Recently I've had issues starting the car. What happens is I turn the ignition once checks finished and get like a mechanical whir sound and no start. Its not a click if I turn off and try again it starts. Today it did the noise twice before it would start. No errors on the dash at all no cut outs when driving. Any ideas what it could be would it be the starter or possible flywheel teeth damage or flow plugs? Like i said usually it fires up the second time but now it's struggling more. Had a new battery fitted about a year ago may get it tested to rule that out. Thanks in advance
Could be the battery, or any connections tween it and the starter and /or earth.
have you tired using a jump lead to see if that makes any difference?
Or the starter itself could need attention. Especially if it is high mileage and has done a lot of stop start driving.
have you tired using a jump lead to see if that makes any difference?
Or the starter itself could need attention. Especially if it is high mileage and has done a lot of stop start driving.
Western Slope Rover
Well-Known Member
Yes. The starter is spinning but has not kicked into the flywheel.
biketeacherdave
Well-Known Member
It's not the fly wheel, swop the starter motor 1st.
Western Slope Rover
Well-Known Member
Uh, yeah. +1
Way easier, since the cause is likely the starter bendix being on the fritz.
Or it getting nearly enough power but not quite enuff.
Western Slope Rover
Well-Known Member
Good point.
No I would say the bendix or the bushs are on their way out, hence the motor engages but the bendix does not.
Most starters the coil gets energized and at the same time as the solenoid piston travels to make the starter conatcts come alive it also moves the bendix into mesh with the ring gear.
Fink ee needs to test it off the vehicle.
And if it's fecked, get it refurbed.
Cheeepr thana noo one!
So having been unwell last few days I eventually got round to doing some investigating. Having looked at the battery terminal the positive could spin very slightly on the pole so I gave it a tighten and gave it a start. Still the same. After a few drives it seems to starting ok now. I'm not saying it's fixed as I'm not mechanically minded but am I right in saying the play in the connection was causing the alternator to not correctly charge the battery This then causing the poor starts? So far about a dozen times now I've started the car and it's not "whirred" once.
I do not have a Disco 3 just a Disco 2 and two Disco 1s, BUT on my Disco 2 the battery terminal connectors are the standard "ministry of cr@p design ones" and just as you describe, prone to not being on tight.
So I undo the tightening bolt and hammer them down onto the terminals with a socket or a ring spanner between the terminal and the hammer. This pushes the connector properly down onto the terminal then I do the bolts up.
IF the Disco 3 connectors are the same, that is a way of doing it.
Loose connectors are more likely to result in poor starting than poor charging, I'd have said but I am not much with electronix.
Put it this way, it can't have helped!!
Well done and hope you have found the problem!
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Fingers crossed. Went to a local garage so they could hear it and they told me missing teeth off the flywheel and its a big job. Yesterday and today has been a little chilly and on both occasions it fires up without hesitation. It could be something more serious but if the terminal was slightly loose then the battery was probably getting a slight trickle charge. I'll keep the thread updated if it starts again. Thanks to those who made suggestions.
If you are not mechanical then I don't know how far to go with advice, but I'd carry out some examining to see if they are right about the missing teeth. If it stands in the same place, and won't start then suddenly does, I cannot see how the missing teeth thing could be correct. It would be one reason for the whirring.
if you have a slope near you, try allowing the car to run downhill a bit then put it into gear in second just enough to move the engine/clutch/flywheel round a bit, i.e. do this in gear. This'll move the flywheel to a place where there are teeth. Then it should start with the starter.
On an older car, I'd suggest simply turning the engine a bit with a spanner on the crankshaft pulley then starting it. But I bet you can't even get to the crankshaft pulley bolt that easily on a D3.
So after a period of being in hospital (nothing serious) and not using the car I can get round to figuring this non start issue out. It has started again but now seems worse. Battery is fine just get a mechanical spinning/whir sound and engine doesn't crank. if I keep trying I get a hdc error/special programmes not available until it eventually starts and the errors go away. Thanks for those who have already made suggestions I am taking it into the garage next week for a new starter motor as someone pointed out the bendix could be on it's way out. Fingers crossed the starter is the issue and I can get this car back to some sort of healthy position just like my self ha. Happy New year to you all
Nodge68
Well-Known Member
I'd have the battery replaced at the same time, as the HDC error is related to a failing battery.
With the engine not cranking would the car throw up the errors anyway? I've had hdc/special programme and park brake errors pop up when failing to start. When it eventually does I don't get the errors.I'd have the battery replaced at the same time, as the HDC error is related to a failing battery.
Plus 1 what’s been mentioned with regards to the battery , also ensuring ur grounds are all 100% ok
As a reference , the battery’s ground cable is connected to the body behind the engine bays fuse box ,
another one is behind the drivers side plastic inner wheel arch liner , plus they can also check ur grounds using a multimeter
plse let us know how u get on
As a reference , the battery’s ground cable is connected to the body behind the engine bays fuse box ,
another one is behind the drivers side plastic inner wheel arch liner , plus they can also check ur grounds using a multimeter
plse let us know how u get on
Will do thanks
biketeacherdave
Well-Known Member
A garage that can hear missing teeth off the fly wheel ask them for next week's lotto numbers next time your there, don't worry they will have them ready cos they can see you comming in the crystal ball
ask them for next week's lotto numbers next time your there, don't worry they will have them ready cos they can see you comming in the crystal ball 
