Starter or battery?
 

Since last week there’s been a delay when i turn the key & the car actually cranks. I turn it , nothing happens for 3 seconds and then it starts and drives fine. Last week this happened 3 times , today it has happened multiple times & the battery light flickers but then also disappears. I also get a low battery sign but that also dissapears, this means that the battery dips below 11v but then goes back up.

Ive been searching and some people say its the battery others say its the starter, has anyone else have this experience?

Try cleaning the spade terminal on the starter and see if it improves.

Regards

For my money thats the starter getting worse until eventually it wont start at all, you can always test your battery with a meter when it is running.

You can buy the repair kit for the diesel starter quite cheaply no need for a new starter

Yes Jay, I've had a similar experience; intermittent operation of the starter motor. It was worn contacts on the starter solenoid; cheap and easy to repair.

However, just to be sure, I recommend that you first attach a smart charger to your battery and leave it connected for at least 24 hours, preferably longer. Diesel engines are hard on batteries.

Simon

Update: i have been driving the car multiple times today and if I leave it parked for a few hours it will start but very weakly, you can hear the engine struggling to start as if theres no power but once it starts it drives fine as it should

Thanks for the update Jay. That doesn't sound like a starter motor failure, more like a diesel engine problem and I'm sure that specific advice on that will be offered very quickly.

Simon

Hi Jay.
Purchase your self a set of these below, spend a nice hour removing the starter and fit them & trouble will be over ;)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MG-ZT-2-0...1/251755645921

I did once have a nice how to but PB ruined it

https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/for...d.php?t=227316

update: It's most likely the starter motor contacts. I have ordered the repair kit ;)

I checked the battery voltage just to be sure and it is also slowly on its way out, I think. However, I am very certain this isn't something new for my battery.

The voltage before starting the car is only 8.9v, when it starts it drops down to 6v and then it goes back up to 12 - 12.6v. So the alternator is doing its job, however I think i'll need a new battery when winter returns. However I am still certain that the problem here is the starter motor because when I turn the key there's a flew clicks and then the car starts & drives fine. :)

The terminals on your battery are corroded.----:eek:

Those voltages bouncing up and down tell you this.

It probably hasn't been charging properly either.

The car goes well with the engine running because it's running off the alternator.---:duh:


Go for the cheap option before spending your hard earned cash.---:D

A low voltage such as this, would normally mean the battery is in fact dead and would not start the diesel engine, not in a month of Sundays, not ever, the fact that your car starts, and the voltage fluctuates up and down means the battery terminals are not making good contact and you are not reading the correct voltages.
Disconnect and clean with a fine wire brush charge the battery fully, reconnect and cover posts with thin layer of petroleum jelly. See what happens now.