Chaser
New Member
Not sure what you mean? if it was turning like it was on the floor it should be turning the engine?
pardec
Active Member
As in made a spinning noise, i'll try it again.
pardec
Active Member
I have already cleaned the following
+ leads on starter
lucar connector
Battery earth on inner wing
Had starter on floor conncted to another car and it worked
So now i'm stuck big time
Chaser
New Member
Not enough, you have to follow the earth cable to where it attaches to engine and clean/tighten.
pardec
Active Member
Oh right, Any one got a rough idea where it is?
Am i going to have to take the under tray off?
pardec
Active Member
This is getting worse, cleaned the earth to the gearbox. Then the + from the starter motor to the alternator(both ends) the starter + and the lucar connection again.
Come to try and start it and a got the clicking for a second and then all my dash lights started going haywire and F4 was coming up on the display
Come to try and start it and a got the clicking for a second and then all my dash lights started going haywire and F4 was coming up on the display
Chaser
New Member
Struggling to think what to suggest, the starter circuit is relatively simple, I don't know what I'm missing.
What I can't understand from here is with a healthy battery and battery cables clean and tight you basically have the same circuit as you had when you tested it on the floor. Try it again with a wire from lucar to battery pos. Will it definitely not crank??
Dash lights could be indicative of dodgy ignition switch but it should still crank (but not start) using wire from lucar direct to battery pos.
When the motor turned on the floor did it give a powerful kick as though it was capable of turning the engine over or was it just turning weak/slowly? Just wondering if the motor rather than the solenoid is/was fecked. That or the engines fecking seized
What I can't understand from here is with a healthy battery and battery cables clean and tight you basically have the same circuit as you had when you tested it on the floor. Try it again with a wire from lucar to battery pos. Will it definitely not crank??
Dash lights could be indicative of dodgy ignition switch but it should still crank (but not start) using wire from lucar direct to battery pos.
When the motor turned on the floor did it give a powerful kick as though it was capable of turning the engine over or was it just turning weak/slowly? Just wondering if the motor rather than the solenoid is/was fecked. That or the engines fecking seized
If you have checked all the main starter cables and earths for engine and battery, and tried a new battery, it could be the starter motor.
A high resistance in the starter motor or solenoid would cause your problem, and when tested it on the floor it wouldn't draw enough current to drop the voltage and cause the clicking. If you have access to a decent multimeter the resistance of the starter and soleniod should be almost 0 ohms.( 0.15 maximum)
Out of curiosity, does your Freelander battery start your Merc ?
A high resistance in the starter motor or solenoid would cause your problem, and when tested it on the floor it wouldn't draw enough current to drop the voltage and cause the clicking. If you have access to a decent multimeter the resistance of the starter and soleniod should be almost 0 ohms.( 0.15 maximum)
Out of curiosity, does your Freelander battery start your Merc ?
pardec
Active Member
Struggling to think what to suggest, the starter circuit is relatively simple, I don't know what I'm missing.
What I can't understand from here is with a healthy battery and battery cables clean and tight you basically have the same circuit as you had when you tested it on the floor. Try it again with a wire from lucar to battery pos. Will it definitely not crank??
Dash lights could be indicative of dodgy ignition switch but it should still crank (but not start) using wire from lucar direct to battery pos.
When the motor turned on the floor did it give a powerful kick as though it was capable of turning the engine over or was it just turning weak/slowly? Just wondering if the motor rather than the solenoid is/was fecked. That or the engines fecking seized
I'll try battery + to the lucar in the morning, can't see s**t outside now.
When i had it on the floor hooked up to the merc it moved forward and spun quite quickly.
Funny thing is when we had the snow at the end of january and it was down to -13 at one point here, it did the same thing then. Did it on a couple of early mornings but started after a few attempts. Then never again untill thursday last week.
Getting to the point, do i just by a new starter, battery or both just to completely rule them out. I don't know where to to turn next.
pardec
Active Member
Haven't got access to a multimeter. Not sure about the freelander battery starting the merc. Unsure about removing the battery off the merc because i don't know what i'd have to reset.
Could do with a descent mobile auto electrician to pay me a visit.
