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| The Hulk Member Since: 13 Apr 2016 Location: Aberdeenshire Posts: 81   
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Maybe not TDi-specific but the 90 wouldn't start this morning and had been playing up a bit yesterday.
The starter isn't turning, just clicking. The battery is fine and I hooked up a fully charged big battery to make sure. I'd suspect the cause is a dodgy starter but that was replaced last year and has been running fine. The only strange symptom is the ignition lights going very dim after each attempted start and only returning to normal brightness after the glow-plug cycle has completed. I'm now wondering about the (starter?) relay on the bulkhead inside the engine bay. Anyone know what controls and whether it's prone to failure? Mid Life; Live It! Ongoing thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic45697.html 110 300Tdi Utility (Hulk) 90 300Tdi SW (GF's Tank) |
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29th Apr 2016 1:14pm |
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| Ramsay Member Since: 30 Sep 2015 Location: Moffat, Dumfries & Galloway Posts: 625 
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Let us know how you get on. Mine did the same this morning. I'm charging the battery off the vehicle. I will try it this afternoon.
The alternator looked blackened so was wondering if it was charging. But the starter did not try to turn over only relay clicked. 1995 Defender 110 CSW 1971 SIIA Lightweight |
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29th Apr 2016 3:20pm |
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| JWL Member Since: 26 Oct 2011 Location: Hereford Posts: 3443  
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Check the earths first before you start forking out, stick a jump lead from the starter to the negative terminal on the battery, if the symptoms go then check up on the earth from the chassis to gearbox and so on.
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29th Apr 2016 3:38pm |
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| Ramsay Member Since: 30 Sep 2015 Location: Moffat, Dumfries & Galloway Posts: 625
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Thanks JWL I will try that. 1995 Defender 110 CSW
1971 SIIA Lightweight |
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29th Apr 2016 3:42pm |
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| The Hulk Member Since: 13 Apr 2016 Location: Aberdeenshire Posts: 81
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How do you get a jump lead on the starter? It's not easy to see and there's not that much access with the turbo in the way! Mid Life; Live It!
Ongoing thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic45697.html 110 300Tdi Utility (Hulk) 90 300Tdi SW (GF's Tank) |
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29th Apr 2016 3:58pm |
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| The Hulk Member Since: 13 Apr 2016 Location: Aberdeenshire Posts: 81
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Well that was successful!
I removed the air pipe from the turbo on the 90 (to get better access) and clamped a jump lead on the starter solenoid body straight to the battery -ve. She started immediately 
Moving the lead from the starter to the chassis put me back where I was so the problem is clearly a lack of earth on the engine. Worth noting that there's no actual need to clamp the starter - you can clamp the fuel pipes on top of the engine for the same result. This might also explain why the alternator isn't charging? 
Presumably there's an earth strap somewhere from the engine to the chassis which needs attention. Does anyone know where it is? Mid Life; Live It! Ongoing thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic45697.html 110 300Tdi Utility (Hulk) 90 300Tdi SW (GF's Tank) Last edited by The Hulk on 30th Apr 2016 1:37pm. Edited 1 time in total |
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30th Apr 2016 8:12am |
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| Nidge Member Since: 27 Jan 2008 Location: Kildare Ireland Posts: 809  
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Earth points on my current 300Tdi
1. Battery Neg lead runs through clip at gearbox mount and then earths on Gearbox. 2. Rear loom earths onto chassis just above the hole it comes out of with a bolt arrangement 3. Bulkhead to chassis via earth strap from drivers foot well to air intake bracket 4. main loom to bulkhead via self tapper. 5. Engine to chassis via earth strap on engine block just behind the starter to long bolt on chassis Or you can always run your own new earth lead from block to chassis. N |
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30th Apr 2016 8:23am |
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| Nidge Member Since: 27 Jan 2008 Location: Kildare Ireland Posts: 809
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Earth points on a 300Ti -
1. Battery Neg lead runs through clip at gearbox mount and then earths on Gearbox. 2. Rear loom earths onto chassis just above the hole it comes out of with a bolt arrangement 3. Bulkhead to chassis via earth strap from drivers foot well to air intake bracket 4. main loom to bulkhead via self tapper. 5. Engine to chassis via earth strap on engine block just behind the starter to long bolt on chassis Or you can always run your own new earth lead from block to chassis. N |
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30th Apr 2016 8:26am |
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| The Hulk Member Since: 13 Apr 2016 Location: Aberdeenshire Posts: 81
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What a result!
I followed the earth lead to the gearbox and discovered a poor connection. Once cleaned and tightened she started immediately. To make things even better, the alternator is now registering a charging current. All the symptoms of a dying battery and poor starting were assumed to be due to the alternator. Checking with a meter seemed to confirm this as it was only registering <13v but the poor thing simply wasn't able to do its job properly because of a bad earth. CHECK YOUR EARTH STRAP BEFORE SPENDING MONEY!!
My gf was going to get a new alternator this weekend and it would have achieved nothing. Mid Life; Live It! Ongoing thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic45697.html 110 300Tdi Utility (Hulk) 90 300Tdi SW (GF's Tank) |
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30th Apr 2016 9:14am |
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| g-mack Member Since: 07 Jan 2014 Location: northumberland Posts: 1967 
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this is why i love tdi's so simple
My 109 thread
my youtube channel |
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30th Apr 2016 9:32am |
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| Ramsay Member Since: 30 Sep 2015 Location: Moffat, Dumfries & Galloway Posts: 625
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Mine is missing the earth strap behind the starter. Must have gone when the gearbox was changed. I will replace and see if we get a permanent fix.
Thanks all. 1995 Defender 110 CSW 1971 SIIA Lightweight |
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30th Apr 2016 11:13am |
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