Defender TD5 starter motor removal/replacement

Hi guys,

As far as car mechnics go, I'm at best a rank amateur.

I want to remove the starter motor on my Fender TD5 this weekend to replace the misbehaving solenoid with the kit advocated on here. I've researched this using t'internet and the LR workshop manual and have a few of questions.

Firstly, do I really need to drop the front propshaft to get the engine underguard off for access to the motor or is it possible to work around the propshaft?

Second, does anyone have any particular tips for removing (and replacing) the nut at the top of the starter motor which is supposed to be pretty awkward?

Lastly, do you think this job is generally OK to do without raising the LR off the ground? The OE Grabbers seem leave a decent gap.


Again, sorry if these questions appear bone - as I say, I'm a rank amateur.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

not helpful probably but when I took mine off the V8 to clean the top nut was a 15mm I think and if you've got a ratchet spanner it helps (I didn't) so best thing was loosen it off with the spanner then use fingers for the rest.

After that soak that nut and bolt in WD to make it as easy back on as possible, sticking the nut to your finger with a bit of double sided sticky helps when putting it back on too as you can turn it on then rip it off but it wont fall off your finger if you miss

Cant see any reason why you have to remove the prop, if you have sockets on an extension you can get the top nut off wich is a different size to the bottom nut, cant remember the sizes though sorry.
pretty easy job

Cut the guard where it goes around the prop then once you have it off burn the bloody thing! They are no use to man nor beast and just catch all the crud and make it hard to get at anything including when you want to change the engine oil.

Starter will come out with some judicious wiggling. Make sure you disconnect the battery +ve as the main feed to the starter is not fused and directly connected to the battery.

Just use some long extension bars to reach the top nut from the front of the engine. Getting it back on may take a little time but persevere and do the job right.

Thanks chaps

Just removed the starter from my TD5 defender but after a lot of mucking about with 15mm socket for the top nut I found I needed a 17mm. Once I had the right size it was fairly simple fitted the socket and 6" 3/8th extender from the top then dived under to fit the ratchet. Nut was a nyloc so needed the ratchet all the way. Just posting as may help somebody who did what I did and searched for instructions.

There's a lot of td5s running around with a missing top nut The choice is yours.

EeEk so I have read but if the nut is there you need to get it off in the first place. Once I had he motor on the bench it tested perfectly using the battery from the landy so I need to get it put back. Suspect that there was no power to the main motor feed as when try to start can hear the solenoid clicking, question when it is installed should I see power on the motor terminal at all times? Read in Shifty's post above it is a direct connect to the battery.

It may well be easier to replace the solenoid without removing the starter motor first

umtalipete said:

EeEk so I have read but if the nut is there you need to get it off in the first place. Once I had he motor on the bench it tested perfectly using the battery from the landy so I need to get it put back. Suspect that there was no power to the main motor feed as when try to start can hear the solenoid clicking, question when it is installed should I see power on the motor terminal at all times? Read in Shifty's post above it is a direct connect to the battery.

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There should be power to the solenoid connection <-- the cable from the battery. The motor itself only get power when the solenoid clicks in.

Advice as above regarding the top nut. It should not be a nyloc, but people fit all kinds of things...
When you come to put it back on I found it really handy to have someone at the top reaching down to apply enough friction on the extension(s) for the ratchet to work, while it is tightened from underneath.

Got the motor back on this afternoon and it all worked fine, now just have to see if it continues to work, at least now I know the solenoid is good and the motor works so if happens again will need to look at the power leads and connections. Thanks to all who posted in reply.

Top tip. My upper 15mm a/f nut had been rounded off by the last person to change the starter motor. They were good enough to reuse it so I had no chance of getting a socket on it. I did manage to get an 18” cold chisel on it from the top though. With no damage to the stud luckily.

Mudstyler said:

Top tip. My upper 15mm a/f nut had been rounded off by the last person to change the starter motor. They were good enough to reuse it so I had no chance of getting a socket on it. I did manage to get an 18” cold chisel on it from the top though. With no damage to the stud luckily.

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That's kind of them, they should have just left it off.

Anaconda said:

That's kind of them, they should have just left it off.

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Some people should never be let loose with spanners and sockets…