Will not turn over, help!

[tomkat]

I have a 95 Disco 1, and have owned this for about a year now.
Here is what is going on. I have had some starting issues. Some times I go to start the Disco and it turns over and starts just fine, usally when it is cold and after about 15 mins after turning the motor off.
Once in a while it will crank very slowly and then start.
I had to leave the Disco parked and get a ride after an appoinment today as it would not start after being in a meeting for about 15 min's.
The battery is fully charged, I had a set of jumpers cable and that did not change a thing. Lights are just a bright with or with out and it will not even try to crank over. There is a relay that clicks in the start mode when the key is in the start mode.
The key flob remote died about 1 month after I bought her. I have been using the key to lock and unlock.
I am going up tomarrow with a remote starter switch to put on the starter to see if it will crank over and start that way.
Has any one had the same issue? Is there a way to by pass the alarm? The alarm seems to be disengaged. I have locked and unlocked the disco to insure the alarm is not engaged.
Any ideas.
Thanks John

[Rovin4life]

ok, a slow start sounds like two things either a bad cell in the battery or a slight draw somewhere intermittenly.

First start with the battery.

Have it tested.

Then check the charging system to see if it charging.

If all is good then check for a draw.

finally if all is good, inspece the wires for corrosion between the battery and the starter.

And also check all grounds for looseness.

[MrSpool]

I am having the same problem, If you find out what it is I would sure like to now as well. If I figure it out I will post it.

[DISCO INCUBUS]

Sounds like the starter is shot, Ten years about time for a new one.
Go with a heavy duty high torque starter

[tomkat]

Ok,
there is no change to brightness of the head lights when I had a set of jumper cables from a donor truck running to jump my battery.
I have to belive the batter is full. This starting problem raises it head only once in a while.
All cables are tight on the battery and starter.
If the problem is in the alarm mode.
Does this cut the voltage to the starter or the whole ignition system. I am going to put a remote starter switch on the start to try to start her tomarrow.
Any one else out there with the same problems?

[Rovin4life]

Thats not surprising with a donor vehicle. The two trucks together give you more amps.

Did you actually load test the battery.

[tomkat]

Originally Posted by beezel

Thats not surprising with a donor vehicle. The two trucks together give you more amps.

Did you actually load test the battery.

This is a great site with a lot of usefull info.
I did not pull the battery and do a load test as I was in a suit just getting out of a meeting.

The donor vehical (full size pickup hooked up with jumper cables to my disco running to give me extra juice to turn over the disco) I left the cables on for 5 mins at high ideal to charge my battery to see if it was a battery issue.
No change to headlight out put with or with out the cables connected.

Question. Does the alarm ecu control the out put to the starter to start the dico or does this cut the power to the coil for the iginition? I had a saab do this when the alarm ecu go out on it.

Again this is a intermitited conditon with a slow to crank and then 1 sec latter has full power and turns over fine and starts as advertised.

The Battery less then 2 years old, full water in cells, the starter is I belive factory installed and will find out tomarrow when I get this on a car trailer and pull the starter. Just trying to have some ammo in the information box before I pull out the tools in the morining.
Thanks again and will post a reply with my findings.

[roverX]

Dude, quit worrying about the alarm right now. I lock and unlock mine all the time with just the key, sometimes I use the alarm but that is only if it feels like turning on! Anyways, check your cables. Just because there is no corrosion by the battery doesn't mean the whole cable is good. Some corrosion may have travelled down the battery cable and is covered by the rubber and you can't see it. Replacing them is cheap and after 11 years, you should do it anyway. If you can, pull the starter and have it checked at a local autohouse. If it is bad, call Nathan at Discount Rovers. If you need his number , let me know. Keep us informed. Good luck.

[Discrover]

Originally Posted by DISCO INCUBUS

Sounds like the starter is shot, Ten years about time for a new one.
Go with a heavy duty high torque starter

Sounds like a starter to me too.

Check your starter with a test light and see if you are getting current to the starter. Better to use a mulit-meter...they sell them in the auto section at Wal-Mart or you can pick one up for like $10 bucks...

Also ...I am taking it that this seems to be happening after you have driven the truck and it has warmed up.

That is the true symptom of a starter going bad as it expands while it is hot causing the casing to swell then causing the solenoid to stick.

I use to have an old 68 Chevy Pickup that had this exact problem...it would go all winter no problem, but once summer came around or if I drove it for long distances...would go into a store come out turn it over and nothing.

So I was to lazy at the time to buy a new starter and install it..so I just carried a ball-pin hammer around in the toolbox and any time it would stick I would crawl under the truck and give the starter a couple good taps and bam it would unstick and I could get back in start it right up and drive away.

Also anytime I left the truck setting over night or something it would cool down enough not to be locked up the next day.

Be sure to check your starter as well...it is an easy check and could save you tons of headache...make sure you check it and rule it out.

[4x4disco]

Take the earth lead off from the battery. this lead also connects to the body and chassis, so you may have a good connection to the body but not the chassis.
I would start by removing this lead cleaning all connections then following all earth connections to the engine.
Also Check the earth lugs have a good conection to the earth wire.
You could also try putting the jump lead earth directly onto the engine and the 'power' lead to the battery.
Remember fully disconnecting this wire will loose your radio code etc
Sean

[tomkat]

Originally Posted by 4x4disco

Take the earth lead off from the battery. this lead also connects to the body and chassis, so you may have a good connection to the body but not the chassis.
I would start by removing this lead cleaning all connections then following all earth connections to the engine.
Also Check the earth lugs have a good conection to the earth wire.
You could also try putting the jump lead earth directly onto the engine and the 'power' lead to the battery.
Remember fully disconnecting this wire will loose your radio code etc
Sean

I am getting ready to hook up the car trailer and head out. Thanks for all your help and advise, great site and great people.
I did not know that on the batt ground lead, good advise. I was talking about the alarm funtion as I now if the system is active or a relay sticks the ecu will cut power to the starter to prevent starting of the car.
Thanks again, rain in Seattle again seems like the last month straight, should be a wet day out in and under the disco today.
John

[robricco]

Had the same problem with my 1996 discovery 300Tdi untill I added an extra heavy duty earth cable (big fat one) from the neg side of the battery terminal to the engine mount bolt on the engine block.
Never had the starting problem again

[tomkat]

Originally Posted by robricco

Had the same problem with my 1996 discovery 300Tdi untill I added an extra heavy duty earth cable (big fat one) from the neg side of the battery terminal to the engine mount bolt on the engine block.
Never had the starting problem again

Well I could have used a life jacket today with the none stop rain.
1st I hooked up a remote starter switch and the Disco with no response from the starter.
2nd I put an digital meter on the singal wire on the starter, turned the key to pos 2 and works as advertised.

3rd I pulled the Disco home to the yacht club on a car trailer, pulled out a tarp to lay down on, disconnected the battery and pulled the starter. Ran up to the local store to double check on the starter and was found to be DOA.
I called Napa on Friday and they had one in-stock only 45 miles from the house and the local dealer and they had one also. 4:30pm called the Napa store again before the drive over to doulble check and they do not have one go figure, at least it saved me a drive to find out that they don't have one. Missed the local dealer as it was to late and its Sat.

Long story I know. I will have one Monday and will be back up again. Hope the rain slows to a mere flood for the install. Thanks again for everyone's help and advise.
John