HDI Won't Start! Starter Motor?

[Cheese]

The saga of HDI ownership continued again today!

Prior to this morning, no starting issues at all. Went to start it this morning, and nothing! Lights on the dash all ok, windows and lights work ok, etc, but it wouldn't turn over at all. Battery light just illuminates. Pump is priming in the tank. Couldn't hear the starter solenoid fire though.

Put a multimeter on the battery and got 11.4v. Put a piece of wire on the terminal on the starter solenoid and it kicked when connected to the battery. Jump started it and it fired up on the key without issue. Had it running for about 10 minutes and planned to take it for a decent drive to charge it this evening.

Went to start tonight and same issue as this morning, even trying to jump start it makes no difference. Tried to hot wire the starter again, but this time nothing, other than the battery light on the dash.

Is the starter solenoid on a relay, straight off the ignition switch, or off the ECU? Looked at a fuse box diagram and can't see a fuse for it?

Anyone got and suggestions before I go and pick up a new starter motor?

Cheers,

Ben

[Sambarker]

Check your earthing. Ecu to battery, battery to engine, engine to chassis

[Cheese]

Check your earthing. Ecu to battery, battery to engine, engine to chassis

Battery to gearbox and chassis are both fine. Where is the ECU earth?

Cheers

[Poodle]

Ecu earth goes to the battery, have you checked the leads with a multimeter?

That battery voltage is too low, enough so to cause starting problems, but she should still turn over...

[Cheese]

Ecu earth goes to the battery, have you checked the leads with a multimeter?

That battery voltage is too low, enough so to cause starting problems, but she should still turn over...

Hi Poodle,

Not put a multimeter on the earth leads yet, only a visible inspection. I was working on the theory that everything else works, so they should be fine, plus it originally started with a jump from another battery.

Agreed the voltage is too low, but I would at least expect the starter solenoid to fire even if there isn't enough power to turn the engine over?

[Poodle]

You're right, it's unlikely the earths will be the issue if everything else is fine. However, it's free to check if you've got a multimeter, so may as well be sure.

Yeah as I said, it should still turn over at least. At the same time it's unusual for one to just die without warning, have you tried giving it a little encouragement (smack with a hammer a couple of times - solenoid can get stuck)?

[Parksy87]

Put it in gear and try rocking it backward and forwards a little bit incase the starter is locking up against the flywheel

[Cheese]

Poodle, agree on the earths, so that will be a quick check this evening.

Also agree on the starter dying with no warning, this will be the first one I've seen if it has, but then it is French! Already tried a couple of decent knocks with a bar and hammer, but a few more won't hurt it!!

Parksy, a valid point. Will give that a go! Concerned the solenoid doesn't even click then it's connected to the battery directly..

[silverzx]

Kind of on topic, are XUD and DW10 starter motors interchangeable?

[Sambarker]

Yes they are