Thread: D2 Starting Woes

ensure all earth straps are clean and tight,,

I have found that if the battery is stuffed, i.e. low voltage, the starter would "chatter" instead of cranking the engine over.

When you replaced the battery, what type of battery did you use? If you used a conventional lead acid battery, the charging voltage from the DII's alternator would have probably boiled the lead acid battery, because it charges at a much higher voltage. Only lead calcium batteries are compatible with the DII's charging system.

Originally Posted by tempestv8

I have found that if the battery is stuffed, i.e. low voltage, the starter would "chatter" instead of cranking the engine over.

Another symptom we discovered was a total lock-down of the car. My wife's off to buy a hammer to break a window if ever a dud battery seals everyone in the car again (luckily for us, we had the spare key).
Shouldn't be a problem once I get the ARB second battery kit I picked up for $50 at a garage sale (*and* a complete set of TD5 replacement cooling hoses and serpentine belt ... woot!) installed next week ...

Mate,
I had similar dramas in td5 disco and turned out to be worn contacts within the starter motor. I knew my battery, alternator and wiring were fine and it wouldnt start randomly.
I went to the local auto elec, bought new contacts for $5 (they are a japanese starter motor and hence very common), installed them within half an hour without removing the starter from the car. I just took the back off the starter solenoid.
good luck
tim

in your case, did it actualy crank tim?

Mine wouldnt start at my daughter childcare centre this morning. It cracked and then just dropped. Tried to started few times without luck and then lock, unlock the car using the remote, waited for a few seconds after all the lights went off and it cranked and started.

I thought it could because I filled up the diesel using the high flow at the servo by accident last night. it could be some dirst in the tank went up and blocked the fuel linefor a second.

what you guys think?

Dearot,
mine wouldnt even crank, not even clicking. But if I tried to turn it on and off a few times, it eventually cranked. I new it wasnt the batteries - I had the twin batteries in parallel. The intermittent electrical problems can be hard to isolate.
good luck
tim

Mine intermittantly won't start, so you turn the key all ignition and AUX lights come on but nothing happens.
I either try again, or move the trasmission lever from park and back and then she seems to fire.

However recently I have noticed that if I hold the key in the starting position on the ignition even when nothing happens and it does'nt immediately start about 2-3 secs of holding it fires no problem. It's like a delay, that varies. This morning I held it there for about 5 secs and then it immediatley fired, other times she fires stright away.

Not sure what it is, maybe the benefits of factory lucas electrics?

to me, if your electrics are all good, then I would be looking at the startermotor it self
I did a search on this site and found and how to strip it down and clean up the inside, but I didn't save the link

I had similar on my BMW motorbike

Hay Ewe