Starting problems

sleepy0905 · Post by **sleepy0905** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 3:42 pm

As some of you will remember last year i had a problem where if i left the car for a couple of days i needed to charge the battery or if the temperature was really cold again i had to charge the battery for 10 mins before it would start.
Now i thought i had cured this by replacing the following
New battery
Replacement Alternator
Replacement Starter motor
Replacement Battery Leads

Now i didnt use the car at all yesterday today i whent to start the car and you guessed it the battery needs charging.
PLEASE PLEASE can ANYONE give me any ideas .

Vanny · Post by **Vanny** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 3:55 pm

charge it back up then try to narrow the problem down!

Take out all the fuses and leave it over night and see it it goes flat!
If it does then you have a battery/alternator or other difficult to track problem!

It it doesnt go flat then we can start to access which accessorie is faulty and causing a drain! It could of course still be the battery! I'm onto my third in 600 miles! But fortunately they are all guaranteed for 4 years so i can just swap them!

Oscar · Post by **Oscar** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 3:59 pm

Yes it very much sounds like you have a live feed somewhere that is giving you problems. Are there any other electrical issues going on?

sleepy0905 · Post by **sleepy0905** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 4:11 pm

the only problem i had was the clock kept playing silly bugers and going on and off even after replacing the clock so it is now disconnected but what else gets its power of the same feed i will have to look into that.

Oscar · Post by **Oscar** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 4:18 pm

I'll have a look at the wiring diagrams this evening for you.

O

cavmad · Post by **cavmad** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 4:52 pm

Different cat altogether I know but I had a Mk2 Cavalier which did the same. Turned out the boot light was staying on drained the battery quite quickly.
Perhaps charge the battery up and sit in the car in the dark and see if you can spot anything. Taking the boot (load) cover off may enable you to see better.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 5:28 pm

Need to look for electrical leakage. First try a bulb in series with the battery earth and everything off - lights up - you've got a problem. Doesn't light - connect voltmeter accross (in parallel with) the bulb - 12 volt setting - reading - problem.

Connecting multimeters in series for current testing can blow the meter if its overloaded - shunting a bulb means its safe. You can reduce the voltage if its within range - there will probably be some residual but it shouldn't be much.

jeremy

sleepy0905 · Post by **sleepy0905** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 5:28 pm

thanks cavmad thought of that and already done what you suggested.

Stewart (oily!) · Post by **Stewart (oily!)** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 6:12 pm

I had a sticking cold start relay once, but that one managed to drain the battery in a few minutes, your problem must lie in one of the premanent live systems. I would have a look at the wiring diagrams but they only make my head hurt.
Stewart

sleepy0905 · Post by **sleepy0905** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 6:17 pm

they make my head hurt too but looks like i am going to have to get the old books and glasses out and start studying.

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 7:21 pm

A simple start maybe to disconnect the radio and clock. Then disconnect the battery and try just touching the lead back on the battery to see what kind of spark if any you've got.

There should be no spark assuming you've no alarm.

sleepy0905 · Post by **sleepy0905** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 7:24 pm

I do have a top of the range Cat1 alarm with pager but i will disconect it and the radio and try your solution.

(CZ)enda · Post by **(CZ)enda** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 8:46 pm

My bet would be on the radio.
Mine (Philips) is surely a power glutton, especially as I am lazy to remove the removable front panel overnight.
It discharges a 66-Ah battery completely in a week.
But then again, I "wisely" connected the switched cable to be powered even with ignition off to make it play while I wait for my wife to finish her conversation with her sister, so it may be that it is my fault rather than the radio's

sleepy0905 · Post by **sleepy0905** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 8:48 pm

iwill check that but mine is of the ignition acc position so it only works with the ign on.

Oscar · Post by **Oscar** » Fri Jan 06, 2006 9:47 am

I've had a look at the diagrams - try taking out fuses 11 and 12 (I think) beofre you leave it overnight. That should isolate the dash. If that's the problem, the car should start ok the next morning.

Of course, I may be talking nonsense, especially as I'm in no way an electrician. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will correct me if I'm wrong.