Technical Dead Diesel - Advice sought

[Arty]

My MK1 Punto diesel is great and it jumps into life first-time every time, when I turn the key, after the glowplug light goes out it comes to life.

Yesterday...My Punto SX TD failed to start! The glowplug light comes on..I wait...it goes out, I turn the key and nothing! No sounds..... just nothing!!!!

I took out the battery and put it on a chager (3amps) over night. The battery is 2 years old and took some extra charge. Put it back in and as above....The glowplug light goes out, I turn the key and nothing again!

Do I just need a new battery (and if so do I need a Cheiftan tank one) or could it be the starter motor or useless glowplugs, etc?

Any sugestions or advice welcome

Regards

Arty

 

[hormanncinq]

Try cheching that voltage is getting to the starter-get someone else to turn the key whilst you test the power at the starter, if your getting arount 12v there then the starter has probably had it. If your getting nothing there is either something amiss with the wiring, a fuse has blown or your battery has died as they often do as soon as the cold weather comes along. I had the same thing with my cinquecento, parked in a car park came back to go home and nothing-that was the battery! also diesels do put a lot of strain on the battery due to the glow plugs which are high amperage.

 

[thefishdude]

sounds like ya battery has charge in it but no power to starter motor may just be a broken wire. or may need new starter

 

[johnstoke]

check your glowplug fuse, my mk2 jtd had similar symptoms, I had dislodeged the 70A fuse in the fusebox, good luck

 

[hormanncinq]

If it was the glowplug fuse the engine would turn over(and probably start eventually). The glow plugs would just not come on first.

 

[marky23]

i had a problem on my diesel punto the same as yours i just cleaned the wires going to the starter motor (the contact bits had a bit of rust on) and it was fine.

 

[prassell]

Also check that the battery terminal contact surfaces are clean and done up tightly. If you can manage to measure the battery voltage right at the posts while your cranking it, the voltage should reduce but only to about 8 or 9 volts.
So if batt. cranking volts is less than 8, you need a new battery
If it hardly reduces at all, then little current is flowing to the starter, you'll need to look elsewhere. If the battery will power the headlamps brightly for a while (5 minutes) it's probably ok.