New to both the forum and owning a Rover. Just bought a 98 Disco. Found a lot of good information here in what I've read.

I've read through several threads here to find information on the problem I'm having to see if I could avoid asking questions that have already been answered. I've seen a couple of the same problems - but I haven't been able to find any threads complete with the resolution.

Anyway - my problem . . .

98 Disco will not start. Heavy clicks but starter will not engage.
-battery is good - checked . . .
-fuses all good - checked . . .
-had some corrosion on batt cables. Replaced hoping that might be it. Did not fix the issue . . .
-Cleaned ground connection for negative batt cable and made sure it was getting a good ground . . .
-starter was replace two weeks ago (right before I bought it). Chances are remote that the starter is the issue . . .

- It has a Valet remote start system installed (not by me). Could that be causing a problem?
- I've read about 'spider' problems in a couple of places. I'm thinking that might be the next route? Thoughts?
- I keep bouncing back and forth on the idea of taking the starter off and getting it tested at AutoZone or Advance, but it's only two weeks old and I just can see that being the problem.
- Anything I've overlooked?

 

I had to replace my ignition wires before it would start correctly. They were corroded and not getting very good contact. One of them actually broke off in my hand while I was removing it.

 

with nothing coming from the starter - I'm thinking my problem is earlier in the ignition process. Flawed logic? I'm probably going to pull the spider box tomorrow.

And may go ahead and pull the starter off and take it for testing. Just so I can say for sure it's not the starter.

 

Check all your ground, battery connections and what is the exact voltage at the battery?
You could also have a bad solenoid.

 

will check voltage at the batt. Wouldn't the solenoid be new too since the starter was replaced?

I've checked the battery and ground connections and made sure they are all good.

 

Ended up being the starter. Should have started there , but assumed a starter with 3 weeks in the vehicle had to be good. So after a week of racking my brain and searching - I'm back up and running. I guess the morale of the story is - don't over think problems. Spent 5 days on something that in the end was a 30 minute fix with swapping the starter out.

Lesson learned . . .

 

I thought my starter was going bad on my 97 Disco I. It turned out that the ground connection at the starter was terribly corroded. I cut it off at the ground connection, moved a few inches down the frame, and drilled a new hole, used a deburring bit in a power drill to abrade the finish down to bare steel, attached new ground lug with a self drilling bolt into the new hole. It works great now.