Technical 02 Ducato 2.8jtd no electrical power

[Donut1965]

Hi im a newbie on here I've tried to search for s thread relating to my issue but found nothing. Up until a few weeks ago everything was OK but battery did not have enough power to start so charged it. Came to start it again and now I have no response to the key turn at all no lights on dash no noises. Checked fuses near battery all OK. Any help much appreciated

 

[ZaphodB]

Main engine earth strap has (probably) left the chat

First double check your battery is healthy and charged (You got a multimeter?)

Double check the battery terminals are securely fitted.....

Then suspect the main earth strap.

Use a multi meter to check volt drop from negative terminal to anywhere on the engine itself whilst attempting to start (scratch away at the metalwork and really push on the probes to get a good contact)... and report back what you read.

 

[Communicator]

Hi im a newbie on here I've tried to search for s thread relating to my issue but found nothing. Up until a few weeks ago everything was OK but battery did not have enough power to start so charged it. Came to start it again and now I have no response to the key turn at all no lights on dash no noises. Checked fuses near battery all OK. Any help much appreciated

The phrase "fuses near battery" is too vague to confirm that the midi, and mega fuses in the battery fusebox are being referred to.

The presence of this box attached to the battery positive terminal would confirm that the vehicle is a 244, otherwise with the model changeover year being 2002 we are discussing the earlier 230 model.

While often described as a "facelift" there are considerable differences between both models. The model can also be determined bt reference to the first three numbers of the VIN, as well as by reverse gear selection, where the x230 has reverse below fifth, while the x244 has reverse next to first.

So (model) number please?

 

[Communicator]

Main engine earth strap has (probably) left the chat

First double check your battery is healthy and charged (You got a multimeter?)

Double check the battery terminals are securely fitted.....

Then suspect the main earth strap.

Use a multi meter to check volt drop from negative terminal to anywhere on the engine itself whilst attempting to start (scratch away at the metalwork and really push on the probes to get a good contact)... and report back what you read.

To avoid confusion, the vehicle in question is either an x230, or an x244, neither of which have a battery earth "strap".

On the x230, I believe that the engine block earth cable is bolted to the main chassis earth point below the front end of the battery close to the RHS engine mounting. Alternatively on the x244, the main chassis earth is a flag terminal on the main negative cable at the same location, The cable continues under the intercooler and radiator to connect with an extended starter motor stud. This connection can suffer from internal corrosion at the flag terminal.

 

[ZaphodB]

Strap or cable, it's just semantics.

So where are any (other - smaller current) engine items earthed ?

Oil pressure switch for instance... or it that 2 wire?

 

[Donut1965]

From your descriptions it's the x244 reverse is next to 1st gear. The fuses i was referring to are the 2 40 amp and a 60 amp which are located next to the battery.

 

[Donut1965]

I have also checked the battery 14v across terminals 13v to the earth on the starter motor.

 

[Communicator]

From your descriptions it's the x244 reverse is next to 1st gear. The fuses i was referring to are the 2 40 amp and a 60 amp which are located next to the battery.

Thanks for the confirmation, important to know as elctrical wiring differs considerably.

1, What is battery voltage? If you do not have a multimeter, it woud be a useful to have one, but even a small bulb used as a test lamp will a useful indication.
Battery voltage should be in the region of 12.7V.

2. If battery OK, then is there a supply to engine bay fusebox? Carefully remove cover. by removing 2 off M5 nuts (8mm spanner). Take care not to drop nuts as you remove them. Supply from fuse at battery via red cable to M6 stud towards LHS of box. See my attached diagram.

3 Supply to ignition switch is via F03 30A green at lower RHS corner of diagram.

Please note that the M5 cover studs are not connected to earth, so no use as a test point.

If battery and F03 are OK, you should have supply to ignition switch.

From your descriptions it's the x244 reverse is next to 1st gear. The fuses i was referring to are the 2 40 amp and a 60 amp which are located next to the battery.

You have not stated whether the vehicle is a motorhome conversion. The fuses that you mention above are more likely to be part of a motorhome conversion
The battery fusebox is clamped to the battery positive ternminal. It carries one large (mega) and three smaller (midi) fuses, one of which supplies the engine bay fusebox, which in turn supplies the ignition switch and the LHS cab fusebox. (You could say most of the essentials.)

I am not happy about your battery needing recharging. A set alarm system can discharge a battery in a 2 or 3 weeks. Voltage should be over 14V with engine running.

 

[Zapa]

Hi im a newbie on here I've tried to search for s thread relating to my issue but found nothing. Up until a few weeks ago everything was OK but battery did not have enough power to start so charged it. Came to start it again and now I have no response to the key turn at all no lights on dash no noises. Checked fuses near battery all OK. Any help much appreciated

Usually a fault that is typical of a broken ground cable!
The ground cable between the body and the engine block breaks at the base of the cable lug, this is usually difficult to detect because the insulating shrink tube covers the break and holds the cable. Therefore, the fault is difficult to identify, but if you pull the cable carefully, if it is broken at one end, it will slip out of the insulation. If this is the fault, the fault can be repaired cheaply by crimping a new lug. Usually the body side breaks. I recommend starting the fault search here. Unfortunately, such faults are difficult to detect, the OBD does not indicate it either, because how would it know?