Freelander 2 won't turn over / start

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Paul D'Angelo

New Member
Posts
8
Location
tetbury
Ok, as a treat I have a problem and the solution. A couple of months ago my 57 reg Freelander 2 (HSE Auto diesel) had a starting problem. Key in, press start button, system check in progress then nothing. After 3 or 4 attempts it would work for no reason. After searching these forums I figured a new battery was in order, and a new larger battery did seem to solve the issue until last week. I got stuck in a motorway services and it wouldn't turn over, I had no tools and had to call out Auto Aid to come out. The guy said it was probably the starter motor as we could hear the starter solenoid clicking and voltage at battery was good. Gave the starter a whack with a hammer and it fired up, he said get a new starter fitted. (About £400 parts and labour).

I figured I could do it myself at home so started searching ebay for a starter motor and stumbled across a guy selling repair kits for the solenoid for £13. His description of my problem was spot on and so I ordered a kit, worth a shot anyway. So with an online Haynes manual (I'll talk more about THAT at the end) I removed the starter motor (1.5 hours and lots of bruises) 20 minutes to install the new solenoid kit, and replaced the starter (1.5 hours and more bruises). It now works perfectly.

The job is frustrating but not that challenging, the Haynes method is quite misleading, and shows a lovely picture of the 3 bolts holding on the starter motor (gee that looks easy) but doesn't mention the heaps of wiring loom and coolant hoses in the way. So after disconnecting the negative terminal, remove the engine cover and air duct and air box, pretty simple. Access to the 3 bolts is a nightmare, needed ratchet spanner, and two types of socket to get them out, then maneuver the starter out with breaking wires or radiator components. Oddly when it comes to repairing the starter Haynes doesn't mention the solenoid, says its a 5 spanner rated job for an auto electrician! Honestly fitting a new solenoid took all of 20 minutes and was far easier than taking the damn starter out of the car. There were instructions with the kit but there is a you tube video of a similar starter job.

So with the starter on the bench I found it wasn't so much the worn plunger and terminals inside the starter as the nuts that hold the high power cable onto the starter. The lower nut had corroded and that in turn made the connection loose, this in turn had obviously been arcing and the top nut had virtually burnt away. As I had the starter out I fitted the new kit and replaced the nuts with new ones and cleaned all the terminals. Fitting the kit is easy but there are a few delicate bits inside you will want to take care with.
 
Did it today, took about 1.5hrs to remove repair and refit, contacts were very worn/burnt. Works a treat now. Looks a lot worse than it actually is.
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