WEIRD!!Electrical ??

[barny]

Hi,Cold and foggy this morning,started car as usual with a tap to starter motor lol,starts straight away but i think i hear a miss,anyway pull off she seems a bit hessatant but seems to clear,speed up out of village and radio goes off and airbag light comes on also other one above it (?)i check the horn as i'm still driving thats quieter also the blower slow and so is the wipers ???Engine is making a tinny tapping noise,i'm still travelling at 60 with no power loss to engine/revs.What can it be ??????Checked battery terminals,oil,water.......the car hasn't missed a beat as i drove it towing another car 2000mls to Bulgaria so why this morning ? :?

 

[rustic]

Can you arrange to use a multimeter to monitor the battery voltage, say plug it into the cigarette lighter, or directly to the battery.
It could be a faulty fuse/connection.

 

[jims-terrano]

I'd be thinking of the battery too.

Jim T

 

[fusbblood]

A quick check might be to turn the headlights on while at tickover. If the engine dies then it would point to a charging problem. If it happened as you say in cold damp conditions it could be something as simple as a corroded earth strap connection from the engine to chassis.

 

[CHASTER]

Hi Barney.
I go along with the battery (or poss alternator) problem theory.
About 18 months ago I fitted a cheap combo digital compass/ temp/voltage gadget ,ebay special from Hong Kong at about £15. 8)
Surprisingly it all works pretty well but the most usefull part is the voltmeter which is digital and to one decimal place. :smile: I connected it via a 5amp fuse to the cigar lighter cicuit and the result is that the battery voltage can be constantly monitored when ignition key is on.
The result of this is that the system voltage can be seen to alter whenever loads are switched on/off. There is the reasuring indication that the alternator is working ok voltage can be seen to rise to above 14 on first few minutes running , then it gradualy drops down to about 13.5 after a few miles.
Also You can even check when the glow plugs are warming up by seeing a dip in battery voltage. Would highly recommend fitting a voltmeter but digital reacts quicker and more accurately than analogue. :|

 

[wildbri]

tinny noise, not charging.....drive belt or loose alternator hopefully as easy fix
....bri :smile:

 

[rossco]

After replacing my alternator you are showing the same symptoms.
Grab a volt meter and get a reading while the vehicle is running, should be about 123-14 volts not 12 or below.

 

[extreme-4x4]

mine does that, and my daughters wiggle the key when it happens

 

[barny]

OK,Tried wiggling keys,belt on alternator good,battery cables and connections good.........ignition lights up but nothing happens when turning key,even when i tap starter motor now !!as before it use to start when i give it a tap......so if starter has given up on me,would that have given me the symtoms i described before ?or have i dodgy electrics ?

 

[rossco]

Sounds like your starter motor, but first:

Check the earth strap on the starter motor both ends and see if it is corroded or loose.

 

[tezzer]

could be a faulty starter solinoid.








tezzer

 

[barny]

OK,Thanks peeps,as the battery good,and no fault codes coming up perhaps it is starter.......but why would there be loss in power and a rattly sort o noise from engine ?like i said managed to do the 40 miles back and parked up for the night,tried to start following morning and just click from ign key,dash lights on.unless there's a few probs all in one go !
As i am in bulgaria i am finding it a bit hard as if i was back home in Wales i could take it to a mate or EVEN NISSAN 8O (they charged me £10 for plastic top on overflow bottle!!)

 

[rossco]

It sounds like power is getting there but not enough to turn it.
Still sounds like an earth problem either the battery terminal or earth strap on starter motor.
The click is power to the starter solenoid, but not turning.

Have you checked to see if your starter motor to see it has not come loose, hence the rattle

 

[barny]

Yes ,one of the members said it could be the solonoid(thats why i said starter) BUT....i'm still worried about when i was actually driving as the lack of power and horn,wipers etc going half speed,rattling from engine etc.
I have checked all earths/live and for frayed /broken wires but nothing!....starter or solonoid would not cause loss of power ????would it?? just a starting problem.........its doing my head in,and the tdi are not the easiest to work on are they...wires,pipes and metal things lol all in the way..Aaarrrrgh :x

 

[rossco]

A couple of questions:

1.Does the alternator warning light at the dashboard come on while driving

2. Does the warning light actually light up at all?

It should only come on when you first turn the ignition switch with the rest of the warning lights.

