Outer Limits 4x4 Board

I just got back from camping trip. On the first night we found a camping spot at about 9 o'clock so we had little light so i thought i'd leave my headlights on while we set up the tents. I flattened the battery because i had my XGT's on too. I left it till the morning to get a jump start from my mate. it took us around half an hour for my car to start (the battery was charging very slowly....? / the terminals on my mates battery had some sort of coating for protection) but it started fine after that.

For the rest of the day my car started fine and charged fine. the voltmeter was showing normal readings even after some heavy mud driving (in the rain). the next day went out for some more mud driving and the car was starting fine and charging fine then too. after this i drove back to melbourne (around 2 hours drive) and parked my car at a mates house. 5 minutes later i went to start it and the motor WOULD NOT TURN OVER. It was glowing fine and every thing but the starter motor would NOT kick in. The in cab voltmeter was showing normal readings at all times but obviously there was a less significant voltage drop when i turned the key to start it. I even checked the battery voltage with a mutlimeter and it read around 12-13 volts with the ignition on and off)


I tried jump starting it again for around half an hour (charging the whole time from my mates navara) but the starter motor just would not turn. Luckily i was parked on a very slight hill and had alot of mates around so we were able to ROLL START IT and it started absolutely fine. THEN i realised i had about 20kms of fuel left in my tank so i would have to stop again and turn it off!

so half an hour later i stopped and got fuel and went to start it again and it wouldn't turn first shot BUT it did start third shot!

When i turn the key from "ignition" to "start" i can hear one solenoid click but i am almost certain this is the glow plug relay. after this click i can hear a really small grinding/weird noise. this could be the starter motor spinning free?

My guesses would be the brushes in the starter motor OR the starter motor solenoid is faulty OR the "clutch" that engages the start motor is not doing its job.

ANY sugggestions as to the cause of this problem would be helpful!

cheers,

Luke.

Clean your battery terminals first.

What voltage is it drawing while cranking? Anything under 10.2 & you are then looking at a starter.

The clicking could be your glow plug relay, and the whirring sounds like the fuel control motor resetting it's position.
If your voltmeter isn't dropping to zero when you try and start, it's probably not your battery terminal - but that's worth checking anyway.
Check the thin black wire on the top of your starter - if it's not making good contact with the terminal (stud with 10 or 12mm nut) then the starter solenoid won't engage, and what will happen is what you're describing. Just try loosening the nut, wiggle the wire a bit and retighten.
If you've been through water and mud recently, that could be causing a bad connection here.
Failing that, it could be the starter itself.

What they said!!!!!!! Easy fix at the servo, Just don't turn it off. I never do, My bad

Skele wrote:after some heavy mud driving (in the rain). the next day went out for some more mud driving and the car was starting fine and charging fine then too. after this i drove back to melbourne (around 2 hours drive) and parked my car at a mates house. 5 minutes later i went to start it and the motor WOULD NOT TURN OVER.

Mud in the starter motor + time to dry out = no starter motor

your alternator has probably got the same disease

V8Patrol wrote:

Skele wrote:after some heavy mud driving (in the rain). the next day went out for some more mud driving and the car was starting fine and charging fine then too. after this i drove back to melbourne (around 2 hours drive) and parked my car at a mates house. 5 minutes later i went to start it and the motor WOULD NOT TURN OVER.

Mud in the starter motor + time to dry out = no starter motor

your alternator has probably got the same disease

I hadn't thought of the drying out part! Very good theory!

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

It seems to be starting fine now, so ill give the alternator and starter a good wash out and hope that all is well.

Cheers