Non Starter overnight

[googlethorpe]

Hi Guys,

My Surf wont start this morning, it was fine up until then. The motor turns over as though its almost flat and wont even take a jump from a powerful jumper on either battery. I dont know if its connected but there is a slight smell of melted plastic coming from the drivers side under the bonnet as though something has shorted, but all pipes and hoses are in place and look OK.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance

Wol

[Dazza]

Try replacing the batteries at this time of year they give up cos of cold

[googlethorpe]

I dont think its the batteries because its been 26 degrees where i live here in Italy and at night its not colder than 18 degrees at the mo.

[pilgrim fan]

Could be a lazy starter motor ( on its way out) or you could check the main engine earth strap/cable. If this is broken the starter would be using some other metal source to make a return to the battery. If this other return is plastic coated the high current required to turn the starter could melt the plastic. A common fault on volvo trucks is when the earth went, it used the metal braided compressor hose as a return, resulting in the blowing of the hose.

Try putting the jump negative cable on the engine as close as possible to the starter, if it starts this could then point to a bad earth. Good luck