300tdi Defender not starting - battery?

hi guys

have tried searching for my exact issue but decided to post specifics and see if anyone has any advice.

Bought a 300tdi 110 Defender straight out of the military in the last few weeks. Has been running beautifully starting first time since buying but this morning it failed to start.

I had just changed the bulbs (bought some of those 90% brighter ones as the light output was pap) and started her up just to make sure they were connected correctly. it started once (when changed first bulb) but not when checking the second.

I tried to start it too much and the battery sounded like it wasn't having any of it so decided to try again in a few hrs. No luck though - tried jumping it with a neighbor who left them hooked up and running for 15 mins, but still nothing.

It tries to start but the ticks are very sluggish, lights on the dash dim and it gets nowhere. the lights still work fine and the fan etc all work, just wont start.

It is pretty cold today here in Dorset, so wondered if it was that but can see online people starting theirs fine in much better conditions.

My question is do you think the battery is just dead and needs replacing or something else? I am obviously allowing the glows their time and have tried letting it glow 4/5 times before attemping to see if that helps. no idea how old the battery is, its a 70ah Bosch.

Dont want to order a 100 quid battery if its likely to be a different problem!

thanks guys

Ed

Sounds like a weak battery, taken below the point where it can start the engine .... weather won't be helping.
Got a multi meter ?? can you check the battery voltage ? If its over 12.5, measure it during an attempt to start, and see what happens, if its under, then charge it overnight and see where that takes you... once its running measure again, and it should be up around 13.6 on a 300 IIRC ( which I might not )

We've had three batteries fall this week !!! They were all old ( 2007 and older ), so I'm not really complaining.... Wait.... yeah I am - spent half an afternoon faffing with flipping batteries, rather than working !!

Disco1BFG said:

Sounds like a weak battery, taken below the point where it can start the engine .... weather won't be helping.
Got a multi meter ?? can you check the battery voltage ? If its over 12.5, measure it during an attempt to start, and see what happens, if its under, then charge it overnight and see where that takes you... once its running measure again, and it should be up around 13.6 on a 300 IIRC ( which I might not )

We've had three batteries fall this week !!! They were all old ( 2007 and older ), so I'm not really complaining.... Wait.... yeah I am - spent half an afternoon faffing with flipping batteries, rather than working !!

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HI thanks for the reply! I dont have a multi meter or a battery charger - woefully unprepared! the battery is a 70AH / 630A which to me feels a bit on the weak side for a 110. The car i tried to jump it from was a skoda octavia so probably not enough to give it the juice it needed, but the missis will be home in a bit with her freelander so will give that a go.

Edward Green said:

HI thanks for the reply! I dont have a multi meter or a battery charger - woefully unprepared! the battery is a 70AH / 630A which to me feels a bit on the weak side for a 110. The car i tried to jump it from was a skoda octavia so probably not enough to give it the juice it needed, but the missis will be home in a bit with her freelander so will give that a go.

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300 Tdi should have an 072 battery IIRC - and the 70Ah, 630CCA is about right for an 072 - no date code on it anywhere ??? ( think we've five 072's on stuff - including 2 300 TDi's - I'll go and have a look )....

Check and clean all earths for starters, run a jump lead from the negative post on the battery to your starter motor to see if that helps

All our 072's are about the same as yours; biggest is 74Ah, 680 CCA

Marmaduke said:

Check and clean all earths for starters, run a jump lead from the negative post on the battery to your starter motor to see if that helps

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+1. - I think you'll need a battery charger at some point though.... and a DMM too !!

Oh and it ain't that cold, mine'll start straight away at minus three without glowplugs as I haven't wired them up

Agreed - 300's in good order are a fine engine.

Marmaduke said:

as I haven't wired them up

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lazy person

Marmaduke said:

Check and clean all earths for starters, run a jump lead from the negative post on the battery to your starter motor to see if that helps

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Not knowing the skill level of the OP, you might want to clarify the bit about running a jump lead from the battery negative to the starter, Just saying it could be misconstrued.

Cheers,

Disco1BFG said:

Agreed - 300's in good order are a fine engine.


lazy person

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neilly said:

Not knowing the skill level of the OP, you might want to clarify the bit about running a jump lead from the battery negative to the starter, Just saying it could be misconstrued.

