Hey all,

DII with approximately 200 KM on the clock, well maintained, replaced alternator, 2-month old battery tested and working great, all new O2 sensors, coils-plugs-wires done in the last 18 months.

Has been slow to start over the last 3-4 weeks, coupled with a slight misfire feeling and stalling in traffic. Diagnosed the stall issue to a bad MAF, replaced and fixed issue. Although still slow to start (on occasion) the only other issue was the slight misfire feeling, recently checked plugs and found One with cracked ceramic, took the opportunity to replace some others that looked a little rough while fixing that. Hopped back in the truck, click, click. No start.

I had suspected the starter motor was going for a while so I am putting it down to rotten luck that as I replaced spark plugs it just happened to go (at least it was in my driveway). I have whacked it with a hammer in the meantime, seemed to turn over a bit more than before but ultimately went back to clicking with a liquid sound on the passenger side (or did I imagine that??).

Am I missing something obvious? Is it the starter or did I do something screwy putting the plugs/wires back on (they are in same order and tight, have double checked).

I feel like this is a hot-topic based on my initial search so please be gentle, just looking to get an otherwise well running Rover back on the road.

 

I have done everything wrong you can do to a rover. Really. Most of it is chronicled on this forum. But the only time I smoked a starter is when I tried to start the truck after it hydrolocked on gas and bent a rod. And it literally smoked.​​​​

I would pull the starter and take it to an alternator/starter shop and have it tested or just hook it up to a battery directly with jumper cables (be ready for it to jump!). But before you do that, move you battery connections and the connections at the starter. They are notoriously finicky. A clicking sound is what I get when the battery is low or the connections are weak.

The water sound on the passenger side... that's a mystery. It usually means low coolant (leaving air in the heater core in the dash) but that would not be related to a clicking starter and could indicate a leaky hose, a cracked reservoir, or ... a slow start after a long sit and the waterfall sound could indicate a leaky head gasket but there's no reason to leap to that conclusion. I'd focus on the starter first.

 

That sloshing water sound could be blocked condensate drain holes for the air conditioner.
You get the these drain holes by sliding under the truck and squeezing the rubber ends of the drains which come through the floor either side of the front of the transmission.

 

Just revisiting this, haven't had a chance to do anything to the truck in weeks and ended up buying a Jetta TDi for my commute. I crawled under today to check connections and snapped a pic, is that red wire legit or some kind of bypass?



As mentioned before, new alternator, new battery, checked all connections too battery and cleaned. Connection to terminal on starter looks a little ****ty, wriggled it and its on there though.

 

You have a hot feed and a ground if I recall correctly. Orielly's stocks starters for d2'S for under $100. I had to replace mine and that's how I found I had a head gasket leak. The coolant from the rear of the block on the passenger side was was dripping ever so slightly on the solenoid for the started.

 

There is the instructions from the rave manual but you have a positive lead that is bolted on and another single wire that pushed on (kinda like the ground wire on a sunroof motor) if that makes any sense. Hope that helps.

 

And it is very easy to change. I did it at a gash station in the bad part of town around 10pm one night on was way back from tailgating an auburn game with my father in law on overwatch with a 9mm and .40 cal (he was a tunnel rat in Vietnam so no fear on my part and I did 2 tours in saudr city on route Pluto n brewers

 

Finally got it done today! Picked up a new starter from O'Reilleys last week (quick jump over the border saves me $100+, sorry Canada). In all honesty, a lot like the Three Amigos I put this job off thinking it would be harder than it was, must have taken all of 20 minutes and I didn't need to remove heat shield. Longest part was taking the 'new' battery back to the store to get replaced as it had lost all cranking amps completely. New battery in, new starter, turned the key after sitting dead in driveway for months, boom, just like new! Kind of, still have a rough idle and P0300/P0301 codes....😒

 

nice job on the starter man. Hopefully you will get the other codes sorted out

 

The red lead to starter is supposed to be a cable. Looks like it was replaced with 12 or 14 wire sometime in the past. If as it appears it will lead to a shorter starter life.
......