Defender Starter Motor Problems

Hello all,

I have a defender 200tdi and have had issues with starting over the past 3 years or so. I last replaced the starter motor for a bearmach December 2014, previously a wood autos brand and before that bosch. From what i remember from the last fault it steadily took longer and longer to turn over and eventually ceased altogether. I was in need of my car at the time so just put the new unit in.

Fast forward to now and the starter motor again is beginning to take longer and longer to start. Each time it is making a grinding sound, however, sometimes(very rarely) it works first time as it should if it has just been turned off and back on. Knowing its about to happen again I have taken it out and properly inspected.

The teeth on the current starter are pretty worn down and looking at the previous starter they both have the same issue. However, the bosch hardly is worn at all! Note when I mounted the last starter I could not tighten the top left bolt sufficiently, ended up bodging a few washers on it to make sure it was tight (not a great idea i know!) this was only an issue with the current starter.

I also had a look at the flywheel teeth and they dont seem to worn, but possibly a bit damaged. I've attached photos of the flywheel and all 3 starters below.

Previously I cleaned and checked all the earths and connections. I only have one earth though going to the engine, ive read i should have one to the battery??

I have also checked all 3 starters:

Bosch - Lots of sparks, nothing else

Wood Autos - Nothing at all

Bearmach (current) - Spins and works fine. Although how far is the gear suppose to move out? At the moment it doesn't go to far and when disconnecting and reconnecting power it doesn't always go first time.

If anyone has any ideas that would be great.
CHeers
Ben

So you have one earth going from the battery to the chassis, then another from the chassis to the engine? Mine is (was) the other way, Earth straight from battery to engine, then engine to chassis.

Havent made that clear!

There is:

1. Battery to chassis
2. Starter motor to engine

If there is chassis to engine which i assume there is where would it be?

I don't get why you have an earth from the starter to the engine, and my guess would be somewhere just behind the nearside engine mount for the chassis-engine earth. You can't have too many earths lol. Mine is + straight from battery to starter, - straight from battery to engine, then back to chassis. Somebody else with a better idea will come along soon.

Ive gone and looked at my earth points:

1. - Battery to side of gearbox
2. Transfer to side of gearbox??
3. Starter motor earth to engine
4. Engine to chassis

Seems about right? Will give them all a good clean once the rain stops!

I would be looking at getting that thread repaired. Maybe getting a helicoil put in there. There is tremendous power in a starter motor and if its slightly loose then you will be getting damage to the teeth on the starter or flywheel. As long as earths are in place, clean and tight, im sure it dosen't matter which goes where first.
When you say it took longer to turn over, what do you mean? Turns slower, turns over at a fast speed but dosent fire? How is your battery and charging system?

Seems like the most logical option mick, is helicoil the best option? haven't re threaded before.

Instead of being instant it has begun to take longer to start with an added grinding noise each time. I hold down the ignition for maybe 2-3 seconds (which after most startup is taking longer each time) with it grinding then it seems to catch and no problems. Some times though it works instantly with no added grinding.

mick the builder said:

I would be looking at getting that thread repaired. Maybe getting a helicoil put in there. There is tremendous power in a starter motor and if its slightly loose then you will be getting damage to the teeth on the starter or flywheel. As long as earths are in place, clean and tight, im sure it dosen't matter which goes where first.
When you say it took longer to turn over, what do you mean? Turns slower, turns over at a fast speed but dosent fire? How is your battery and charging system?

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+ 1. Needs to be properly secured.

I have since put the starter motor in having cleaned all connections and charging the battery.

However, when turning the key there is absolutly nothing. The normal lights appear on the dash and there is a click, but no turning of the starter at all.

I tested the starter by running a wire from the positive solenoid connection to motor and the motor spins but does not engage.

Assuming it was the solenoid I replaced that and still does not work. I'm now thinking theres a loose connection somewhere near the ignition.

Any ideas peeps?

I agree that the starter must be properly secured. Google "thin wall inserts", I've used them on a TD5 bell housing to fix the thread for one of the clutch slave bolts.
I've had the exact same click but no spin of the starter on my 300tdi just before I removed the engine for a rebuild. In my case it was the solenoid. I replaced the solenoid with a new bosch one which solved the issue. One thing I did notice after I replaced the solenoid was that the engine started much sooner than with the old solenoid when it was working. I'm hazarding a guess that bad contacts inside the solenoid prevents all the current from going to the starter.
Good luck.

I tried putting the correct m10 helicoil in but access is an issue without taking the engine out. For now I have a m6 securing one of the 3points. When I take the engine out at some point i will fix properly.

I have also just changed the solenoid to a completely brand new unit so cannot believe that is the issue.

I had a look at the starter relay and found that the brown wire splits instantly after coming out the relay and one goes off to the starter motor I think but the other split is connected to nothing, about a 30cm wire with a female spade connection. Could this be an issue?

ByCameltoVietnam said:

I tried putting the correct m10 helicoil in but access is an issue without taking the engine out. For now I have a m6 securing one of the 3points. When I take the engine out at some point i will fix properly.

I have also just changed the solenoid to a completely brand new unit so cannot believe that is the issue.

I had a look at the starter relay and found that the brown wire splits instantly after coming out the relay and one goes off to the starter motor I think but the other split is connected to nothing, about a 30cm wire with a female spade connection. Could this be an issue?

Click to expand...

Did you get a resolution to this?

Start a new posting if you have a problem, this is getting on 6 years old.

Gmacz said:

Start a new posting if you have a problem, this is getting on 6 years old.

Click to expand...

Good idea, the OP hasn't been seen here for 4 and a half years!