OK, now sorted.. Turns out that it's got a defender 90 engine fitted - well how was I to know that? - so once I fitted the right starter all was well. Thanks for all of your advice - I just took it for a spin around the block and the exhaust is blowing and the brakes are crap so I may be...

Right - so the problem could have been caused by the Defender starter that was fitted, and I should put back a series 3 starter and a separate solenoid? What's confusing me is that the Series 3 Repair Operation Manual shows a starter that looks similar to the one that I have - i.e. has a...

Trouble is I don't know if it works OK or not - I've only driven it home so far! The ring gear doesn't look too bad to my untrained eye. Although there is some damage to the teeth I'm hoping to get away with just a new starter. What I'm not sure about is whether the problem was caused by an...

OK I have the starter off and as suspected the bendix has been well and truly chewed up. There are some marks on the ring gear but I'm hoping that they're not too bad. However, the guy at the local motor factors tells me that the starter that I had on my series 3 is actually from a Defender...

Thanks - I'll have a look at the weekend and let you know how I get on!

Hello all, Sorry to make my first post a question, but I've just bought a series 3 petrol landy and now it won't start. It turned over very slowly earlier this evening and eventually fired, but then made a loud screeching / grinding noise which was independant of the clutch operation but did...