Topic: Won't start - here we go again..... (Read 4342 times)

davidjmiller · « **on:** January 03, 2009, 15:04:35 »

Ok so my 300Tdi auto Disco won't start again on cold mornings. Had this problem last winter, changed the battery and basically everything was ok. i say basically bacuase although it did not let me down again until this December, it always sounds weak on starting. It did not ever fill me with confidence - even in summer. (In contrast my moaning wife's flaming Clio has started every time immediately since we bought it 8 years ago!!!).

So once again this winter after not being used for a few days over a very cold period the car would not start (I usually cycle to work so it can be left all week - poor thing!!) . glow plugs wer given sufficient time to warm, battery sounded weak and died before it could start. borrowed jump cables from neighbour, hooked to said, very annoying Clio, started amazingly fast.

Three weeks later (today) I'm in the same boat except Neighbour is away for w/e. Battery now flat (just tried to start it with accelerator pressed to to encourage fuel flow). So it seems I have two thnigs to sort out....

(i) Get it started. I have no contingency when it fails so need to buy some jump leads (will cause consternation from Wifey as she does not like to share. Note the full stop :D :D) or some kind of power pack. So, should I buy leads or a pack or perhaps both. If so do I need something in particular (can somebody provide a link please to something they have and are happy with - cheers!) I'm leaning towards the pack as I hate not being sulf-sufficient!!!

(ii) stop it happening again. Reading some threads on here it seems bad earthing of the battery coud be the problem. So if I get a jump lead and temporarily connect it from the negative of the battery to the chassis to provide a second earth and leave it there for a couple weeks to the next cold spell - is that a good idea???

Sorry for the long post and thanks in advance for any advice you can give.

Cheers,

David

beast5680 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 03, 2009, 15:54:17 »

if its going flat all the time you could have a drain on the battery, my kids used to flick on the interior light in the boot when they were in there which would flat the battery so i disconnected it
could be draining through alternator as well you would need to test it for current draw when the key is off, but saying that if i leave mine for 2 weeks it will be hard to start which is normal for it

william127 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 03, 2009, 16:24:28 »

machine mart do a power pack for up to4ltr diesels for Â£93.94, the only trouble is remembering to keep it charged :roll: mines a sealey that came free with a trolley jack :)

mass199 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 03, 2009, 16:34:04 »

Left mine for two weeks over christmas went out to start it and the battery is flat. Also the steering box is leeking.

I don't think they like being sat and not used, it's even worse in freezing weather.

Well that's my opinion

william127 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 03, 2009, 16:51:06 »

definatley agree with that mine used to do about 5000 miles a year when my dad owned it, now does 4 times that and never refuses to start,the mecanich comments on it every time he has it :D :D

KingWolf · « **Reply #5 on:** January 03, 2009, 16:55:20 »

Mine 300tdi was left for a week between xmas and New Year and when I went to start it there just wasn't enough power to turn it over fast enough. Stuck it on charge for an hour and it fired up straight away...!!! I was going to see about getting the battery replaced as it's still under guarentee as I feel it should still be able to start the Disco after a few days of going nowhere but after reading the above maybe there is nothing wrong with the battery and it's just normal...!!!! I'm now slightly confused....lol

Mark.

davidjmiller · « **Reply #6 on:** January 03, 2009, 20:04:07 »

Seems to me there are reasonable number of people who have this problem, maybe there's a small design fault that makes it easy for the electricity to be lost.

It reminds of that TopGear that was on Dave 37 times over xmas where the boys spend Â£10K on a supercar and James keepsrunning of electricity!!!

So, I'd be interested to know how mant people on here have a 300 Tdi and do n't have this problem??

Cheers,

David

J B · « **Reply #7 on:** January 03, 2009, 21:34:51 »

my 300tdi was a lazy starter, but not since i bought 2 of the biggest batteries that would fit in the trays and hooked them up parrellel

now i can leave it for weeks and it starts no problem even in this weather

90sam · « **Reply #8 on:** January 03, 2009, 22:03:49 »

Ours is lazy too
And its an auto!
Weird :-k

hrox · « **Reply #9 on:** January 03, 2009, 22:24:43 »

Mines seriously lazy and even though it's used every day i got out in the cold and try and start it, it starts but you can hear the lack of power that is there as the starter motor trys to turn. Last year i had to give up and leave the car in the winter as it would just not start at all and i ended up being late for work.