3. Have you checked the voltage at the battery with a volt meter while the vehicle is running, as it should read around 13-14 volts while running.

4. What is the reading you get?

5. Check the battery voltage after running at night and record your reading and then check again in the morning to see if the voltage has dropped over night.

6. One post you mentioned that you gave it a tap,.
What were you tapping to make it go ?


The reason I ask:
It sounds like the alternator/regulator is not charging enough so hence your dim lights etc..after a while as the battery is running down due to not enough charge.

The clicking sound is the starter trying to move but does not have enough power to engage to turn.

As for the rattle that indicates something loose but might not be relevant yet.

 

[barny]

thanks again guys,
But battery fully charged with household battery charger(still click)
The tap to start car before was...hitting the starter motor with metal rod while reaching through door to turn ign key,did work everytime !?
SO MEANS PROBLEM WITH SOLONOID OR STARTER..YES BUT.

Would still like to know why this would cause the car to run slower ,have a 'not right noize' from engine,dash lights dimmer,radio off,wipers slow,horn quiet.
It seems like some sort of Electrical problem in whole car,checked belts,alternator,earths,leads,fuses....would it be a faulty ign switch ALSO !
Have not been able to start vehicle since i parked up that night so cannot test or hear faults ,while RUNNING.as said i have checked the fault code and nothing comes up and i'm in Bulgaria in a small village in the countryside with 1 shop and 3 bars and thats it...I'M WELL P****D OFF WITH IT AND GONNA SCRAP THE C**P IF I CANT SORT IT OUT.I need a reliable vehicle not a tempramental,pain in the a***e
If it wasn't for you lot trying to help i would of had a sledge hammer to it by now,all the locals got a smirk on thier faces as they drive past in thier 70's LADA's held together with duck tape,,Aaaarrrgh ! :evil:

 

[CHASTER]

Don't give up yet barny. 8)
Roscos diagnostic list looks like a good scheme, but only if you have a decent voltmeter.
From the symptoms you describe it seems that your whole electrical system is trying to run at a reduced voltage. If this were so it would account for most of what you state in the way of problems. Do you have a voltmeter barny ?
I know you said your battery is fully charged and I don't wish to insult your intelligence by asking--"how do you know it is fully charged?".BUT Do you have a hydrometer to check that each cell is ok. Do you have the aforementioned voltmeter to see what your system has 12volts+ when off load and 14 volts with engine running(I know you can't get it running but you never will unless you are certain of a healthy battery voltage and capacity). TRYING to help --- no insults intended' but need a few more electrical facts.
Perhaps you have got it sorted by now---- but if not---- there's plenty more support around here :smile: Keep in touch. :smile:

 

[barny]

Thanks Chaster for the support,you probably know what it can be like,and it;s all the more frustrating coz of where i am!
No i haven't a hydrometer or a Voltmeter,even if i did,wouldn't know how to use one lol,bit slow see !!!
As for insulting me,that's really hard to do....coz i iz thick,but i dont regard ANY POSTS from members as insulting....just trying to help out !!!It's hard for u guys to try to solve my problem by just reading my posts and not actually physically seeing car.
Many thanks to you all for attempting to solve my problem and i guess that's why i had it cheap of EBAY,but the bloody thing got me all the way to Bulgaria towing a suzi 4x4...thank God...now stuck outside house waiting for the heard of cows that pass by twice a day to put some ruddy dents in it or for the goat herd to jmp all over it .... :roll: 8O :evil:

 

[rossco]

Is that udder dents you wanting from the cows :lol: :lol:

If you can lay your hands on a volt meter they are quite easy to use, in fact easier than herding goats or cows

Let us know when you get one in fact you don't need anything fancy just a cheap one will do.
Ask your neighbors if they have one.

I'm sure we can teach you how to use one, nothing like a correspondence lesson :lol:

Once we get the volts from the battery in the vehicle as it is now, then we can work out the next step.

So your homework for today is to get hold of a volt meter. :wink:

 

[Toolbox]

Have you tried attaching a set of jumper leads to another vehicle?