Battery

[extreme-4x4]

still dirty connections then

 

[Deleted Member S]

Just been out for a run and here's the readings.

With the engine running 14.20V rising slightly when AC cuts in?
Engine running and lights, blower and heated rear screen 13.7v slowly dropping 0.01V every couple of seconds (is this right)

And 13.8v with engine off and nothing switched on.

Jim T

The alternator sounds if it's working ok Jim:thumb2 Have you checked the earth strap is clean & in good condition

 

[jims-terrano]

Engine will still be warm but i'll look a bit later. Where is the earth strap located?

Jim T

 

[Deleted Member S]

TBH i've never traced mine down from the battery post, but i'm sure it bolts onto the O/S inner wing. The earth strap from the engine to chassis would prob be worth checking but again i've never looked for it, but if I get time tomorrow I will & let you know:thumb2

 

[rossco]

Check the earth connections any where on the strap from battery to anchorage if all is ok and still does it......
Grab a new battery and throw it and see what happens, I reckon you have a plate/cell on it's way out.

 

[jims-terrano]

Right guys this is annoying me now!! I've been too tight arsed to buy a new battery and it's not let me down.
Yesterday wife came to start but it didn't, just turned slowly. I tested battery volts and it was approx 12.7V but there was a relay buzzing under the battery. Anyway left it on charge all afternoon. Then it was reading just over 13V, it then turned over slowly but started so I took it for a run round and it was fine once warm. This morning same again!!. So tested volts 12.7, with a little help I tested with ignition on for the glow plugs and it read 12.2 to 12.1V. When cranking it dropped down to 6.summat. I'm still not convinced the relay is OK but it is surely now pointing at the battery being buggered. What do you lot think?

Jim T

 

[ocelot]

suspect terminals to the starter motor, and earth from chassis to battery/engine.
Clean them, if you have 12.5 or more in the battery, more than likely the connectsions are suss.......... any probs, feel free to IM me. Most boat engines I work on show the same problems unless they're maintained properly. If you have a meter, set to Vdc and check for the same voltage at the starter motor red cable terminal as at the battery, also check on ohms setting, resistance between clean bit of metal on the engine and battery neg......

Dave

 

[wildbri]

Hi Jim, varta batteries are very good, I have the 95a. about four years old. My t2 starts perfectly until we have the very cold weather, when if its not used for some days I may have problems starting, I start it with an old battery I keep charged in the garage. I check the alternator and it charges at 14+ volts so thats ok. Batteries when they are getting old dont like the cold ( a bit like me!) It works perfectly until we get the frost then if I check it I only get 12.2v when cold. Dont forget we have the radio memory and alarm slowly leaking away.

I seem to remember your thread last year about batteries when I was thinking of replacing mine, I never did so I have had another 7000 miles out of it. I would get another Varta if the price is right. regards bri

 

[jims-terrano]

Hi Bri, well I got another battery this afternoon. It's a Bosch with 4 year warrany so should be half descent. I could of got it cheaper I'm sure but it was a case of needs must. However, worst luck it still won't start. I'm not too upset because I never trusted the old battery so at least I know battery is fine now.
I'm now looking at the glow plug side of it now, I'm getting a cracklin sound from glows. I've traced a white wire from buzz bar to a blue connector at front of engine, white cable is then swallowed up by the wiring loom. When I put meter on to this connector it read about half a volt. I've going to try and look at it further tomorrow but I just don't have the time:doh I got a college project to hand in for Thursday so I can't spend too much time on it. Think I'll be taking battery out again tomorrow to get to the relay at the side of battery as I'm pretty sure that's GP Relay.

