Technical Oh heck. No cranking when turning ignition key to start position.

[Jamie KC]

Just finished reassembling car when home from work today. Yesterday removed EGR to clean it. Fair size job, remove air box, remove throttle body, lots of faffing to remove EGR. Refitted EGR yesterday, then ran out of time, so reassembled the rest this evening. Am confident have made all connections/plugged all back in. Only plugs were AF meter, throttle body, EGR valve, the two big ECU connectors and the battery terms.

Ignition switches on fine. Glow plugs warm up. Dash lights fine. All lights/fan/stereo work etc. But when turn key to the start position the starter doesn’t even try to turn. Battery voltage was a little low, but been connected up to another vehicle for 30 mins or so, and showing 13.8v on the V gauge, but not even a click. It simply isn’t trying to turn over. Have locked and unlocked car in case immobiliser issue.

Any experience of this for anyone?

 

[Jamie KC]

Have disconnected and reconnected battery. Tried spare key in case random key issue. No light dim on dash etc, so no connection to starter being initiated.

 

[varesecrazy]

And you've NOT touched the starter?

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

Damaged engine block earth, maybe? The big red wire that goes down the back of the battery connects to both the starter and the alternator… any chance it’s been loosened or damaged?

 

[varesecrazy]

Favourites are the spacer in the Red Starter cable.. A lost earth

If you left the Red Cable on the starter.. Should be good


Earth, worth trying a jumper cable from Battery Neg to engine metalwork

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

There’s a relay for the starter in the under bonnet fuse/relay box… does that click?

 

[Jamie KC]

And you've NOT touched the starter?

Not touched starter. Removing battery tray now to check earth and starter cable. @Herts Hillhopper - When reassembled will check relay.

 

[varesecrazy]

There is /was a chance that uncoupling the battery terminal clamps sheared the last few strands in the Earth cable (does happen..)

Hence the suggestion of a second Earth cable.. Point to point

 

[Jamie KC]

So, reassembled again. Cables appear OK but how to be sure . Battery showing 12.3v, and it’s been starting perfectly happily on less than that for weeks and at lower temps.

Check battery voltage at various earth points:
- at terminals = 12.35
- at body = 12.35
- at engine = 12.35 (booster cable disconnected)

Suspect earth is OK anyway as glow plug light goes out, but connected jump cable from batt neg to engine hook to be sure.

Relay clicks in box when key turns to start position, but nowt else happens. No light dimming occurs under start position.

Put in gear and rocked back/forth. Nowt again.

Bamboozled.

 

[varesecrazy]

This was a problem I came across on an older 1248cc mj :

Poor starter connection..

No Click and No Crank

On the starter was a short braided cable, Sat into a copper stud

Corrosion made it a poor connection

I slackened the 13mm Hex nut on the M8 copper stud,

Wriggled the cable end around scratching it,
tightened the nut,

all worked perfectly again,

So worth a try..

 

[Jamie KC]

Just about to tow it up the sloping drive then try a push/bump start. See if it runs.

 

[varesecrazy]

Just about to tow it up the sloping drive then try a push/bump start. See if it runs.

Should do if you've got Glowing plugs and pumped fuel

Did you clean up that starter connection..? Just in case

 

[Jamie KC]

Non runner. Tried push bump, no joy. So then a couple of tow starts, sounded as if starting but died as soon as dip clutch. Messages state ESC/ELD/Hill holder unavailable.

I am confident I reconnected all plugs, and am sure that even if I didn’t then it would still crank, or run lumpy on a tow start.

 

[Jamie KC]

Did you clean up that starter connection..? Just in case

No. Will do, but for purposes of bump/tow start it wasn’t relevant. Working outside in -2 on gravel drive, so decided to prioritise

 

[varesecrazy]

Good luck

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

Non runner. Tried push bump, no joy. So then a couple of tow starts, sounded as if starting but died as soon as dip clutch. Messages state ESC/ELD/Hill holder unavailable.

I am confident I reconnected all plugs, and am sure that even if I didn’t then it would still crank, or run lumpy on a tow start.

Those are the classic ‘not enough voltage’ messages… are the battery clamps fully tightened? Battery fully charged?

Push/tow starts tend not to work as battery voltage runs fuel pump (which is fully electric) as well as controlling ECU. If low enough, ECU effectively shuts everything down as protection (see my post about running with failed alternator)

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

There is /was a chance that uncoupling the battery terminal clamps sheared the last few strands in the Earth cable (does happen..)

Hence the suggestion of a second Earth cable.. Point to point

There’s only one earth lead to the battery, which is a fairly hefty, plastic-covered cable. That connects/disconnects via a quick release button to a narrow rod/post on the voltage sensor. The engine earth only connects to the bodywork at the ‘other end’ of the cable from the battery, where that’s bolted to the body on the front ‘chassis rail’. Several other earths are bolted there (to different earth points) too.

 

[Jamie KC]

Gave in at about 2100 last night. Have home start so called the AA out. Attended quickly and focused on trying to test the feed to the starter solenoid. As it’s a 4x4 there is little room to get hands in there and get a probe on the terminals, so decided to revert to the tried and tested method of “put a bar on the solenoid n give it a tap”. Straight away it turned. Couple of cranks n into life. Hurrah.

Turned straightaway this morning, which was a relief. But does put a question mark over the reliability of the starter now…

But it did feel good to be vindicated of any wrong doing!

 

[KPat]

I've had starter motor pinions before which have become sticky. Sprayed a bit of oil or WD40 in solves the problem.

 

[varesecrazy]

Good to hear it now runs...

Why didn't it fire when towed though?