HELP A.C slow starter hot battery earth lead charged battery

[stillcool67]

HELLO , I NEED HELP . I HAVE A Aircooled 1.9 VW CAMPER . basic ,danbury ....the starting as been slow for abit .( NOT USED FOR JUST OVER A YEAR ) a fully charged battery ( OR JUMP LEADS )would just about get it started ,so got a new battery , and it was still the same ??? went underneath and found the two wires connected TOGETHER to starter were looseish ( PRESUME LIVE ), so diss connected and sanded cleaned and put THEM back on . >>>> and IT started first time !!! great !! went to it this morning started first time for about 5 mins .then stopped , smell of hotness . the earth wire on battery was very hot ( presume that was the hot smell ?)the terminal on the live was also quite hot , and now the red ignition light is not coming on anymore ? its gone just like a flat battery affect again ( like deadish .)i dont want the van to go up in flames .i live on a hillside in north wales , and a fire engine couldnt get up here !!!!!!! can anybody help ????? PLEASE ,,INFO NEEDED ETC .

[Bert2]

The best thing to do is clean up all the connections including the earth lead where it connects to the engine then try again, my starter started to turn slowly I cleaned up the connections and it started well for a few days then the starter packed in, so it will probably be something to do with your starter, some starters have a bush which binds onto the starter pinion and causes slow starter speed and high current drain so would be worth taking out starter ans having a look there if yours is that type.

[stillcool67]

Thanks sir , will try , is there a earth on the engine as well at the front of gearbox ? ( if so where ?) CAN you tell me if the two presumed wires on the same thread on the starter , should they have a washer between them , to seperate ? or are they ok just together ?.it only ran for about 4 mins fine , then hot smell from battery leads ,then stopped dead , i then checked my big fully charged battery again ,and it had lost 1/4 of its charge rate ,( in those 4 mins !!),, thats taken from charger guage ?? will try again when cive harged back up to full again ,also to see if red light as come back on dash .ps im useless at electrics ,, only good at bodywork . so all help is good ,,cheers dave .

[dugcati]

if your loosing charge in 4 mins with the engine running there could be a short somewhere which would also explain the slow starting and the

smell of hotness . the earth wire on battery was very hot ( presume that was the hot smell ?)the terminal on the live was also quite hot

you describe - I would be looking for the problem somewhere other than the starter if the battery cables are both getting hot as thats suggesting s serious short to me!

[stillcool67]

cheers sir , just dissconected charger , and placed battery back on leads,( i did remove and clean earth lead , but it was ok really ) turned on ig , still no red ig light , just oil which went out , because it started straight away ??? the ig light flashed once or twice for 1/2 sec, i held the earth while ticking over and it doesnt seem to be getting hot now ????? nor the live terminal ?? i will tick it over in a bit, for over 5 mins ...if its still starting then ? and get back to my helpers etc . regards dave .

[stillcool67]

hi everyone just gone back to vw ,,,,battery has been connected to leads for 3 hrs now ,tried starter , but its as though the batterys flat again , ie , just turned 1/2 a turn then nothing ,, ive now put back on charger , but its not flat really .ign light still not on but oil light ok , will try again in a hour .what a mystery hey !!!?? i wes hoping to take for mot on saturday . some hope .

[dugcati]

Just cause you have an ignition light on doesn't mean the battery is not flat - when you turn the key the battery has to chuck out a ton of juice and it's likely it doesn't have enough juice whether that be down to a short or duff cells in the battery.

As said check for a problem - if your getting hot cables from the battery then something is defiantly wrong be it bad earth/dead short, 'thirsty' stater motor or something else

[stillcool67]

cheers dug , i think its starter off hey , now what shall i be looking for , once starters off ??/ or would i take somewhere for testing ? or would i try and purchase another ??? or maybe get new brushes fitted , or >>>>>>>>> whats all that about a bush in the gearbox housing ???? help .

[Bert2]

As I said previous I had simular problems I ended getting a new starter get a few quotes then try this number he will beat most quotes and they are new starters not recon Alternatorsnstarters 07915 822042, If you have a starter with a pinion bush then change this also at the same time

Battery could be knackered also !