Starter relay

hi can anyone tell me if there is a relay between the ignition switch and the starter solenoid when I turn key I can hear a click from the fuse, relay box but starter doesn't turn over it's a 1993 defender 200tdi.
Thanks

In neutral, take a wire from battery +ve to little wire on starter.
This will tell you if it is starter or wiring or maybe flat battery.

The starter relay is behind the fuse box, you have to unscrew the fusebox from the bulkhead. There are two or three relays behind there, the starter relay is the one with a white with red stripe wire going to it. They will sometimes click when they are knackered as the points inside can fail. Dead easy to get to to check.
If the issue is with the starter solenoid, you usually still get a clunk from the starter solenoid, you definitely won't get a clunk from the solenoid if the relay is playing up.

Same problem on a 300TDi. Relay clicks, glow-plugs work ok. As GMACZ suggests, hot wiring from starter solenoid small spade terminal to any + ve will engage starter and off she goes. Swapped relays over and no difference - there are 3 below the fuses which appear identical.

Can it be anything other than a break or bad connection between the relay and the starter solenoid? I don't know the run of the wire to check this. I assume the immobiliser isn't affecting anything as the glow-plugs work as expected. The wiring diagram per Haynes shows the starter wire going via the immobiliser but no idea where this is (Haynes makes no mention of it at all, other than in the wiring diagram), and in any case if it were an immobiliser problem, the glow plugs wouldn't work, at least according to Mr Haynes.

Get someone to work the key while you bend and twist the wiring loom under the bonnet, especially the big block connectors.

Fuel shut off solenoid ?

a 200 tdi doesn't have an immobilizer. Check if there is voltage getting to the starter. If yes, tap the bendix and see whether it wants to move. If there is no voltage it is the relay.

anitarrc said:

a 200 tdi doesn't have an immobilizer. Check if there is voltage getting to the starter. If yes, tap the bendix and see whether it wants to move. If there is no voltage it is the relay.

Click to expand...

Tap it fairly smartly too ...with a hammer handle is a good one ..

Thanks, guys. I'll try your suggestion, GMACZ, sounds a good 'un. It did happen a few months back, but fortunately I was able to run downhill to start it, and it never happened again until now.
On turning the key, there's definitely no voltage to the small solenoid terminal but, as I said, touch a live onto it and she starts up fine. So unlikely to be the fuel cut-off or stuck solenoid ?
This afternoon I jury-rigged a switch in the cabin, so at least it can be started easily until the problem's sorted.