Technical Car won't start unless you bump start it?

[benny279]

Hello,

So yesterday I drove into my local town with a friend I was dropping off, (luckily i parked downhill) my power steering stopped working so i did a couple of restarts and did a few high revs to get it to work usually it has in the past... But I left it for a few seconds tried to start it and nothing? I thought at first ot was my cable that had snapped that had fixed a few weeks ago, but that was fine solid connection there then I thought it was the fuel so I left the car walked miles out to get some come back and fill it up and still nothing!

So then I started to panic so as anyone would do I.kept trying to start it and I did at one point hear the starter motor make a noise! But after that nothing :/ So it could be anything? I so hoping its not the starter motor I replaced that this year with a scrapyard one I think 2-3 months ago. And as I said if you bump start it, it'll work which I know starter problems. But I'm just trying to look at every possible cause here hopefully someone could help.

It's a MK2 W reg

Thanks in advance!

 

[Tony123]

prob your battery mate.. when was it last changed ?

 

[Ziggy122]

Ensure all the earth Straps are good - if not theres your problem

If the car starts when bumped or jumped

Its either a Battery or starter motor issues

Ziggy

 

[benny279]

In the service history it says it was changed 13/10/2010 so its coming up to two years nearly, I brought this car early Jan this year. Battery is still under warranty as it has 2 years on it.

 

[Ziggy122]

In the service history it says it was changed 13/10/2010 so its coming up to two years nearly, I brought this car early Jan this year. Battery is still under warranty as it has 2 years on it.

what voltage is it holding when off

And then what voltage when cranking / Or trying to crank?

if there is a huge drop - ie below 9v from 12v, then suspect starter drawing too much and been dead

if the voltage dont change - there is something else wrong

Ziggy

 

[benny279]

what voltage is it holding when off

And then what voltage when cranking / Or trying to crank?

if there is a huge drop - ie below 9v from 12v, then suspect starter drawing too much and been dead

if the voltage dont change - there is something else wrong

Ziggy

Last time I had the battery tested at halfords it gave off 13 something volts when the car was off but while cranking I don't know never did that test. But this was like 1-2 months ago I had this test done and things can change over time. But as I've read if the power steering works half of the time the battery is the blame? So I'm thinking could the battery be dropping volts somewhere to make the steering go off? Or make the car not start?

 

[Ziggy122]

They could forwell be the cause - since cranking to alternator running takes about 2 seconds sometimes, the PS can detect no power = No p/s

Get the battery voltages while off and cranking

Also is it a decent bosch/varta or a cheap chinese jobbie?

Ziggy

 

[s and b]

its possible your battery isnt being charged sufficiently because of a poor lead
i had this on a punto a few months back and changed starter and alternator in a mad attempt to cure it
if i had done a load test of the battery i would have realised it was like a blocked pipe the juice was coming down the wire but wasnt getting through
the culprit in this case was a corroded internally power lead from battery to starter motor but i changed this with a good s/h one but for good measure also put a new earth to battery lead on the car
good as new if not better afterwards​

 

[benny279]

It says its a 063 BSX Battery never heard of it before? It does stick out a bit in the bay, I was told when I brought the car it wasn't the right battery for the car.

Is there anywhere I could buy a very cheap battery testing kit?

 

[s and b]

It says its a 063 BSX Battery never heard of it before? It does stick out a bit in the bay, I was told when I brought the car it wasn't the right battery for the car.

Is there anywhere I could buy a very cheap battery testing kit?

http://www.maplin.co.uk/domestic-multimeter-37279

 

[benny279]

http://www.maplin.co.uk/domestic-multimeter-37279

Ah nice one mate I'll take a nice walk up there it's only about 10 minute walk

 

[benny279]

Done my tests on the battery, here's my results.

Car off = 12.61v
Key to start position = 12.07v

Thats without any electrics on e.g. Stereo + Subwoofer, headlights, A/C etc.

Now with electrics load.

Load = 12.08v (headlights, stereo, subwoofer etc)
Key to start position = 11.83v

Are those figures healthy or bad?