Club 80-90 Forums

Hi hoping you can help or advise. Took the T25 1.9 water cooled to Dorset for a few days on a camp site. We then planned to go onto Bath  but after 4 days of no driving the van wouldn't fire up yesterday morning. Just a clunk. The van hasn't been used as much since i retired from mobile DJ'ing last year so had to charge the battery up a couple of times in the past year to get it started, but once charged it started ok. Drove it around a fair bit last week and the battery was well charged. Breakdown came out and did lots of checks and diagnosed the starter was most likely at fault. I purchased the current one in March 2017 from Brickwerks and probably done no more than 10,000 miles since. 
The breakdown chap came back today to tow start us which worked fine and we drove the 50 miles home to Southampton ok but making sure we didn't stall. The strange thing is the starter worked like a dream when we came home whilst the engine was still warm. I've  tried it a few times since but now its cool 9 hours later its still starting but taking a little bit longer to kick into action. Feels like its struggling and It doesnt fill me with confidence though and have a feeling its not going to start tomorrow. 
Could it be something else affecting the starter possibly? 
I have a leisure battery with split charge and a toad alarm fitted. 
Thank you for any advise before i purchase a new starter but thinking the present one cant be completely kaput.  
Cheers Hammy

How old is your battery?
They decay quickly and the time they hold charge decreases leaving you with a click or clunck.
Needs to be kept charged!

Sent from my SM-G986B using Tapatalk

Hi the battery is 18 months old. Started again this morning.

Update as of 21-06-23. Van has started every day since the first post but with a real struggle. Today it turned slightly but was having non of it. Swapped the battery for a fully charged one from the car. Same model and spec. Was still having none of it. Battery from van started the car instantly and both are fine with lights, indicators, horn etc. 
Guessing its bite the bullet re the replacement starter but with so little mileage since purchase I'm still thinking something else may be at play. just weird it started the engine again after driving home 50 miles from being bump started by the breakdown people.
Any help greatly appreciated. 
 

I had similar symptoms last year. I had random non starts, as in Big Blue would start and drive along, pull in to refuel and then have a non start. But get a jump from someone and it would start up. I changed the cables going from the battery to the starter and the alternator and cleaned the earth point in the engine bay and it made a huge difference.

Previous to that I had a faulty starter in around 2017 and the issues with non starts were way more severe. As in I would regularly be sitting in a car park for an hour with numerous attempts to start and my partner scowling at me.

If you already have a new starter ordered then sher change it but check for corrosion on the cables going from the battery to the starter and from the battery to the earth points as well.

Buy a multimeter and check battery condition and drop when cranking engine.
An earth cable in poor condition seems likely (mine was arcing across to seat rail). Check under seat and clean up any corrosion seen around earth post. Then spanner up nice and tight with a dab of vaseline.
Here's a guide.

Thank you Maxstu and Pleasestart now really appreciate you input. Mine wouldn't even start from jump leads last week but fine when tow started. Will get to work getting these things done asap.