I've got a Rover 400 (96) with a 2ltr turbo diesel engine. It's been sat for over 12 months and doesn't want to start. The battery's flat and when trying to jump it the starter motor just clicks. the contacts on the leads, battery and starter motor are clean and the engine of the other vehicle is left running whilst jumping. Occasionally it sounds like it's gonna turn over, but it doesn't.

There is fuel in it.

Has anyone got any ideas?

Get the battery charged/tested before trying anything else . May be worth putting car into top gear, take hand brake off and see if the engine turns over when car is pushed ( Engines can sieze when unused although unlikely ) Check the earth connection on the engine as well . Could be the starter sticking? try tapping the solonoid when the key is turned to the start position . If all else fails take the starter off and test it.

If you can give it a tow, I find its best way too start a stubborns engine, its got no choice but too start if everything else is ok.

I'll give it a go tomorrow. Was gonna try turning the engine using a socket and ratchet, but 4th gear sounds easier.

I know it's been towed before in a effort to start it and it didn't go. May be something more sinister!

[Edited on 18/3/06 by Chris_R]

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Originally posted by Chris_R
I've got a Rover 400 (96) with a 2ltr turbo diesel engine. It's been sat for over 12 months and doesn't want to start. The battery's flat and when trying to jump it the starter motor just clicks. the contacts on the leads, battery and starter motor are clean and the engine of the other vehicle is left running whilst jumping. Occasionally it sounds like it's gonna turn over, but it doesn't.

There is fuel in it.

Has anyone got any ideas?

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Remove the glow plugs before you do anything, it may have one or more cylinders full of diesel/coolant - you don't want to be bending rods

Mark, is that a common complaint? I'd assume that the head gasket would have to have gone to fill a cylinder full off coolant?

I'm new to diesels.

Chris, I've got to get rid of the Cav because I'll have nowhere to put the Golf. The Cav only lost the toss because the Rover gets 50mpg, but I see your argument.

i once flattened the battery on a 200 with the same engine.

(i mean really flattened)

It was a right pig to start, took the RAC man with his jump start battery & his van (with me revving the van) to get enough life into the rover battery to turn the engine.

Took ages, as he tried all sorts, this was desparate last measure (9pm sunday night).

Yeh i'd give the battery a good long charge, I had the same problem with a battery totally flattened this week, it took 5 mins connected to another van with the engine running to jump it off.

A little tip I saw on ScrapHeap challenge for starting Diesels was a hair drier or paint stripper gun in the inlet pipe to warm up the air in the mixture so it was more likey to ignite if anything was iffy with the cylinder.

ok, we had 10 minutes charging the battery pack from his van, 10 minutes charging my car from his van, then both set up in parrallel - yeah we did scratch heads to make sure we got it right, then carried on charging my car and ........

it turned over real slow. Cold weather didn't help. But it turned and started.


Left both engines connected to the battery with engines running for another 5 minutes, disconnected (with engines running, he was too scared to stop my engine!) all the leads, and he followed me for the next couple of miles.

I had it charging for about 10 - 15 minutes from a Mitsubishi Pajero, which uses 2 regular car batteries connected in parallel. Still nothing. Gonna try the battery from my other car tomorrow along with various other things.

If you get it turning over but not starting then the preheat system is the first thing to check , test for power to glow plugs if you have power then remove glow plugs and test with a small jump lead and a battery . DO NOT hold the thin end , it should get red hot in a few seconds. As for a heat source at the inlet ,it works , my dad had a fleet of lorries in the sixties and in the winter some had to be started using a burning rag soaked in desiel held into the inlet manifold .

Make sure you're using good quality jump leads (very thick), it's makes a big difference in how much amperage the other car gets (and diesels need a lot of amps at best of times).

ATB

Simon

Does diesel 'go off' like unleaded petrol if left in the tank for a long time?

Secondly it's been a tad chilly up here today, not sure if it's been cold enough to cause it to wax up the filter?
See Linky

Put a decent battery on it then bleed it through with some new fuel and blow a hot air stripper down the inlet with the air filter removed. If it's been stood that long you probably need a new fuel filter as well as you may be pulling water through.

Funny you should mention it, but I leant on the crappy plactic filter and broke is as I was checking the lead to the starter motor. I've got a nice shiney metal one to go back on. :-)