UK Car Repair: 1.8TD Escort Starting problem, jumper cable, battery cables

Question
Sorry, Yes TD is Turbo Diesel
I Have the manual and am capable of most repairs
Cheers
Gavin
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Followup To
Question -
I have recently bought the above car (1997 Reg) as a run around. When I turn the ignition it sounds like the starter is building momentum until finally it catches. I tried a new battery but the process is exactly the same. Am I missing something obvious or is there a bigger problem here?
Answer -
I'm going to assume that 1.8TD stands for Turbo Diesel.
Are you capable of performing simple repairs or will this be something you take to the garage?


Answer
Give the starter a work out for about 2 minutes. If it starts, shut it down and restart it again. After that, run you hands along the battery cables and check for warmth in the cable. If one is warm, go ahead and try cleaning the contacts. If not, try flexing the cables. If they feel stiff and crunch a little in the casing you should replace them. If the cables seem satisfactory and show no signs of deterioration I would then use one lead of a jumper cable to ground the unit. Hook one lead to the mounting ear or similar protruding part of the casing and wiggle it a little to ensure a good contact, and then attach the other side to the ground terminal of your battery. After making sure none of the cable is in harms way see if the cable makes a difference. If so, remove the starter and wire brush the casting where it makes contact with the bell housing and coat with a small amount of grease to prevent corrosion. Reinstall and then do the same to all ground straps that are attached to the engine at both ends. If not, your next step would be a draw test. I would try to find a parts store that has a Midtronic's tester. Most parts stores in the USA will test your battery for free. The Midtronic's unit tests the whole system. It first checks the battery, then the starting system, then the charging system. It's the mutt's nuts of battery meters!
I would not try and buy one, their in the $799.00 US dollar range. Try to find a parts store with one that will do a complementary test. If the test result is a high draw... You should invest in a new starter and cables. Cables are cheap insurance against later troubles. Try this and keep me in the loop. Happy Motoring.