Right - I'm on brink of a nervous breakdown trying to get this thing started...

Starter and solenoid all sorted and fitted today...

New - fully charged battery fitted...

Turned ignition - yet again just a click...left ignition on and after a bit something starts buzzing-whizzing at back of fuse box (glass fuses).

Tried again and again - then realised all power dies, but if I wiggle or even touch battery negative power returns - turn key - just clicks.

Kept it in cranking position a few times and did get faint whirrr starting from starter on one occasion before click and all power died.

Cut battery wires, cleaned terminals, refitted newly stripped POS and NEG wiring into terminals and connected back up.

Same thing - turn key - just a click then all power dies - touch or wiggle battery NEG and power immediately returns but when key turns just clicks and dies until NEG lead wiggled/touched...repeat....repeat...

Last few times NEG terminal started smoking if key held in crank position and got really hot really quick.

Still occasional buzzing/clattering sound from whatevers in behind fusebox - looks like relays???

Anybody have any idea what would cause this???

HYBRIDNI said:

Right - I'm on brink of a nervous breakdown trying to get this thing started...

Starter and solenoid all sorted and fitted today...

New - fully charged battery fitted...

Turned ignition - yet again just a click...left ignition on and after a bit something starts buzzing-whizzing at back of fuse box (glass fuses).

Tried again and again - then realised all power dies, but if I wiggle or even touch battery negative power returns - turn key - just clicks.

Kept it in cranking position a few times and did get faint whirrr starting from starter on one occasion before click and all power died.

Cut battery wires, cleaned terminals, refitted newly stripped POS and NEG wiring into terminals and connected back up.

Same thing - turn key - just a click then all power dies - touch or wiggle battery NEG and power immediately returns but when key turns just clicks and dies until NEG lead wiggled/touched...repeat....repeat...

Last few times NEG terminal started smoking if key held in crank position and got really hot really quick.

Still occasional buzzing/clattering sound from whatevers in behind fusebox - looks like relays???

Anybody have any idea what would cause this???

Click to expand...

Get yourself a cheap multi-meter (less than £10 and it will be an investment)

Check the earth from the engine to the chassis first...

On older land rovers the brown is main battery feed to ign switch permanent live. The 'brown + red' tracer is your glowplug wire to the engine glowplugs all wired in parallel.

The "good news" is there are no fuses.
The bad news is there are no fuses.

One thing to check is the two wires 'brown + red' that run round the engine top to a glowplug where the colour may then change to be black and yellow between each glowplug. On older engines the wire insulation can melt and allow the brown/red wires to melt to the engine block.

There should always be 12v on the 'brown' wire, and 12v on the 'brown + red', once the preheat is engaged, white or green 12v position 2 and finally sprung position is red and white for starter relay 12v.

mark wires and positions on switch before you start. then remove all but 'brown' wire and test each position for 12v.

Then check 'brown/red' wires are not shorted to engine.
If you take off the glowplugs one at a time and connect to a 12v bulb you can see if you have a feed under the bonnet...

Also check that your ignition switch is firmly secured and can't rotate when you twist the key - if the switch has some movement, it's possible for the terminals on the back of the switch to touch a small bracket on the steering column, which then melts the loom very quickly indeed...