Jim

 

[wildbri]

Hi Jim, I did some tests this morning which may help you. Tested my battery cold but above freezing 12.2v, switched on Ign dropped to 11.9, engine started and running 14.6v.
so I recon I need a new battery (decided that this time last year but did nowt about it)
but this may help you....... switched on, no noise, after 20seconds I heard the relay in the battery area "click" I presume this is the heater relay, although the light goes out after a couple of seconds. I did this test four times and the click at 20 seconds each time, so I presume thats how long the heaters are on each time you start the engine. regards bri

 

[tezzer]

a retired diesel mechanic once told me when, i was having problems with a td mondeo starting, that i should count to 10-12 after the heater light goes out, then try and start, sorted, first time everytime, most people he said, try and start as soon as the light goes out, which does'nt allow heater plug to reach full temperature, i do this with our t2 and never had a problem starting. :thumbs

 

[jims-terrano]

Thanks Tezzer but even this has stopped working now.

Jim T

 

[lacroupade]

a retired diesel mechanic once told me when, i was having problems with a td mondeo starting, that i should count to 10-12 after the heater light goes out, then try and start, sorted, first time everytime, most people he said, try and start as soon as the light goes out, which does'nt allow heater plug to reach full temperature, i do this with our t2 and never had a problem starting. :thumbs

+1 :thumbs

especially useful when running an SVO mix I find.

 

[jims-terrano]

Bugger me she started first turn of key this morning, the starter was nice n fast not slowly like at the weekend too:doh

Jim T

 

[Toolbox]

I changed my battery last week. Cold mornings the engine was turning over real slow, ok when not near to freezing. Tested the old battery and it tested out to be 85% health good and pass..
Having never had a new battery in my 4 years of ownership and not knowing when or even if it had been changed before that, I fitted a new one. Its now turning over like a good one even with ice all around lol. Just goes to prove that she needs every last amp on a cold morning.

 

[rayf3262]

These batteries are good, if a little expensive though:

http://www.optimabattery.co.uk/english_optima/red_top_optima.htm

Ray

 

[Timbo_1975]

Well my battery is giving me trouble again so I'm cutting my losses. Put it on charge last night at about 11 o'clock and off again about half 7 this morning. Cranked over good and strong this morning so I drove to work about18 miles. Came out to start car at lunch time and it would hardly turn so I just got it started. I've worked out that if I drive around with nothing on (ohh her mrs) like the blower or radios then it seems to cope but as soon as I've had blower on for my trip it seems to flatten it. It's annoying because the current battery is only just over a year old and last time I took it back the guy was adament that there is nothing wrong with the battery.

Anyway I can get a Varta Battery 95amp for £80 locally with a 2 year warranty.

Am I doing the right thing by getting this new battery and are Varta's any good?


Jim T

Check your charging voltage engine running at 1200rpm before buying a new battery... Should be 14.2v at least engine running, with lights / blower fan on.

Battery should settle at 12.5v minimum after standing for 2hrs.

 

[jims-terrano]

Well my post about the Varta battery was quite an old part of this thread. The voltages are exactly as you described. However this said I was never happy with that battery so last weekend I did fit a new Bosche battery for peace of mind, yesterday I fitted the new glow plug relay. Just like Wednesday she starts fine, I took her for a good 20mile run yesterday morning. When I got back home I turned blower off and anything else that would make a noise, turned ignition on and listened under bonnet and sure enough the hissing crackling noise is still there so god knows what that is but it cant be heater plugs as they wouldn't of been on with the engine so hot.

Anyway wife went out in it last night and she complained that she could here a noise when she started it, it started fine and tunred over quick enough. She said that the noise was like when you turn key to start with the engine already running. Now until I've been out in it today and hear noise for myself I'm not going to worry too much.

I'll update this thread and let you know how I get on.

Jim T

 

[jims-terrano]

Well my love affair with my Terrano has ceased!!!! I'm skint and I can't afford to replace her either.
Just been out in her and it was fine, I heard the noise wife was on about. It's like an extra wine possibly from starter when you release the key. Stopped the car to unload down the drive then came to start her up again to reverse all the way down and guess what? the flippin thing wont start again. Turns over really slowly and just wont take at all.

Jim T

 

[Timbo_1975]

Def sounds like a buggered starter. They are often worse hot than cold sometimes!