Technical Another starting issue

[Scudmonkey]

Drove the car last night and it was fine, parked up on the drive and shut down no problem. This morning car tries to turn over but wouldn't as if the battery was flat. However the Battery has a full charge and car bump started no issue. Went for a long drive got everything up to temperature everything working fine. Got home switched off and then turned the key to try again and got exactly the same problem. Tries to turn over but does so really slowly (not enough to fire) and then shows all the systems of a flat battery again.
Put a set of Jump leads on and tried again and same issue. Any ideas ?

 

[judderbar]

sounds like gear box earth has fallen off or starter bolts are loose. Something is preventing high current flow to starter

 

[Scudmonkey]

will check that in the morning, just bump started car to get home from work and turning the key now doesnt make starter turn over at all

 

[puntodad19]

As said, check the main earth lead.

Check charging rate of the alternator as well. Low tech check, park car near wall, start engine and leave idling, turn on headlights main beam, rev engine slightly and see if lights "grow" a bit brighter. This is old school, but alternators are controlled via ecu these days so this test may not work that well.

Get voltmeter, leads across battery and meter set to say 20v dc. Engine running at idle, rev engine a bit and voltage increases to say 14.7v dc max, even with load. You may hear the alternator charging once you know the sound.

Not really cold yet but its coming to the time of year were failing batteries die.

Engine off, voltmeter across battery, crank engine. What does the voltage across the battery drop down to?

Below 9 1/2 volt ( more like 10 volt these days due to ecu/fi needs etc. ) then new battery time.

Halfrauds used to do a free battery check........

check the main earth lead first.

any/many ofd the bulbs failing and/or going black inside??

strange smell like rotten eggs ( not from exhaust as that's the cat etc. ) ?

 

[Scudmonkey]

Old school like me LOL....Yeah the headlights brighten slightly when you rev, it was dark when i finished work last night and i did that check then , bulbs are all fine.
Bump starts and runs fine no problem also no alternator light on when car is running. Going to check the earthing in a bit

 

[Brendan W]

Put a set of Jump leads on and tried again and same issue. Any ideas ?

Depends on where you put the jump leads and how good a contact they got.
Assuming contact was good.... many are pure junk
If you put them direct to the battery it still could be the earth strap.
If you put the earth lead on the block lifting eye for example then you have bypassed the earth strap and it would point to a lazy starter motor.
Didn't this car have the earth lead replaced last year?

 

[Scudmonkey]

Depends on where you put the jump leads and how good a contact they got.
Assuming contact was good.... many are pure junk
If you put them direct to the battery it still could be the earth strap.
If you put the earth lead on the block lifting eye for example then you have bypassed the earth strap and it would point to a lazy starter motor.
Didn't this car have the earth lead replaced last year?

Used these Jump Leads before with no issue. Yes the Earth Jump lead was connected to the block not the battery, plus a few months ago I put a new Earth lead on the Battery so pretty sure it isn't the Earth, have also put in a new battery (The green thingy wasn't showing in the other one). Checked all the leads and connections yesterday and all seems to be connected ok. Turning the key now produces nothing at all, Starter isn't doing anything now not even turning over slowly doesn't even click so starting to think maybe the starter has died.
Spoke to a mechanic friend of mine and he thinks it's the starter too so have put the car in the Garage with him this morning. (Rains too much in Wales to be scrabbling around under the car in the open to change the Starter)

 

[puntodad19]

Believe me it rains much much more in Snowdonia!!

 

[Brendan W]

I opened the windows to let a bit of condensation out earlier today and then forgot the windows were open

 

[Scudmonkey]

an update,
Car is sorted, Starter motor was the problem. Typical Italian Electrics, 15 years on the car and then packs up