TeeDee5 starting issues

I've had a number of issuse starting her up. Mostly first thing in the morning, but not always.

On one occasion i've turned the key only to have no dash lights, nothing.. After 3 or 4 turns of the key all lights lit up and she burst into life.
On the the other occasions i've had dash lights, but nothing after that. Sometimes i get a click from the starter motor and thats it. And sometimes it'll turn over once then die. Only to burst into life on the next turn of the key.

Battery is showing it's green "ok" indicator light thing.
Anyone got any ideas???

Thanks

Adsey

give the igniton feed on the starter motor a wiggle to start with. Any difference?

It sounds like a bad connection to the starter (possibly poor earth) or starter motor goosed.

Agree with Ratty. Could be the connection at the battery too.

If it was a dodgy connection to starter, why on some of the occasions do i get no dash lights either?

I'll hav a look into both those ideas though.

adseybear said:

If it was a dodgy connection to starter, why on some of the occasions do i get no dash lights either?

Click to expand...

Cos your main battery feed goes to the starter before the fuse box.

It could be loose battery connection as defendoor said too.

TD5 defenders are also prone to the fuses under the drivers seat rattling loose. Try taking the cover off and pushing em all in.

also another problem is that this has happened on and off for the last couple of weeks, so when i do sumfin, it'll probably be fine, and then in a few days ...

Also, it's got 7mnths warranty from some company the selling dealer gave me. SHould i just ring them up and see if they can sort it at some garage. Saves me time, theres a few other things im saving up to claim off them!

adseybear said:

also another problem is that this has happened on and off for the last couple of weeks, so when i do sumfin, it'll probably be fine, and then in a few days ...

Also, it's got 7mnths warranty from some company the selling dealer gave me. SHould i just ring them up and see if they can sort it at some garage. Saves me time, theres a few other things im saving up to claim off them!

Click to expand...

You can do. I would have a quick 5 min check over myself first.

1) give the starter wires a wiggle. Are they all secure?
2) check the connections on the battery. Again are they all secure?
3) Press all the fuses in. did any feel like they moved?

It should only take you 5 mins but may sort your problem out.

If you take it to the garage and it's an intermittent fault they will probably think they have fixed it when it happens (and they haven't) or won't find the fault full stop.

why are Land Rovers so bloody annoying

Takes all the abuse i gave it over the winter towing lorries etc. greenlaning in the snow. without complaint, then the moment i give her an easy time dawdling up the dual carriageway every day, she starts to play up.

Fuses tags (their legs) can get fusty with the damp.

I spray mine with WD40 or GT85.

They can be sitting in place but with a dodgy contact.

The anti-damp spray stops that happening.

It is also a good bit of "routine maintenance" to take every fuse out and shove it right back in about once a year. It keeps a good contact if you do.

CharlesY

ratty said:

1) give the starter wires a wiggle. Are they all secure?
2) check the connections on the battery. Again are they all secure?
3) Press all the fuses in. did any feel like they moved?

Click to expand...

Thanks Ratty, I'll check these things out tomorrow.
Charlsey, I guess your talking about the fuses ander the drivers seat aren't you?

Might also be a dodgy ignition switch.

Had a look underneath today to check the starter motor connections, only to met by a chassis covered in coolant

The fuel cooler return pipe has rubbed against the engine mount and worn through the protectice sleeve through the pipa and made a bit of a hole !!!

The levels gone down by just over an inch so far.

Got to find a hose asap tomorrow morning.

adseybear said:

Had a look underneath today to check the starter motor connections, only to met by a chassis covered in coolant

The fuel cooler return pipe has rubbed against the engine mount and worn through the protectice sleeve through the pipa and made a bit of a hole !!!

The levels gone down by just over an inch so far.

Got to find a hose asap tomorrow morning.

Click to expand...

If you fit a plastic/metal hose joiner where the hole is it'll prevent it happening again as the joiners are more resilient to rubbing and it'll be on the exact place it rubs.

Thought I'd give you all a little update.

The starter motor clicking, and not starting has got increasingly worse, to the point where it took 5 mins of sitting turning the key until it finally started the other day.

After asking around, all I kept hearing was that its a common thing, and it needs a new starter motor. :evil: :evil: At £130 for a new one, i didnt want that.

From searching around, it seemed to be just the solenoid plunger thingy that wears out, along with the contacts.


I eventually found (thanks ebay) a new solenoid plunger thingy and new contacts for under a tenner

After giving up on trying to get the starter out, who the **** put a nut behind it, somewhere impossible to get at

I decided to try and get the new bits in in situ, with some help, 2 hours and many bruised knuckles and cuts later, the new contacts and plunger were in place. Put all the bits back together..

Turned the key and ............................... fired into life first time, and been doing it ever since.

Total saving £120

Satisfying aint it when you find and fix the problem as well as save a shed load of cash?
Just imagine what a garage would have charged in labour and parts. They would just have fitted a new starter and what ever else they could get away with.

Shifty, just for future reference, how the fook do u get the starter motor out???

The bottom two bolts easy enough, but the top nut is just unreachable. I couldnt even find it with my fingers.

Was quite amazing how worn down the contacts all were though.

And another thing, why is the starter still live, even when the ignition is off? Though it was just the manual being picky, and left the battery connected, only to be greeted by sparks when removing the plunger

adseybear said:

Shifty, just for future reference, how the fook do u get the starter motor out???

The bottom two bolts easy enough, but the top nut is just unreachable. I couldnt even find it with my fingers.

Click to expand...

I have no idea cos I've never had to do mine. Probably jinxed it now though :doh:

adseybear said:

And another thing, why is the starter still live, even when the ignition is off? Though it was just the manual being picky, and left the battery connected, only to be greeted by sparks when removing the plunger

Click to expand...

The batttery is connected directly to the starter solenoid and does not go through the ignition or a fuse as it would not be able to handle the current that a cranking engine demands. The solenoid contacts effectively "sort circuit" the battery through the starter to earth (you are looking at possibly a 200 amp load) so they do burn away over time. You can think of the solenoid as a heavy duty relay. The shorter and heavier the cable between the battery and the starter the faster and stronger the starter will crank. I have my battery cables doubled up for this reason. You must also ensure that the main earth cables are also of the same capacity otherwise you will get no benefit from doubling up.
The ignition switch only controls the solenoid operation which is relatively low current and can be fused and switched.

Shifty1962 said:

The shorter and heavier the cable between the battery and the starter the faster and stronger the starter will crank. I have my battery cables doubled up for this reason. You must also ensure that the main earth cables are also of the same capacity otherwise you will get no benefit from doubling up.

Click to expand...

Thanks Shifty,
Might do that mod as I'm heading off to the frozen north next year, at about -30c I expext that starter will need all the juice it can get!

Ahh, that makes sense. Thanks for clearing that up.

Old bits



Piccies and write up now on my website

DefenderTD5.co.uk - starterrepair

So where did you get the repair bits from ?