1998 300tdi es Auto

90sam · « **Reply #10 on:** January 03, 2009, 22:40:42 »

Yeah ours is used daily too
And we have to use the glow plugs like 5 times in order for it to start!
Sometimes 10 in the cold
But its never failed just taken ages haha
Bless them!

freeagent · « **Reply #11 on:** January 03, 2009, 22:59:25 »

I've been having greif with mine the last few weeks (in the cold) I've now put a new battery in it, and I changed the glow plugs today.. when i tested the old glow plugs all 4 were dead.. so i've been trying to turn over a stone cold engine all this time... :(

Yoshi · « **Reply #12 on:** January 03, 2009, 23:52:43 »

My 300 which has no mot started first time today, and has been parked up for 4 weeks, only started twice in that period! lol

landroverkeith · « **Reply #13 on:** January 03, 2009, 23:54:58 »

Quote from: BadgersRover on January 03, 2009, 23:52:43

My 300 which has no mot started first time today, and has been parked up for 4 weeks, only started twice in that period! lol

well bully for you ;)

Yoshi · « **Reply #14 on:** January 03, 2009, 23:57:39 »

Not really, its going to a new home tomorrow :(

muddyjames · « **Reply #15 on:** January 04, 2009, 15:00:22 »

For someone that is hugging trees as I write this post as I am bound to jinx myself now!!! :lol:

I used to have this trouble. I "THINK" I have cured it. My disco doesnt start more than a few times a month. I left it on a farm from Dec23rd-jan 2nd it is started first time. They way I cured it.

I bought a solar pannel off flee bay and wired it to the live wire for caravans in the boot and stuck the pannel in the alpine light. IT trickle charges the battery so keeps it topped up from what ever drainage comes out of it. About Â£5-10 to buy.

Last year I bought a td5 battery for bigger turn over speed. It JUST fits with a bit of pushing in various areas etc but it does fit. Secure with cable ties. It is fine for an mot to use cable ties.

My disco was still lazy even now. then I changed the glow plugs and WOW. So far no problems.

Mine is a 300tdi auto as well.

bogie · « **Reply #16 on:** January 04, 2009, 15:05:17 »

WEAK STARTER MOTOR. COLD ENGINE WILL SUCK THE POWER. TRY IT!!!!!!!!!!!

davidjmiller · « **Reply #17 on:** January 04, 2009, 16:32:02 »

Quote from: bogie on January 04, 2009, 15:05:17

WEAK STARTER MOTOR. COLD ENGINE WILL SUCK THE POWER. TRY IT!!!!!!!!!!!

UPDATE: bought some heavy duty jump cables this morning, went to jump it from Wifey's Clio and ............. nothing. Clicking starter motor and the odd beep from the alarm/mobilisor but that's it.

Have been waiting for RAC man for 2Â¾ hours now. Next time I'll tell them I need to be somewhere soon and not be so honest!!!!

I've got a horrible feeling it's the starter motor but I think I'll learn how to change the glow plugs whilst I'm at it.

David

meader · « **Reply #18 on:** January 04, 2009, 16:40:26 »

ill be very surprissed if you can jump start a landy off a clio small engine and also a small battery i tried it on a fiesta and manged to stall the fiesta from draining to much power

davidjmiller · « **Reply #19 on:** January 04, 2009, 16:59:32 »

Quote from: meader on January 04, 2009, 16:40:26

ill be very surprissed if you can jump start a landy off a clio small engine and also a small battery i tried it on a fiesta and manged to stall the fiesta from draining to much power

did it last time - it fired up straight away!!!

meader · « **Reply #20 on:** January 04, 2009, 17:30:35 »

glad it worked for you as i said didnt work for me bloody landrovers lol

muddyjames · « **Reply #21 on:** January 04, 2009, 17:43:53 »

when I had issues I was jump starting off my rover 620 with a 2L engine and that did it most of the time but then xmas eve 07 it wouldnt start. Bought a new battery for disco and it started perfectly.

