Any auto sparkies? Im confused!

[monkeymark]

Ok so my car struggles to start, only been doing it a week, since windows were tinted.
Seems like flat battery, struggling to turn over.

Checked amps to see whats draining it but shows as 0.09mA when idle though can't check with alarm on.

Funny thing is battery shows 12.7v which should mean fully charged or thereabouts. But the one I took off a couple days ago was 11.6. Engine running gives 14.4 so alternator is working.


Any ideas? Could the starter be on its way out?

 

[ajlelectronics]

What voltage do you when cranking?

 

[madkayaker]

Could be battery just because there is volts no load doesn't give current under load. Most tyre spots have a drop tester to measure under load. Also check condition of connections and if you can cable old slit cable can corrode internally

 

[rtbcomp]

After attempting to start it have a careful feel of the battery connections and the starter motor & its connections for high temperatures, this would indicate a bad connection.

 

[normspanners]

What car petrol diesel?

 

[anjum]

It's a well known fact that the battery is drained by tinted windows, that's because the use a certain amount of power to make the car cooler. This is offset by the embarrassment of people looking at you when the car is struggling to start, but they can't see you anyway!! Just drive with sunglasses, silly hat and a moustache.

But seriously, get the battery down to a local motor factors and get it tested. It's free and rules out one possibility. Or borrow a known good one and see if that cures it.

Also check the connections to the starter, earth leads etc. are good.

 

[monkeymark]

Thanks for all the help, what a great bunch!

Right then, lets answer some of the questions.

It's a diesel. The battery is inside the cab and as such the battery terminals are nice and clean, as is the neg to chassis, but ill check neg to gearbox and starter connections if I can get to them, git to work on.

Didn't check under load or for cable temps but I will try them.

Using a second battery as of yesterday and it did the same this morning, had to roll it down the hill to start, so dont think its that but I'll get them tested.

After going through all the fuses the alarm went funny , lots of central locking clicking etc, put battery on charge (not for long) while I welded the exhaust and the next time it started fine, maybe its reset something?!

See what its like in the morning and keep a spare on charge just incase.

 

[AndyStobbs]

Check resistance from battery poles to engine (for negative) and to starter motor (for positive). Anything over 1ohm and it could be better - make sure you test on clean metal.
You could bypass the bonnet switch to check with alarm on (assuming this is your stumbling block).
Once had a battery on an x-type that would start the vehicle 9 times out of 10, but then fail randomly. Replacement battery cured it, but if you're borrowing batteries and still having the same issue it could well be the starter motor.

 

[pedrobedro]

Check the engine to body earth as well and add a good one in from a starter motor bolt just for good measure.

 

[ajlelectronics]

Once you have a cranking voltage, it will be easier to diagnose it.

 

[normspanners]

Thanks for all the help, what a great bunch!

What a bit like bananas not sure if we are bent or straight start off a little green then turn yellow and end up a mushy mess as soon as someone turns up the heat? THANKS!!!
If the battery is in the cab I hope its not a tranny coz if it is you DO NOT bump trannies coz it makes the timing chain jump teeth, Also if it is a tranny they suffer from oil thickening and reducing cranking speed mostly in the winter but can happen in the summer also.

 

[madkayaker]

Also don't try bump starting td5 Landy with flat battery it does not work the engine management doesn't let you

 

[ajlelectronics]

Just out of interest, the BMW K1200LT had an interesting feature... Try starting with a low voltage battery and the solenoid contact would weld. I believe they modded the later ones. It happened to mine just the once.

 

[the snooper]

if you can, disconnect the battery overnight and that should give you an indication whether something is draining it

 

[PTvor]

Thanks for all the help, what a great bunch!

Right then, lets answer some of the questions.

It's a diesel.

Does the engine turn as energetically as it used to or is it obviously slow?

I'd suspect the glowplugs if it has them.

 

[the snooper]

Ok so my car struggles to start, only been doing it a week, since windows were tinted.
Seems like flat battery, struggling to turn over.

Checked amps to see whats draining it but shows as 0.09mA when idle though can't check with alarm on.

Funny thing is battery shows 12.7v which should mean fully charged or thereabouts. But the one I took off a couple days ago was 11.6. Engine running gives 14.4 so alternator is working.


Any ideas? Could the starter be on its way out?

Does the engine turn as energetically as it used to or is it obviously slow?

I'd suspect the glowplugs if it has them.

 

[monkeymark]

No its not a transit, or a landy, or a BMW. Tis a Citroen.

Any yes, your all bananas with a mushy middle!

 

[julianthegypsy]

Ah, citroen electrics. Verily they surpass all understanding! I'd check glow plugs too if it has them any absolutely any connections to anything you can find, especially the cpu and any other electronic boxes you can find. My berlingo regularly lost its dashboard. I tested everything I could find and found nothing. Eventually had an auto electrician pull everything apart. He too found nothing, put it all back together and it worked. For a few months...

 

[ajlelectronics]

Or you could simply tell us what the cranking voltage is, before I lose interest in trying to help.

 

[500e]

French wiring