Buy a cheap multimeter,Check battery voltage with ignition off, should be about 12 volts. Whilst trying to turn the engine ( with someones help ) check the voltage from
1) The Battery +terminal to earth (engine block)
2) The Connector on the Battery + terminal to earth (engine block)
3) The Soleniod terminal where the large cable from battery joins, to earth (engine block)
At 1) (the battery terminal) you should get about 12 volts. If not check between the two battery terminals. If 12 volts, battery earth cable or connections are bad, if a lot less than 12 volts, battery flat or U/S.
If you are getting about 12 volts at point 1) but not 2) then battery terminal is bad.
If you are getting about 12 volts at point 2) but not 3) the cable to the starter or its connection is bad.
If you are getting about 12 volts at point 3) the starter or solenoid is faulty.
Basically if you have 12 volts at the battery but not at the starter terminal, where ever it is dropping is the problem. If you have 12 volts at the starter terminal then the starter motor is faulty (or a bad earth connection between the starter motor and your engine, very unlikely if you have taken it off and bolted it on again tight). Apart from initial battery check all other readings whilst trying to tun engie over. Also an analogue meter would be better than a digital one as the dropped voltage reading may be fluctuating quickly as the solenoid clicks in and out.
1) The Battery +terminal to earth (engine block)
2) The Connector on the Battery + terminal to earth (engine block)
3) The Soleniod terminal where the large cable from battery joins, to earth (engine block)
At 1) (the battery terminal) you should get about 12 volts. If not check between the two battery terminals. If 12 volts, battery earth cable or connections are bad, if a lot less than 12 volts, battery flat or U/S.
If you are getting about 12 volts at point 1) but not 2) then battery terminal is bad.
If you are getting about 12 volts at point 2) but not 3) the cable to the starter or its connection is bad.
If you are getting about 12 volts at point 3) the starter or solenoid is faulty.
Basically if you have 12 volts at the battery but not at the starter terminal, where ever it is dropping is the problem. If you have 12 volts at the starter terminal then the starter motor is faulty (or a bad earth connection between the starter motor and your engine, very unlikely if you have taken it off and bolted it on again tight). Apart from initial battery check all other readings whilst trying to tun engie over. Also an analogue meter would be better than a digital one as the dropped voltage reading may be fluctuating quickly as the solenoid clicks in and out.
pardec
Active Member
I think i'm going to have to read that a few times before i do it. But i will give it a go.
Thankyou
pardec
Active Member
i bought a repair kit from ebay on monday, the original contacts were not great.
They were very pitted and worn.
Chaser
New Member
isn't this where i came in?You tried another battery, made no difference... so can't see the point in buying one.
You've removed and cleaned all battery cable and earth connections so don't really see you getting a voltage drop at any of them.
You've eliminated the ignition switch as far as cranking goes by connecting lucar direct to battery.
So the only thing is, as ianda12 rightly pointed out, the starter test on the floor does not put the motor under load which is why I was trying to establish how powerful it seemed. Anyone who has done it before would know they accelerate with a fair kick which is why I said keep your foot on it to hold it steady. You say it spun 'quite quickly' which doesn't sound like it's zapping round like it should so is making me doubt the condition of the motor rather than the usual solenoid fault.
pardec
Active Member
You tried another battery, made no difference... so can't see the point in buying one.
You've removed and cleaned all battery cable and earth connections so don't really see you getting a voltage drop at any of them.
You've eliminated the ignition switch as far as cranking goes by connecting lucar direct to battery.
So the only thing is, as ianda12 rightly pointed out, the starter test on the floor does not put the motor under load which is why I was trying to establish how powerful it seemed. Anyone who has done it before would know they accelerate with a fair kick which is why I said keep your foot on it to hold it steady. You say it spun 'quite quickly' which doesn't sound like it's zapping round like it should so is making me doubt the condition of the motor rather than the usual solenoid fault.
I've just watched a video of a starter motor test, andthe guy had it in a vice, i held mine between my feet and i didn't get much kick back compared to the video.
I'm going to order a new starter motor and give it a try, i'm getting desperate.
I'll go from there
