Broke Down.... Again

[RBBailey]

I knew it was a bad idea to go to Walmart...

In the lot, on the third drive of the day, come out to get into car, turn key, merely a "click".

I had the battery on a tender just last night, it is 100%. Battery cables are good. I can't quite see down to the starter, but the main cable looks good, can't see the ground.

No lights were left on.

 

[AdamSanta85]

Try and give the starter a wack with something, might be stuck in a dead spot. My old Sea Doo was notorious for this, it would kill a starter every 2 months.

Possible starter solenoid

Possible ignition (but the click you are hearing is likely starter solenoid so that is doubtful)


You could also try the old fashioned push start (push it as fast as you can and pop the clutch)...

Good luck.

 

[LR Max]

x2 on starter wack. Hi-lift handle works good for this.

 

[Napalm00]

Put it in 5th and roll it back and forth then try again. Bendix may be between teeth

 

[RBBailey]

Thanks. I got it going, but I don't know how, so a little disconcerting. After a few tries it simply started as normal. Maybe it was because it saw me getting the AAA card out!

Does the starter actually have 'dead spots' like that?

 

[AdamSanta85]

Does the starter actually have 'dead spots' like that?

Yes, when they are failing.

It could also possibly be your starter solenoid, or a grounding/power issue.

However it is probably your starter.

Often they can be rebuilt locally, but if not...

https://www.lrdirect.com/NAD500210-Starter-Motor-Assy/?keep_https=yes

 

[stu454]

It wouldn't hurt to check the cables, as well.

 

[RBBailey]

I have it home now and it won't start again. The click is the starter solenoid.

Is this removable from top with intake removed?

 

[AdamSanta85]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SWN7afSiVJo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[RBBailey]

...I'd forgotten that that song existed.... and now it's blended with another annoying song.

Thanks!

Looks like I need a new starter. Any suggestions, or just go original?

 

[jymmiejamz]

It is worth checking voltage drop on the ground circuit, especially when it is acting up. Put you volt meter on 20V DC range. Put the black lead on the negative battery terminal and the red lead on your engine block somewhere. Try to start it. If you see voltage (more than .5V) you do not have a good ground.

 

[LR Max]

If you have a local electrical shop, take it to them and get it rebuilt. Easy and usually less than $100 USD.

Cruise the classifieds. There was a guy over on D90 in Norfolk, VA (he is a well known guy and his name escapes me right now), he has diesel high torque starters for sale.

Otherwise cruise the normal parts sites. Or get a bearmach unit and use the 10% off coupon.

 

[Napalm00]

Robert Davis

 

[nas90tdi]

+1 Robert Davis
The higher speed starter will pop your diesel off much quicker. I have a spare one of his new in a box. My current 300 starts so easy I haven't installed it, but it's there for that first time it rotates more then a couple of times before it catches.
It even makes a 2.5NA seem like it starts good.

But, I would definitely track the wiring before buying a starter. Unless the suggestion to whack it makes it start. In which case, it's the starter that's the issue.

 

[RBBailey]

I'll take a look at this stuff tomorrow when it is light and the engine is cool. I don't know what caused it to not start, when it did start it didn't seem connected to anything I tried -- wack or roll. The wiring is all new, and hasn't even been wet! But I'll check for it being loose.

 

[LR Max]

Also check your battery connections to to the battery. That gets me sometimes. Easy to check and fix.

 

[Uncle Douglas]

A tdi should have a ground strap from one of the bolts that bolts the starter to the block over to the chassis. If not, IME they tend to eat starters.

I have seen lots of tdi's act as you describe and simply reaching down and grabbing the positive cable and moving it slightly does the trick. A loose positive cable @ the starter lug will drive you nuts.

FWIW my first tdi swap the starter worked like 10 times before it died. I opened it up to see if it just needed brushes and the thing was full of baked dirt.

 

[Jrose609]

+1 Robert Davis
The higher speed starter will pop your diesel off much quicker. I have a spare one of his new in a box. My current 300 starts so easy I haven't installed it, but it's there for that first time it rotates more then a couple of times before it catches.
It even makes a 2.5NA seem like it starts good.

But, I would definitely track the wiring before buying a starter. Unless the suggestion to whack it makes it start. In which case, it's the starter that's the issue.

I installed a Robert Davis on the 300tdi I had in my D1. Worked great

 

[RBBailey]

A tdi should have a ground strap from one of the bolts that bolts the starter to the block over to the chassis. If not, IME they tend to eat starters.

I have seen lots of tdi's act as you describe and simply reaching down and grabbing the positive cable and moving it slightly does the trick. A loose positive cable @ the starter lug will drive you nuts.

FWIW my first tdi swap the starter worked like 10 times before it died. I opened it up to see if it just needed brushes and the thing was full of baked dirt.

Yeah. I've cleaned one out before, on a RRC. I don't remember seeing anything odd on this one when the engine was sitting in my garage.

Yes, first thing today is to check all the connections to starter. I'll double check that the ground is correct as you mention here.

 

[RBBailey]

The wires and cables are all secure. But there is no extra ground cable to the block.