My 2004 TD6 has decided to stop starting. I think i remember a tiny lag in the last few weeks between turning the key and cranking starting and now this. I've also had battery drain however i have tested the car with jump leads and it's no different.

The key unlocks the steering column and all lights on the dash come on as usual.

There is a click when you turn to the 3rd position but no cranking.

I have tested the black wire to the starter solenoid (smaller one, ignition key feed if i'm not mistaken) and i'm getting readings in the mV with ignition in '2' and 12.6v (with jump leads connected) when key held in '3 - crank'. The solenoid sounds to be firing but no cranking commences. To me this rules out the ignition switch problem?

I have tried bridging between the two poles on the starter and easily get the solenoid firing however no cranking (it did do a few turns very lazily a couple of times out of all the tries).

Does this sound like the actual starter itself has died or am i forgetting something else worth testing? I don't want to remove my knuckle skin and hurt my back for no reason changing it!

Thanks!!

Did you measure at the starter connections? is there voltage if you go on III?

At which connection? The big one has a constant R wire from the battery and the other is the small one (from ignition switch/immobiliser) which does go to 12v when turned to III.

Are you sure you have a good battery holding a full charge? How old is it.
Have you checked he battery connections and body earth connections are clean and tight?
Have you checked the connections onto the jump start post are clean and tight?
Have you checked the battery connection to the starter are clean and tight?.
When you jump started where did you connect to on your car? Was the engine on the donor vehicle running?
I ask the above as starter motors failing on td6's don't seem to be a common problem. Could obviously happen though.
What's the mileage on your car?
Might be worth connecting a jump lead between the engine block and battery earth and try and start it to rule out engine earth problem.

The battery may not be perfect, it is a year or so old but have suffered some flat batteries recently with the cold weather and cabin pre-heater, however with jump starting (other car running) i hoped i was ruling it out.

With the jump start i was connecting to the positive jump start terminal and body earth (atop the suspension tower) and directly to battery on the other car. The reading across my battery was 14.2v with the jump start car connected.

All connections look clean and tight but i will go and have another look.

My car has done 192,000 miles.

When i turn to position III to crank i don't get a dead dash or anything as if i had a low battery and tried to start the car - it's just as if the starter isn't drawing power.

Is the starter earthed to the engine block via physically being connected? If so surely my reading of 12v at the connections in III mean it has to be the starter at fault?

The starter is earthed by the fact it is bolted onto the engine block.
From what you describe your problem does seem to be starter related, although I'm a bit reluctant to suggest you need to change it, it's not my cash and time after all.
By starter related I mean it could equally be the starter solenoid not necessarily the starter itself.
Although you get a click on trying to start it could well be the solenoid contacts are not making a good connection due their condition.
Not sure on these cars, can the solenoid be removed and checked or be replaced?
I think you should also be able to put a temporary 12V feed direct onto the starter motor terminal bypassing the solenoid.
I would have to have a look on mine but unfortunately the sun isn't shining at the moment.☔️

Starter on my TD6 failed at around 180k miles.
Starting seem to get slower and slower like a weak battery and then just didnt start and only a click.
This degradation was over many months.
I also had a battery drain for a while from the bluetooth module so one issue masked the other.
I got a repalcement second hand on ebay from an X5. parts are identical but X5 prices are a lot less.
I think i paid £30.

part is easy to swap.

I've pulled my battery out to try my luck getting it changed FOC at ECP due to it being only 2 years old. It's reading 12v out of the car which is definitely low but whether they'll change it for me is another question. The car was charging at 14.1v when running.

Solenoid wise i do get a click so i had assumed it ok - maybe it's that or the starter... either way i could change it as a unit and hope. A starter seems to be available from £80 on ebay new.

How would i give power directly to the starter itself?

you just need to apply battery voltage to the output of the solenoid to the motor.
That will tell you if the starter spins over with given voltage.
might be fiddly getting a jump lead in there though.

just read above youve already bridge the connection on the solenoid and the starter spun a bit but diddnt fire over like youd expect.
sounds to me like the internals of the motor are knackered @195k i dont think thats too bad.

^ +1 Have to agree

I did get a new battery - well done ECP on the warranty. They didn't even test it which was nice. There list price for this bosch is now something like £350.

It however produced the same result so it must be the starter. I'm not looking forward to changing it - any tips?

nice new battery is always helpful!

its a simple job.
remove battery lead, remove pollen filter housing.
then its easy to do it all just lying on top of the engine.

All sorted... Very quick postage from the eBay starter motor £80 next day. Its a smaller body unit presumably from a different stock.

Fitted with new battery and it now spins over (and starts!) like a madman.