Dual Battery Issue, Not starting

[Drift Technician]

Hi guys.

Seems I am making at least one topic a week about my damn 75............

Current issue:

When I go to turn the vehicle on, dash lights come on, glow plugs light goes away, when turning the key all I get is a click, sometimes starts, might take quite a number of times to turn it to start it.

It has installed a ARB dual battery setup apparently with the "smart" solenoid setup.

I have pulled the earth wire off to check that there is a audible clicking once the earth wire is replaced (as per ARB's instructions), it has a decent earth so that doesnt seem to be the issue.

I put a test light onto the two posts on the front side of the solenoid (13mm nuts, larger wires, one is above the other with one wire running to a start trigger or something as per the top of the solenoid).

Off of the bottom post there is a metal band running to a black box with an arrow and 100A written on it, and a post leading off when traced goes to the starter.

The truck was rigged to start the vehicle off the rear battery but I have never been able to get the rear to work so has run the past couple of months off a Optima D34 battery (770CCA) under the bonnet.

I swapped the wires around between the posts, which gave the bridge to the black box power on one side, but not the side the starter cable ran off even with the key turned to the reds.

I am assuming the black box is at fault here, I intend taking it to ARB on the way home from work tomorrow to find out from their guys if they possibly know whats going on.

Can anyone shed any light on what may be the problem, or on what the black box is please and any experiences which may help me out?

Thanks in advance.

[macca81]

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/ftopic180841.php

Sounds like the contacts in your starter, not the dual battery setup, even if the cables were around the wrong way your car will still start...

stater contacts will cause it to just go click, common on landcruisers and hiluxs etc and about $35 S + F'd

[RRover85]

thanks Macca81!!

[Drift Technician]

Thanks guys.

Spoke to ARB today who advised me to remove the starter cable from the blackbox/relay/whatever the damn thing is and put it on the post with the battery terminal running straight to it.

This will ensure the starter has constant power and will rule out wheter it is the solenoid or the starter itself.

I assume that the plug that runs to the starter is from the ignition which is what triggers the starter to crank?

I would assume in a normal setup the starter has constant power running to it from the battery?

[omlet]

it could also be the starter relay, and also the solenoid on the starter. if the motor winds over very slowly but you are sure the battery is good, the starter might need a clean out and as the other person, need new contacts / brushes. If you are mechanically minded, have a play with these things, if not just contact an auto electrician. I'm sure it'll be a simple problem but not knowing to look for can make it seem a bit daunting. One other thing to try is removing and cleaning the electrical terminals on the starter. a bad terminal limits the voltage passing through it. easy enough to do aswell