Freelander starting problem

I'm hoping that someone reading this can solve a bit of a problem I have with my Freelander 2002 TD4.

I recently had a problem with it starting - it would just make a clicking noise when I turned the key - I jump started the vehicle and everything was fine - I stuck the battery on charge that night and everything was fine and dandy.

A few short trips latter and the clicking noise was back. This time I phoned the RAC and they came along and said it was my battery. Not a problem - I purchased a new battery from Halfords - job done.

A few short trips latter - clicking was back. RAC man was called and said it was the battery again. So back to Halford I went, waving my receipt and new battery swopped for old. New battery installed into the Freelander and everything was fine.

A few short trips latter - clicking was back. Mechanic called this time. He checked the earth lead to see if the power was being drained from a faulty relay - nope - everything was fine. He tested to see if their was power going into the battery from the alternator and everything seemed fine. His conclusion was that my short trips were causing the problem.

Now, I'm no mechanic, but surely I must be able to do a few 2 mile journeys without having to charge the battery each time?

Is it worth taking it to Landrover for them to plug in there computers or do you think they will come to the same conclusion?

Any help on this would be much appreciated.

The clicking is a rely. Your battery doesn't have enough power to start the engine.

Our 2002 TD4 is geteing close to needing a new battery, and yours would have been similarly long in the tooth. The new one may not have been fully charged up.

If the majority of your journies are short, in the cold, woth heaters, lights, aircon, etc, you will have problems in this weather.

If it remains a problem after a good, full charge, there may be a drain from the battery.

Cheers

Blippie

Thank you for your response Blippie,

I've replaced the battery for new ones twice now in as many months so I'm pretty sure it's not the battery (Unless I'm really unlucky). Regards the power drain - the mechanic put one of those testers on the earth to the battery and it was reading that there was no power drain when the engine was off.

Could it be the Halfords batteries? It seemed fine while I was on the original Landrover Battery - The Halfords battery I have in there at the mo is a 640amps?

The problem may be a corroded connection. If you have changed the battery then you would have cleaned and greased the connecting caps before you fitted them?
The connections which are over-looked are those at the other ends of the wires, especially the earth connection on to the chassis/engine. They probably haven't been cleaned since the car was built.
Failing this it is in the starter relay or contactor. What happens is that the relay pulls in but as soon as the starter motor draws a high current the voltage across the relay coil drops because of the high resistance in the circuit and the relay drops out switching the motor off. This lets the voltage rise again and around we go. Check and clean/grease all push on connectors.

Thank you Vic,

I'll give it ago tomorrow and see what happens.

sounds to me like the starter motor, not uncommon. Theres no need to replace it though. Take it out and remove the plate from the solenoid, inside there is a copper disc, take this out and clean it and also clean the contacts inside, refit the disc but turn it slightly so an unburnt part of the disc touches the contacts when cranking. Refit the starter and all will be well.

I had the same issues last year - twas the starter. I replaced mine with a new unit but having a look at the old ones as clutchdust says it's just the contacts on the solenoid which get corroded.

Never had to replace the battery - could this be some kind of dodgy connection causing it to earth. Have you checked the spade connector onto the starter?

Reacon you might want to have a look at this thread.

http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f9/help-not-starting-69223.html