Yet another starting problem!

[rockdrill]

Well that is what I thought as well, besides given the age of the batteries it isn't unreasonable to replace them anyway.

[tintin]

Well that is what I thought as well, besides given the age of the batteries it isn't unreasonable to replace them anyway.

Just got a quote from my dealer @ £ 138 the pair inc vat. (& in stock)


Alan

[stormforce]

just a thought Dale.Give the battery terminals a good clean up and the lead connectors aswell and also check the earth leads are making a good contact.I have done my battery leads and terminals today and it seems more responsive turning over.I let you know how it starts tomorrow

[guysturg1]

replacing the batteries won't help the starting itself as changed both of mine for a pair of 700Ah range rover ones, spins engine a lot quicker but is still slow to start on a cold morning, its like its having to lift the fuel from the tank, i've fitted a non return valve in the fuel line, checked the glow plugs and there fine, so the sensor seems the last port of call at the mo, no fault codes either

[stormforce]

there seems to be alot of surfs lately with the same problem.
The first one to solve the problem then please post up in order to help others

[rockdrill]

Well pair of brand new Bosch batteries fitted last night.

Tried starting this morning and - it looks like it might be success!

Went through the normal routine, wait for the beeper then gave it a whiz - engine turned over three times and fired up, no smoke cloud, no drama and no profanity from me!

Now it wasn't as cold this morning as monday, but on the old batteries it would have been turning over a long time before firing.............

Richard, I did give the terminals on the old batteries a good clean on Sunday after charging them. Will still check earth contacts though.

guysturg1 - I think it is fair to say my old batteries were showing their age. I have done a bit of research and batteries are not realistically expected to last as long as those have. If what I have been told is correct the batteries may still register a healthy voltage but their ability to hold and pass current degrades with time and use. The effect of this being less ability to heat the plugs and turn the engine as energetically when cold.

Anyway this morning it started from cold pretty much as normally as when it was working OK before - will keep you appraised as time goes on but it does look like battery age needs to be considered in the diagnosis as well.

[rockdrill]

Just got a quote from my dealer @ £ 138 the pair inc vat. (& in stock)
Alan

I paid £145 inc VAT from Mill Auto, delivered to my office FOC within 45 minutes of the order being placed!

[stormforce]

sounds good Dale.looks like i may have to get new batteries soon aswell then

[rainmaker]

Hi Rockdrill

when you said that the fuse was intact, did you disconnect it and test it? The only reason I ask is that when mine had starting probs on cold mornings I visually checked the fuse and it looked OK.

I'd incorrectly built up the glow plug power rail post previously though, and the fuse had blown, but all that had happened was it had developed a crack across the fuse link. It hadn't obviously 'blown' like you would expect a standard blade fuse to do.

Just a thought.

[rockdrill]

No I hadn't disconnected, just visual check.

Thank you for that pointer, although it seems to be working much better I will check that anyway.

[rainmaker]

The 80 amp fuse, if I understand correctly (and when it come to electricals I am not brilliant) should it have failed the relay will still operate and the dashboard light will show as per normal, but no power will go to the plugs themselves?

Not necessarily, the 80A fuse provides the power to the plugs, the relay just provides a throughput for all the power for the plugs and will be energised from elsewhere, ie, the startup chain reaction. The fuse could have blown and the relay will STILL energise because its not dependent on the 80A fuse.

Worth checking for continiuity that fuse. Mine looked fine but was actually cracked and needed replacing.

Just a thought

[rockdrill]

Well, borrowed a mulimeter over the weekend to check whether power was getting to the glowplugs.

What I found was when the ignition key was turned the relay clicked on and I got a reading of 12 volts going to the bus bar that connects the glow plugs, when the relay clicked off the voltage dropped to about 8 volts and remained at that for some time, so it looks as if the 80 amp fuse is intact.

Since fitting the new batteries cold starting is better but not what it should be, so my thought now is that the new glowpugs fitted earlier in the year may be duff. The power is there but they don't seem to be heating.......

This morning just out of curiosity I popped the bonnet and gave the lift pump a few strokes to see if it is a fuel feed issue, but no difference noted. Besides, when the engine is hot, if I leave it switched off for a couple of hours so it hasn't cooled right down it will start first turn of the key, so I am not convinced it is a fuel feed issue.

So I think it is either poor connection between the bus-bar and the plugs or the plugs haven't gone the distance...........

[BioHazard]

Do you get a hissss when you remove the fuel cap ?????????

Stein was having starting issues and it turned out that the fuel tank breather was blocked

[MattF]

So I think it is either poor connection between the bus-bar and the plugs or the plugs haven't gone the distance...........

Measure the resistances and you'll know.

[rockdrill]

Do you get a hissss when you remove the fuel cap ?????????
Stein was having starting issues and it turned out that the fuel tank breather was blocked

No hiss, when I had what turned out to be fuel filter problems a while back I drilled a small hole in the fuel cap to prevent a vacuum forming.

Measure the resistances and you'll know.

That will be my next port of call when I can borrow the multimeter again.