Thread: Disco not start when hot

It sounds like your ignition barrel needs replacing, Can you move the key back and forth whilst it's in the barrel?

Definitely an ignition problem, i am sure someone on here has experienced it before, would most probaly take an auto elec 2 minutes to trace. matt

Could also be the starter motor (or solenoid for same) or possibly the relay for the starter circuit. The relay should be behind the drivers footwell kick panel.

The reason I have not taken it somewhere is that it never happens in town - not even on long trips. I have just driven gold coast to Newcastle and back - not a single problem.

But on tracks doing 4x4 when not moving much on steep stuff I have it not restart say after a stall. Usually in the worst places to try and jump start - ie very steep and rough track.

I can't see how it would be the ignition barrel as it works fine. It seems more like some part, like the solenoid, is faulty when warm or when a lot of heat under the bonnet.

Keith

On mine (1997 build, 300Tdi) if I drive for a while, then park it, after it has sat for about 10 or more minutes, it won't start immediately. This is very intermittent and rare - normally in summer. All I do is keep turning the key back and forth and it will start withing about 5 attempts. Like I said, it's rare and happens more frequently in hot weather.

I had an auto-elec replace the started solenoid, but it is exactly the same still. This was a few years ago.

Heat is apparantly the problem - in my scenario it's because it has sat for a while, so the heat from the engine/turbo has soaked into the starter. The turbo is right above the starter on the 300tdi.

Some auto-elecs have said to get the starter wire on the solenoid and run that to a relay and have a good quality cable go to the relay and starter instead. But I haven't bothered to try this as it happens rarely and I can always start it.

My dad's old 1982 XE falcon had the same problem. We never knew what it was, but one day I saw a falcon owner pouring water on the starter to cool it down and he said it's coz it gets hot and the solenoid doesn't move.

Have no idea is this is your problem though!

But it would be strange for it to be a relay inside the car if this only happens to you when doing hard work in low range...how would something in the car get hotter here?