Starter Motor Trouble

I turn the key to start engine and nothing happens at all. No click or clunk, nothing.

I have done the following

• Checked battery, no problem there, fairly new and fully charged. Put headlamps on and turned key, no dimming of lights.
• Cleaned earth lead. Put jump lead from starter to negative on battery. No change. Put earth lead from battery to block, still no change.
• Cleaned live connections on solenoid and starter. Used jump lead from starter to battery, again nothing.
• Disconnected lead from solenoid put meter on getting voltage when key turned.

So at the moment I am assuming new starter motor required. But before I remove it to bench test it, is there anything I have missed? Is there any more testing I can do before taking it off?

It is a 95 V8 auto, so no spider and can't be bump started.

All help, guidance or ridicule accepted.

about the only thing you havnt done is to hot wire from batteryb pos to little wire on solenoid to bypass the starter switch.... though you have tested the switch with a voltmeter and it looks ok , does brather look like the solenoid in the starter aint working.... even with bad connections in the big battery leads you should get some clicking or clunking from the solenoid.....time to get the starter orf

I did try a lead from positive to solenoid, forgot to mention that. Also hit it with a mallet for good measure!

alexdon said:

I did try a lead from positive to solenoid, forgot to mention that. Also hit it with a mallet for good measure!

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Have someone hold it in the crank position when you hit it with a hammer! Assuming you've done it all properly it sounds like you've pretty much tried everything out, so that just leaves the starter itself! I'd volt drop test the lives and earths personally and stick a test light up the little wire, if all's ok change the starter

Diesel Do said:

Have someone hold it in the crank position when you hit it with a hammer!

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That's the other problem, nobody around to help and only one pair of hands.

Thanks for the help guys, looks like I'll celebrate the Jubbly with a starter motor.

More help needed on this please.

I took starter off and bench tested it - it made a clunk and then nothing.

Fortunately I had another starter available which I tested and worked fine. Put this on, turned key, it spun up fine. As I had been moving coolant pipes in engine bay I stopped trying starter and then checked I had no leaks etc. Tried starter again slowish spin up then stopped and then nothing.

Same problem , turn key, dash lights lit but nothing at all from starter. Any good ideas out there.

I can't work on the Disco every day as work and rain seem to conspire against me. It has been sat on my drive now for about 4 months and I really would like it back up and running!!!

Please help, I feel like I'm:5bbanghead:

poor connections earth and feed ,solenoid ,try shorting solenoid terminal to battery lead ,poor battery

Is it likely that I still have dodgy connections? The "new" starter turned fine just after fitting and then 15 mins later was turning lazier and stopped while cranking.

I am going to give everything another clean up asap and try using leads direct from battery with shorting to solenoid to check.

I'm getting to the point where I may push it onto the road, call RAC and get a tow to a garage. Don't want to do that as part of owning this Disco is therapeutic, something I can get my hands dirty with as oppose to working with my head all the time.

i had the same problem and found it to be the thick wire that goes from the starter to the solonoid. on the solonoid end the bolt had coroded and was causing a masive resistance hence intermitant starting and slow turning.

alexdon said:

Is it likely that I still have dodgy connections? The "new" starter turned fine just after fitting and then 15 mins later was turning lazier and stopped while cranking.

I am going to give everything another clean up asap and try using leads direct from battery with shorting to solenoid to check.

I'm getting to the point where I may push it onto the road, call RAC and get a tow to a garage. Don't want to do that as part of owning this Disco is therapeutic, something I can get my hands dirty with as oppose to working with my head all the time.

Click to expand...

That sounds like a weak battery to me.

thebiglad said:

That sounds like a weak battery to me.

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Battery has been checked- all ok.

When I turn the key there isn't any click or clunk you would expect with a weak battery, the lights don't dim etc thereis just nothing. I am giving myself a few days off next week and shall take it apart again, give everything a good clean and make sure all the contacts are good.

I have to admit that the bottom of the engine is very oily from past problems, so i shall try to clean up as much of that as I can which should help.

Thanks all for contributions so far.

that is the starter solinod

have you got 12v at solenoid wire when key turned to start ,there are 2 clicks both should happen at the same time so sound as one starter solenoid and starter relay ,switches cab be poor too

How old is the second starter motor that could be faulty too, just buy a new one it doesnt take long to change it out, and dont buy a cheap one go for a bosch or similar as the cheaper ones dont last that long

I once had to change a starter on my 95 300TDI, old one worked when it felt like it but a whack would bring it to life.

Took old one out, put brand new one in, slow then nothing as you have mentioned.

Took new one out, put old one back in and in doing so noticed I had missed an earth strap that goes on to the top mounting bolt.

Ah! Put new motor back in with strap attached and hey presto.

Simple little things can make all the difference even though you would think the body contact would make sufficient earth.

Just another possibility, good luck.

Update.

Checked replacement starter with jump leads and shorting across to solenoid, it worked. It turns out that the replacement had a smaller spade connector from the ignition so it worked loose when the starter turned over. New connection on lead and all is well. I rechecked the old starter and it still wouldn't work so a combination of two problems caused my worries.