LR3 won't engage starter

[Michael Ames]

I'm a new LR owner (2006 LR3 SE V8). It's a high miler that I am "bringing back to life." After installing a used engine (original had warped heads), it ran fine. Boom, all of a sudden it wouldn't turn over. After repeated attempts, it fired up and ran fine. A new battery was a part of the engine swap. The battery tests perfect. Now, once again, it won't turn over and is in the garage. What is my priority hit list to check what component stands in the way of getting my LR started?

 

[mklinker]

Is the starter clicking? If the engine is seized, you would hear the starting engaging to the flywheel (sounds like a single click) but not crank.

 

[Michael Ames]

No click,....

 

[jwlitt1]

Any luck figuring it out? More than likely it's just the starter needing to be replaced. Had the same thing happen on mine. It didn't have the normal symptoms of what i was used to with a starter going out on a vehicle. I swapped it out with a new one and all was fine after that.
It would have been nice if you could have changed it when the engine was out. Its a real PITA. I've never had to stick my hand into a hole like that to unbolt a starter. It's a heavy little sucker too when you're wrangling it by yourself.

 

[bbyer]

Replace the starter.

I had a starter problem that took me at least six months of fooling around before I got smart and threw in a starter even though I knew it did not need one. Well to my surprise, that was the solution.

I did get clicking sometimes but I thought it was something to do with the radiator fan circuits or whatever.

At long as I kept the truck on a CTEK maintainer overnight, it always started first thing in the morning and then was good for the rest of the day - seemed to be a cold engine thing.

I gather the problem was solenoid related as for whatever reason the LR starters have poor solenoid contacts.

And yes, replacing the starter is no fun - getting at it is near impossible.

Also if I recall correctly the big wire from the battery to the starter also goes to the alternator - dumb design and makes the removal / reinstall even harder.

American vehicles "always" have a small separate conductor from the alternator to the battery; I think the setup LR uses is the reason we have some funny things going on in our electrical system. On paper it looks OK, but in reality, I think it creates odd problems.