So I guess the clio will do the job if the battery has some juice in it but if it is totaly dead you will need to leave the clio running for about 30mins to charge the disco battery up and then try again.

davidjmiller · « **Reply #22 on:** January 04, 2009, 17:53:02 »

Right just had an excellent RAC man here - very helpful and worth the wait.

Car started off his double-batteried van with jump leads about 3 ft wide. Whilst he was here he seemed to test everything. Alternator good, battery good, thinks glow plugs are ok based on how it started. However, starter motor is taking approx 3 x the power it should need out of the battery (320 somethings!!!). New starter required. I think they are about Â£70 then about 1 hrs labour???

He also told me which belt was making all the racket, he squirted water on each of them and listened for the sound to change. New main drive auxiliary belt required. That will be another hour's labour??

Anyway, car running on drive now to recharge battery. Let's see how we get on in the morning. All good fun and games!!

David

muddyjames · « **Reply #23 on:** January 04, 2009, 19:52:53 »

Quote from: davidjmiller on January 04, 2009, 17:53:02

He also told me which belt was making all the racket, he squirted water on each of them and listened for the sound to change. New main drive auxiliary belt required. That will be another hour's labour??

When you say main drive aux belt do you mean the one going to alternator etc? If so this REALLY is a 5 minute job if you get the right belt. If you can cope until end of Jan I am seeing KTM Gordo in Camberidge and I will do it for nothing for you. (as long as your not the opposite end of Camberidgeshire to him :lol: ) All you need is a socket and breaker bar on the self adjusting pretensioner belt.

KingWolf · « **Reply #24 on:** January 05, 2009, 16:03:23 »

Quote from: meader on January 04, 2009, 16:40:26

ill be very surprissed if you can jump start a landy off a clio small engine and also a small battery i tried it on a fiesta and manged to stall the fiesta from draining to much power

I've jump started my Disco from my lttle Clio before - but the battery in the disco wasn't completly dead, just didn't have enough power to turn the engine over quickly enough.

And as said above - the auxiliary belt for the alternator is really easy to change.

Mark.

squaddie_fox · « **Reply #25 on:** January 05, 2009, 17:33:29 »

i carry a spare battery and a set of jump leads in mine! :roll:

helped me when up in the lakes last week!

my old range rover had a twin battery set up and guarantee'd it would only start on the third turn of the key when cold, but then when i sold it, the owner came back and said it wont start! evidently the starter was burnt out.

crazymac · « **Reply #26 on:** January 05, 2009, 21:42:27 »

I had something similar, but when I looked at the battery clamp it was touching one of the battery posts, so it must have been draining through that. relocated it and problem solved :D

davidjmiller · « **Reply #27 on:** January 05, 2009, 21:58:19 »

Cycled to work today (don't ask) so after tea thought I'd take it for a ride. Having been left for 24 h in the v cold it started quite well first time - though still sounded like it was struggling. book it into the village garage to have a new starter motor on it Thursday.

So I go for a bit of a drive to charge it up and after 20 mnis when I pull onto the A14 for the second time I'm up at about 60-65 and I'm thinking - it's noisy..... then I notice it's revving at about 3000 rpm and I can't remember the tourque thingy cutting in at 52 mph!!

Does that sound right or am I just getting paranoid now????

Disco Matt · « **Reply #28 on:** January 06, 2009, 10:11:40 »

Mine has just refused to fire for the first time since I've had it. It's -4c outside and the car has been stood for around a week.

Just put the old battery (which I hung onto to power lighting in a cupboard at home) on charge, hopefully it'll have enough oomph to get it running. Same symptoms as everyone else - engine didn't spin fast enough to fire and eventually the battery ran out of enthusiasm.

Disco Matt · « **Reply #29 on:** January 06, 2009, 13:41:22 »

Plan B. Borrowed battery from parents motorhome and it fired first time.

The motorhome spends most of winter plugged into the mains with a trickle charger feeding both the vehicle and leisure batteries. Given I seem to be able to pick up a trickle charger from ebay for about Â£13 I am seriously considering doing so, as the motorhome invariably fires on the first turn come spring!

News:

AuthorTopic: Won't start - here we go again..... (Read 4342 times)