Nope. Next on the list for sure. A bit more complicated for me but will have to bite the bullet I guess!

 

OK did a bit more diagnosis.
Situation. Car no start. Dash lights normal.

Tried jump starting from my other vehicle. No start. Which confirms for me that its not a battery/charge problem.

Tried shorting the starter under car. Sparks but still no start.

Tried giving the back of the starter motor a bash with a hammer. SUCCESS. Car started on the key. And then restarted multiple times.

So do I have a faulty starter?? I note there is a bit of oil splashed around that area. Some of it on the starter. Seems to be coming from top rear of engine (TD5). There never used to be. I know no one will believe me, but this engine has been clean and dry until now. Maybe this is connected with the onset of this problem?

 

That sounds like a faulty starter to me.

 

Should I just get the solenoid repair kit or get a whole new starter assembly?

 

I suppose it depends on your budget, technical repair abilities, and age of the starter.

If the starter is very old, just buy a whole assembly, but make sure the quality is good. That way you won't have to worry about it.

Some solenoids can be repaired by cleaning up the contacts, if you have that ability. If you are sure the solenoid is the root of the problem, and you are strapped for cash, just buy the solenoid. You'll get to buy another one if the motor goes out, so not very economical if that happens.

 

UPDATE:

Replaced starter with OEM Denso starter.* No change to symptoms at all. ;-( So clearly that was a waste of time and money. Now at least I have a spare starter!

Recharged battery overnight and got a good fast and healthy start this morning. So I'm now thinking the battery or a slow dischare.

Car does not get used every day. It can sometimes sit for a day or two unused. Battery voltage will drop over this time period. I've had the battery independently checked and they say its good. (=80% of its CCA rating of 800, good voltage when tested and a green health sight glass) I can charge it up to 13.5v overnight. I get 14.5v across it while running. But after a few days of no use it can be down to 11v which is not enough.

Should I just get a new battery? Or do I need to track down what is draining it?


*PS first time ever wrenching on a Landrover. Not too bad except for that dreaded top nut. But once I had the right extension combo on the socket even that wasn't too hard.

 

how old is the battery? I'd buy a new battery and a solar trickle charger. Then if you want to find the drain you can do it on your own schedule.

 

Not sure on battery age. I've had the car about 12 months. It looks kinda new. Still shows healthy green. Good idea re solar trickle charger.

 

Mine will need a full recharge of the battery after sitting for two weeks, and the battery is less than a year old. The solar trickle is probably going to be a good option, and may solve your problem.

 

SOLVED: I installed a new starter motor. And I keep an eye on battery charge. She's been starting up just fine since then. I have noticed that even though the old starter may not have been the real problem, it starts way better with the new one at the same battery charge level. So somehow the combo of new starter and charged battery seems to have solved this problem for me.

Thanks all for your help on this.

(I have other issues now but will post them separately!)

;-/