200 Tdi won't start

[DBrands]

I started the 90 up once this evening to check that all the lights were functioning properly. Started with no effort.
I went back out after dinner to move it out of the shop so I could sweep up.
Here is what I experienced.

Turned the ignition and the usual dash lights light up. Wait for the glow plug light to go out after 5 or so seconds. Turn the key and nothing. Dash lights went out. Assumed the battery had somehow gone flat. Checked voltage and showed 12.40V That's normal so I loosen battery terminals and clean them. Re-tighten.

Turn the ignition again and dash lights come on. Turn key to start and nothing. Dash lights dim. Clattering coming from PRC 6913, the glow plug timer relay? Clatters a bit and then goes quiet and dash lights come back up.

Immediately assumed relay was bad, but decided that maybe battery couldn't take the load, so I tried to jump it. Same result as before.

Am I right to assume that it is most likely a bad glow plug timer relay?

Is the only way to start the 90 by bypassing the timer relay or roll starting?

Does anyone have spare glow plug timer? Part number PRC 6913

Thanks,

David

[ANDYD]

Hi David,
Are you sure the battery is good? Even though it is showing 12.4v it still could be shot! It's all about the amps.
When you said you tried to jump it, was that with another vehicle or?

Cheers, Andy

[DBrands]

Hi Andy,

Yeah I jumped it with another vehicle, as well as attempting with the "start" option on my battery charger. I am going to try again tomorrow and make sure I didn't have poor connections.

It seems that the starter solenoid clicks but that's as far as it gets. They don't make the starter easy to get at on this engine.

When I try to turn the engine over, the dash lights go out as would be expected. What is peculiar, is that they don't immediately re-light when I stop attempting to crank the engine. It takes a few seconds as they slowly brighten. Maybe it's nothing, but I am a bit frustrated with it right now.

Could my starter motor be seized up?

I have five relays on the fuse panel. The middle one is the starter relay as far as I can tell (brown wire, etc). Can I swap it with one of the others. Might it be the relay?

[Russ]

You've eluded to it, but it sounds like a starter to me. Had the same thing happen on the Jeep and it turned out to be just that.

[ANDYD]

Sounds like one of two things to me;
1. your battery is shot and although it is showing 12v it doesn't have the amps to do the job
2. your starter has thrown out and engaged the flywheel teeth and jammed up (this can happen when the bendix spring gets weak and/or the gear teeth get worn. You could try tapping the starter with a hammer to get the spring to pull back in. When tapping the starter take a close look at the cable connections to make sure they are not shorting out on the heat sheild cover or are loose.

Good luck.
Andy

[DBrands]

Ended up being the battery.

Unfortunately it was after I removed the starter and used two different sets of jumper cables to bench test it to see if it was shot...
The jumper cables I had originally used to try jump my 90 were delivering next to no current. They looked brand new, but there must be a fault somewhere in the wire. Pulled out the old trusty jumpers and the starter purred to life.

Live and learn I guess!

Thanks for all the suggestions.

[Russ]

Glad to hear it was that easy.

[ANDYD]

Yes, glad you figured it out. The cold weather really exposes weak batteries because they are much less efficient in the cold. Even a good voltage doesn't mean a good battery.

Good lesson to us all, is your battery has been showing signs of weakness in the Fall, change it now before you get stuck somewhere!

Cheers, Andy

[Crs]

This situation is one of the few things I remember from Auto mechanics. Almost all batteries, no matter how, bad should be able to show 12V+ when sitting there with no load. All it has to do is push those little electrons through a voltmeter - easy! With the right equipment, you can do a 'load test' and find out what the battery is really capable of.

That said, the dodgy jumper cables would have fooled me into thinking the battery was fine. It's good to hear you got it sorted. :D

Now just wait for one of those Series One guys to post in that any 'proper' Land Rover should be able to be started by hand crank! :mrgreen: