Defender 90 not starting

[Flipper]

I have a 1987 exMOD 90 with a 2.5 diesel .

Lockdown meant it hasnt been driven and when I came to fire it up not much happened....

I can hear a click (presumably the starter solenoid), when I put another battery pack onto to the existing battery and short the starter I manage to get it to start however its not a lasting solution or ideal for supermarket car parks.

The battery shows 12.84V after charging but once used to attempt to start (and failing) it drops to 9.4V .

Is this as simple as a new battery or should I be testing for something else as well ?

Any advice gratefully received.

[FridgeFreezer]

So it doesn't start on the key with a jump-start?

[Maverik]

Battery contacts check for clean and tightness.

[Flipper]

No it wont start on the key with a jump.

Ive cleaned the contacts and it made no difference .

 

But I appreciate the ideas  thanks

[Maverik]

See if you can borrow a reconditioning charger, check the battery fluid, top up if needed then put through a recon charge, other than that it sounds like your battery is a bit duff. Shouldn't be dropping that low.

[FridgeFreezer]

If it stays at 9.4v for any time at all after trying to start, the battery is toast. A good one will spring back up to ~12v very quickly.

[Bowie69]

Charge it fully, leave 24hrs, should still be 12.5+V.

If not, new battery time. Suggested you check for parasitic losses, as it is quite a short time for it to fail, especially in summer.

[FridgeFreezer]

Even very dead ones can have 12v on them, it's what they do under load that's telling;

Here's the same battery in good condition Vs when it died, with a ~1A load being applied and then removed over a period of hours - both bounce back to ~12v but you can see how the bad one doesn't have the capacity.

[Flipper]

Thanks all - bit the bullet and bought a new battery.

Now it will start if i short out the starter / solenoid but not on the key .. its almost as if theres not quite enough power to start it ... so new solenoid im guessing now ?

Thanks again for the help

[western]

Probably better off replacing the complete starter motor, you will have to remove it anyway to replace the soleniod, a new starter motor will have a 12 month warranty too.

[steve b]

will it start by bridging the battery side of the solenoid to the trigger terminal ? (white red wire)

If not then either get that one reconditioned at a good auto-electric engineers or as Ralph says put a new one on 

cheers

Steve b