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45 diesel won't turn over

3K views 14 replies 5 participants last post by  stevexyg 
#1 ·
Be grateful for some advice on this.

Over the last week or so my car has shown signs of a failing battery - on one occasion I had to jump start it. I ordered a new battery over the weekend which should arrive in a day or two. However, went out to it this morning and it turned over a few times but didn't start - same as before with the solenoid clicking. Got a spare battery and hooked it up to the car via jump leads. When I tried to start it the engine now didn't turn over at all - the ignition lights come on but when the key is turned to start it just goes dead. It does the same without the auxiliary battery connected and also when I connected it via the jump leads to another car.

What could have happened? I guess starter motor or solenoid, but it was perfectly fine before the battery problem.
 
#2 ·
starter motor

hi mate, is it a single click? my starter motor went last year, i tried a solonoid refurb kit bought online (just some new internal copper contacts and plunger), after p-ing about for an hour i finally got it all back together but was rewarded with that dreaded click (more of a knock), so that was a waste of £10 plus postage, so best bet is to take the starter motor off, pull and turn the sprocket to see it it spins without any sort of roughness or grinding, a new motor will set you back bout £120, hope this helps.
 
#3 ·
hi mate, is it a single click? my starter motor went last year, i tried a solonoid refurb kit bought online (just some new internal copper contacts and plunger), after p-ing about for an hour i finally got it all back together but was rewarded with that dreaded click (more of a knock), so that was a waste of £10 plus postage, so best bet is to take the starter motor off, pull and turn the sprocket to see it it spins without any sort of roughness or grinding, a new motor will set you back bout £120, hope this helps.
Thanks for the reply. There's not really a click at all, when the ignition key is turned then nothing happens apart from the radio and clock lights going straight off.
 
#4 ·
Check you have not burnt out or broken the earth cable (either to the chassis or to the gearbox) - The one to the front slam panel is a favourite.

If not that then check the small spade connector on the starter motor.

If you can feel the starter motor click when someone tries to start the car then it'll need a starter motor rebuild (see my website for info). If not then check the car electrics first.
 
#9 ·
Checked it this morning , after cleaning the spade connector on the starter motor it turned over straight away. Thank goodness that was it all it was.

Many thanks to everyone for the fantastic help, advice and suggestions. This is a terrific forum with the most incredibly helpful people.
 
#6 ·
Radio and clock lights going off??? Sounds like batt is totally dead.

IF it's not that you have wiring problems. A dodgy starter won't make your electrics fail so look elsewhere. You can remove non-essential fuses from various circuits to narrow down fault eg remove lights, heater fuses etc and see if car starts then replace a fuse and see if it starts again. Repeat.

You may also have fried your ecu so that is something to check if you can't trace a wiring fault.
 
#7 ·
The battery isn't totally dead because all electrics operate apart from when I try to start it - even the electric windows operate. The radio and clock lights go off when I operate the starter - it is the same when I connect another battery to mine via jump leads. Could a faulty ECU stop the car from turning over?
 
#13 ·
Cool got ya. They way you described it I obviously thought you meant 'off' permanently but it was just when 'cranking' which your car was trying to do at the time. Defo a classic red herring and one to remember! You will know exactly what to do next time this happens - unless you have smothered the spade in petroleum jelly in which case it shouldn't happen again;)
 
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