Cheers,

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was just typing that myself! Disco1BFG and Marmaduke, thanks for all the help up there, really appreciate it. As Neilly suggested I am a total beginner, I will be learning from the ground up with this Defender! can you explain where my starter Motor is? I just run the line to from the negative to it and what will that achieve/do I try turning it over once I have?

Guys - thanks, great forum and know clueless gits like me are probably boring! i bought this after selling my complicated disco with full intention of doing everything I can myself and learning from it, but recognize that there is a lot to learn ( I even had to google how to replace the bulbs!)

E

For perspective, if our 300tdi does not start on the first or second revolution, something is wrong.
Plenty of other stuff breaks on the car (96 disco) but the engine has no issue with cold.

Does the engine tone of the other car change a whole load as soon as you connect the jump leads?

julianf said:

For perspective, if our 300tdi does not start on the first or second revolution, something is wrong.
Plenty of other stuff breaks on the car (96 disco) but the engine has no issue with cold.

Does the engine tone of the other car change a whole load as soon as you connect the jump leads?

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not that I noticed - will be trying to jump from a freelander shortly so will observe and reply.

Edward Green said:

was just typing that myself! Disco1BFG and Marmaduke, thanks for all the help up there, really appreciate it. As Neilly suggested I am a total beginner, I will be learning from the ground up with this Defender! can you explain where my starter Motor is? I just run the line to from the negative to it and what will that achieve/do I try turning it over once I have?

Guys - thanks, great forum and know clueless gits like me are probably boring! i bought this after selling my complicated disco with full intention of doing everything I can myself and learning from it, but recognize that there is a lot to learn ( I even had to google how to replace the bulbs!)

E

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You don't really need to run a jump lead to the starter itself, any where from the battery negative to a good earth on the engine will show whether it's a poor earth rather than a poor battery (same symptoms )

blue beasty said:

You don't really need to run a jump lead to the starter itself, any where from the battery negative to a good earth on the engine will show whether it's a poor earth rather than a poor battery (same symptoms )

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hi - i ran the negative black from the battery and hooked up to a point on the underside chassis and tried starting, with no impact. is this what is being referred to/suggested?

Edward Green said:

It is pretty cold today here in Dorset, so wondered if it was that but can see online people starting theirs fine in much better conditions.

My question is do you think the battery is just dead and needs replacing or something else? I am obviously allowing the glows their time and have tried letting it glow 4/5 times before attemping to see if that helps. no idea how old the battery is, its a 70ah Bosch.

Dont want to order a 100 quid battery if its likely to be a different problem!


Ed

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Best of luck with the earthing and so on, but it is good chance that is a straight cranking speed issue caused by failing battery. Jump or trickle may deal temporarily, but most likely you will need to replace soon.

Any idea how old the battery is?

I would look to get that a bit less than 100 quid too!

Edward Green said:

hi - i ran the negative black from the battery and hooked up to a point on the underside chassis and tried starting, with no impact. is this what is being referred to/suggested?

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Not really no. The starter is earthed through the engine block. If you've lost the earth strap between chassis and engine (usually bellhousing) the starter is poorly earthed.

Jump lead from battery negative to anywhere on the engine bypasses the earth straps from chassis to engine and battery to chassis

Turboman said:

Best of luck with the earthing and so on, but it is good chance that is a straight cranking speed issue caused by failing battery. Jump or trickle may deal temporarily, but most likely you will need to replace soon.

Any idea how old the battery is?

I would look to get that a bit less than 100 quid too!

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Hi no idea of the age of the battery i am afraid. i will swap it out tomorrow all being well, any suggestions? am i better getting a more powerful one than strickty required?

Edward Green said:

Hi no idea of the age of the battery i am afraid. i will swap it out tomorrow all being well, any suggestions? am i better getting a more powerful one than strickty required?

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There was a big thread about this the other day, cant remember what it was called. General consensus was it can do no harm go a little oversize, and may help on cold days.

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/best-battery.308065/#post-3865260

Do check it's not an earth issue though. It's no fun to splash out only to find it doesn't help.

Don't ask how I know

blue beasty said:

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/best-battery.308065/#post-3865260

Do check it's not an earth issue though. It's no fun to splash out only to find it doesn't help.

Don't ask how I know

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Yes, earths and connections are a low cost solution, and always worth a check first.

This time of year has a habit of weeding out the weak batts though!