Intermittent no start; starter motor signal ground?
 

Hi all,

New to this forum after 1 year ownership of a very clean 2008 LR2. For the past couple months, I've had situations where the car starts perfectly, I'll drive somewhere close and have the car off for a couple minutes, and then go to restart and it's a struggle for the starter to engage. Finally, it died on me last week.

Put a new starter on it, started like new. Had a few great days, now all of the sudden I take it somewhere and it dies! Ended up leaving it in the parking lot, sent the starter back and got a new one. Installed and works perfectly.

I did notice that the signal wire that goes to the starter solenoid is within 2mm of the transmission housing. Is it like that on yours? Seems awfully close like it would cause a short, thinking that is maybe my issue afterall

Thanks!

Sorry, hurt my back, can't crawl under and check today.

By signal wire do you mean the power to the solenoid?

Is the section of wire next to the housing bare metal? If so, yeah that could short out. Even it's insulated that still sounds too close, but the insulation would have to be worn to to bare metal to cause a short at 12V. The fuse is 40 amps, so it's possible that you could have enough of a short to impede starting, but not enough to blow the fuse.

I'd take a look at how it's routed, and maybe it got mis-routed? Also does the connector on the wire look well used or newer? If it's new, it may have been replaced at some point and the wire shortened in the process. May need to lengthen it in that case (do a thorough job, it's pretty high current).

Thanks for the reply @merlinj79

Should have been more specific; yes, the power to the solenoid! The connector that tightens down onto the solenoid has a unique shape which only fits one way onto the starter also.

I'd be curious to see how you've got it routed; I'm not sure of any different way, as there is a stud on the solenoid that has to fit into the starter housing hole.. so it's definitely not upside sound.

It starts up perfectly now, but am nervous that it'll fail me again in 2 weeks and be back to square one.

I'll take some pics also tomorrow when it's done raining here in Maryland!

If my back is better soon, I'll take a look at mine, maybe Monday.


Also... how's your battery? If any doubt, or if it's 4+ years old better get it tested at FLAPS or a shop, these cars are very sensitive to any battery weakness (a tired battery may have good voltage at rest, but an excess voltage drop when crank load is applied can play havoc with the electronics).

Will get the battery tested tomorrow and report back.

Hope your back feels better, I know all about that unfortunately!

Battery confirmed as healthy (and only one year old!)

will take some pics of the connection tomorrow and hopefully get some other eyes from the forum on it!

So, right now it works perfectly? What's the problem? You are correct that the hot wire to the starter only fits one way. Unless the insulation is frayed I would not worry about it.