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Starter motor clicks whenever i turn key??

M

macandrc

Accelerating Away
Whenever i try and turn the engine over i get a loud clicking noise from the started motor but the engine doesnt turn over, is this due to a bad earth?

Where is the best place to put an earthing strap from the block to chassis on a 90 TD?

Colin
 
Could be earth (or another connection), or a faulty solenoid?

I'm no expert on the landy engines, but when Ive had this on other vehicles, it was also due either to the bendix on the starter being damaged and jammed on the starter ring, or due to the engine being stalled for some reason..

Have you tried to turn the engine over without using the starter? (rock or push the vehicle in 2nd or 3rd gear) Dont do this on a slope, and make sure someone is in the drivers seat ready to apply the breaks (just in case)!.

When you try to start it, does it sound at all as if the starter motor is trying to spin?

Assume your battery is OK?
Do the headlights come on full? and do they go off (or very dim) when you try the starter?
(dont forget to turn them off again).


MikeA
 
Sorry i should give you7 little more information, the car is brand new out of a museum. It was built circa 1986 and was made for Gaydon motor museum as a rolling chassis, i have since bought the rolling unit and am finishing it off (i.e. putting abody on ,etc..). So the engine has never run before!

I have turned the engine over by hand and it turnss fine. I cannot locate an earthing wire from the block, where should this be located? can i just bolt it to the same bolt as the earth from the starter motor?

colin
 
Earth wires are usually on a bolt on the sump. I'm not 100% about that on earlier engines, but on the Tdi they were.
Give the starter connections a good clean and a spray with WD40. If not whip the starter out and test it, or have it tested. What sort of a click is it? Is it one click or a continuous clicking?

Cheers, Ben
 
there is usually an earth strap fitted to the gearbox which does the same as on the engine ,obviously you should check all connections and battery then if the starter has not been used for nearly 20 years take it off and see the motor turns ,use a set of jump leads on the started itself without the solenoid and that the bendix operates ,the springs on the brushes could be rusted after sitting for so long
 
continuos clicking. I will take of the main brown wires and make sure they hve a good connection. Could it be due to a wrong relay?

Then hopefully i can pour some fuel into the tanks and have a running engine!


whereabouts in aberdeenshire are you? I am about to move to Clatt near Alford.

colin
 
Continuous clicking is usually a bad earth/ connection or a faulty solenoid. Start with the easiest and least expensive first!

Cheers, Ben
 
I agree on the bad earth front. My previous 90 managed to get corrosion on the cable at the plug which stopped it turning over. I took the plug off the end of the cable, and wire brushed it. Started every time after that, with no clicking.

As the "other" Ben says - start with the cheapest bit first:)

Cheers

Ben
 
hi Colin I am near Turriff,there is a good welding workshop near Clatt,a guy called Kieth Rose,he makes trailers and things ,hope you get it going soon
 
Going to suggest something else here...

I have had the same on my V8..and my motorbike. All it was was the battery was not charged enough. On the bike I got several clicks, then nothing..the landy was a single click.

Both fired up fine after charging the relevant batteries...

Nice cheap fix...
 
macandrc said:
Whenever i try and turn the engine over i get a loud clicking noise from the started motor but the engine doesnt turn over, is this due to a bad earth?
Colin
Click to expand...

I seem to have the same problem. Landy went for its mot and wouldn't start when I went to pick it up! Had to be towed off. I'm starting to think that they've fryed the starter as its LPG and theres a knack to starting it. Its not the battery as tried with different battery and jump starting. All the earths seem fine. It just clicks the once as if its stuck. tried tapping it like I used to do almost everyday with my Capri. Taken it off and freed up the gear, cleaned all the muck off and its just the same. Think its kaput.
 
the problem i had was due to a bad connection, since the rolling chassis i have was made by land rover for a museum they had painted every external component including spade connectors!

got mine turning over but still not sure where i should locate my earthing strap from the engine? should i use the block or gearbox to chassis?

Colin
 
The earth strap on my 1987 2.5 petrol runs from just behind the alternator to the rear side of the engine mount on the off side of the vehicle. The black cable in the photo if you can see it amongst all the cruddy black oil. (I've a leaking rocker cover gasket!)
 

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macandrc said:
Sorry i should give you7 little more information, the car is brand new out of a museum. It was built circa 1986 and was made for Gaydon motor museum as a rolling chassis, i have since bought the rolling unit and am finishing it off (i.e. putting abody on ,etc..). So the engine has never run before!


colin
Click to expand...

you didnt buy that lovely rolling chassis off e bay a while back did you?
the 90 with all the parts painted nice colours etc?
 
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