General Another starting problem

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General Another starting problem

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But I reckon it's definitely the battery as a boost tends to help and it works much better late morning when things are a bit warmer!
Anyway, got it off the motor and on charge indoors (the wife's gone to bed with the right hump).
Just been looking around and it seems that fiat have installed some cheapo tat.
The battery is genuine fiat but it says on it 12v 60AH 380A which I take to mean 60AH with a 380amp cold crank ampage?

So interesting that when you look around the web, they all recommend the 1.9jtd has at least 62AH with a much higher CCA (710 in one case).
In all fairness, the battery faired well these past few years and it is coming up for 5 years old.

Any thoughts?
 
Hi Sludge,
I think 5 years is about it for a battery, they loose capacity until you're driving around on a few amp hours, or they just give up completely one day and leave you stranded.
You could try a full charge, then leave your lights on (approx 10amps) and see how long they last to give you an idea of much capacity is left.
Recommend http://www.carbatteryshop.co.uk/ nice exide there for £66.
The original fiat battery in my 1.4 petrol was fairly economically specified.
 
Thanks for the info, although after talking with a friendly local mech (who is probably reading this (y)), I'm now lead to believe I may have been a bit hasty with the old veg oil. :eek:
When I re-started the blend I noted ambient temps were bobbling along nicely in high single figures, looking towards imminent double figures but these past few days/week the overnight temps have dropped below zero.
whilst this isn't too much of a problem for the blend in the tank it's possible that it's allowing residue on the injectors to solidify thereby causing a slight blockage. I managed to squeeze in 18 litres of BP ultimate and some cleaner to give the engine a good thrashing down the local dual carriageway & things have improved somewhat - although it was just off freezing again the other day & it hesitated for a short while (but not as bad as before).


BTW John, you might be right with regards the doblo battery - I believe it's way underpowered for the size of lump it has to turn - 60AH and only 380cold crank amps. There are similarly sized batteries available with a higher amp/hour rate and a much higher cold crank amps.
With regards to battery age, my last car's battery was original when I got rid of the car - 9 years old & always started on the button..
 
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But I reckon it's definitely the battery as a boost tends to help and it works much better late morning when things are a bit warmer!
Anyway, got it off the motor and on charge indoors (the wife's gone to bed with the right hump).
Just been looking around and it seems that fiat have installed some cheapo tat.
The battery is genuine fiat but it says on it 12v 60AH 380A which I take to mean 60AH with a 380amp cold crank ampage?

So interesting that when you look around the web, they all recommend the 1.9jtd has at least 62AH with a much higher CCA (710 in one case).
In all fairness, the battery faired well these past few years and it is coming up for 5 years old.

Any thoughts?

could it be fuel related after chip fat warms up less viscous:wave::)(y)
 
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Yep, hence my opening comment in post #3:)


my own view is also to change fuel filter see if it improves put some forte diesel treatment in it

think you may have solid chip fat in the diesel return pipes restricting the flow

would recommend changing them otherwise you will get further starting problems

no against bio just bad experiences with it on other marques
 
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