to a pay and play and it was clogged with mud and leaves. Usually a good clean will fix them

Thank you you said a clean part of the chassis, does that mean absolutely anywhere?

Where the end of the cable fits to the battery... The other end ideally goes underneath a nut that's on the main body of your chassis (that's why there is a hole, for the nut. Pop the end of the cable down, put the nut through the whole and the bolt on top to secure it.) so the longer cable is probably better for finding a rust-free area of metal.

Anywhere at all where there is bare metal, under the wheel arch is where mine is (I think..)