starter wont work when mounted on truck
 

I have a 94 disco1 rover that i just bought used. It has 190k on it. the car died a few times while in drive while slowing to a stop then wouldnt start up. after a few hours of effort we get it to start then drive it for maybe 20 minutes then we turned it off and it wouldnt start up again. we replaced the distributor cap and rotor and got it to start up again but then drove it around for 10 minutes or so then turned it off. we couldnt get it to start up again and finally the ignition wire to the starter arched a few times. we put on a new starter and it wont engage once hooked up to the truck even with a power probe. we can get the starter to spin while its off the truck but once we hook it to the hot and ground on the car it wont do anything. we've tried a 2nd new starter and that had the same problem. then we put the original starter back on and it now wouldn't engage either. is this an ignition problem, a grounding issue, or what?

Have you checked power at the big red cable at the starter?, when you turn the key to start do you get power at the small wire on the solonoid?

Are you stick or auto?

Checked fuses?

Iirc there is a braided ground from frame to starter bolt

Will the truck crank but not fire? Or will it not even crank.

yup we have power on the red cable and to the solenoid, its auto, the fuses look good inside and out except the security system fuses have been removed by the previous owner. there is a ground to the frame from the starter.

wont even crank. once you turn the key nothing at all

You got the solonoid wire in the correct stud on solonoid?


So when you turn the key to start the little solonoid wire gets no power?

Try in neutral

Fuses missing from security, wonder if the security disabled it?

finally found the problem. the signal wire had burnt up to the point it would only intermittently give charge. replace the signal wire and fired right up.
thanks guys