sluggish starting

[johntl]

My car is a 110 hdi 2001 done 170k
just recently the car has started to be sluggish when starting, never had a problem before, had the car 8 yrs
Its had a recon starter 50k ago
new battery less than a year ago
AC delco alternator 40 k ago
the battery is 12.7 v when stood
14.2 v under load so alternator seems to be working ok
any ideas , need to get it sorted before bad weather sets in
car gets a decent run mon - fri to work 40mls/day ???????

[johntl]

IS THIS THE END !!!!
WENT TO THE CAR THIS MORNING WOULD NOT START, ONLY TURNED OVER SLIGHTLY,
CALLED THE BREAKDOWN GUYS OUT , THEY SAID BATTERY FULLY CHARGED, PUT HIS BATTERY PACK ON ,STILL NO JOY !
HE TRIED 24V STILL NO JOY, HE THINKS SOMETHING HAS SLOWLY SIEZED IN THE ENGINE , DROPPED A VALVE ?????

IS THIS THE END, IF IT NEEDS NEW ENGINE THE CAR IS SCRAP !!!!

ANYBODY GOT ANY IDEAS !!!!!!

[jasper5]

To eliminate a dropped valve or major engine problem such as seizure, turn the engine by hand using a spanner or socket and bar (ratchet) on the crank pulley....it will be easier with the glow plugs removed.
If the engine turns normally then look elsewhere.
First thing I would check after making sure the engine turns without issue is the earth wire to the starter, then remove the starter and have it tested.

[frog]

I had the same issue. It turned out to be the starter motor.

Like you it turned over slowly so i suspected the battery at first. But that was not the problem.

My previous starter motor lasted for 2 years (~ 80 k miles)

[johntl]

UPDATE:

WAS NOT ENGINE SEIZURE OR DROPPED VALVE, JUST SHOWS HOW PEOPLE CAN GO DOWN THE WRONG TRACK OF CLUES !!
GOT THE CAR TO THE GARAGE, HE TURNED THE ENGINE OVER SEEMED FINE , WHEN HE TOOK STARTER OFF AND BENCH TESTED IT THE MOTOR WAS COMPLETELY NAKT , DEAD SHORT TO EARTH
YOU GUYS WERE SPOT ON , FITTED ANOTHER STARTER AND JOB SORTED BACK ON THE ROAD AGAIN

SIGH OF RELIEF

PS: THE OLD STARTER WAS A RECON ONE ONLY LASTED 50K !!

[GingerMagic]

GLAD ITS SORTED.
I HAD A SIMILAR ISSUE, THE STARTER GOT SLOWER AND SLOWER UNTIL IT EVENTUALLY GAVE UP ALTOGETHER.
BETTER THAN A DROPPED VALVE..!!

[trem1]

Why are we shouting ??

Sent from my Lenovo TB-7304F using Tapatalk

[PeterN]

If its a reduction gear gear type starter which I think most of them are when the grease in the motor gearbox dries up it will cause slow rotation, a little gear oil in there usually speeds it up.

Peter

[stoker427]

I have had similar sluggish starting, bought new battery, it lasted 5 weeks before leaving car out till late then at time to put away battery died. Got it charged enough to start then back in garage. Left on charge all night , no problem for a while ,then it nearly happened again. Just had the alternator checked and battery today and all is fine , what now, could a cheap starter motor have some effect on this as I know the last owner had similar problems and garage put new starter on, what make I do not know. Help anyone

[steve_earwig]

Could be the starter's missing a few turns, or it could be a parasitic load, something's drawing power when it shouldn't (aftermarket rubbish is always a prime suspect) which is flattening the battery and maybe you're not driving it enough to make up for it (other driving styles available). Do you have a meter?

[stoker427]

Not got a meter steve , what were you thinking of ? I am thinking aftermarket starter but also more to the idea something is drawing the power. Left battery connector off last night and will do that for a week or two and see if it extends the battery life, its just a thought

[steve_earwig]

To see what the state of charge of the battery is, to see if the alternator is outputting enough voltage to maintain the battery, to see what the voltage drops to when the starter's going. That sort of thing.

[stoker427]

I see what you mean, i asked the electrician to check all that, I could see that many things have been turned on in the car to test the output of the alternator and everything is working as it should. If its an intermittent fault then I will have to wait till things get worse he says.

[stoker427]

Battery died again this morning looking at getting another starter but where do you get one ? Who sells a good starter ?

[stoker427]

Found the culprit, took earth leads off from battery to chassis and to starter motor bolt, filed them and copper slip then back together. starter motor spins faster and central locking works faster. To look at they seemed fine .