basil wont start

[scottbott]

I brought the van home yesterday after leaving him in the yard at work,he was a bit reluctant to start but did and was no problem starting when I nipped into tesco's on the way home.Went to start him up get get the wifes car out from behind him and nothing,just a click from the fuse box area,they are heavy to push out of the way and push back again,fitted a freshly charged battery and still nothing,the lights work so do the horn,indicators and interior lights,never had this problem before,any ideas people??

[armyphil]

Engine?

[MidLifeCrisis]

Surely the topic title for this should be 'Basil Faulty'!

As 'armyphil' says, the engine type would be useful information to help people help you.

If you are saying that the engine isn't even cranking over, then it has to be either the starter or the wiring to the starter (which would include the ignition (bit the key goes into) - although the fact that you are getting some clicking relays when you turn the key means that this is less likely, although not a certainty)

Can you hear a click from the starter when you turn the key? If not then the starter solenoid could be sticking (the usual short term solution for this is to give the solenoid a 'tap' with a hammer to 'encourage' it to unstick. There is also a smaller wire going to the starter (that activates the solenoid) that could be the problems (corroded spade terminal, broken wire etc etc)

If you can hear the solenoid click but the starter is not turning then it's probably either the heavy duty wire from the battery to the starter or the starter motor itself; (Note that there is also a short heavy duty cable that runs from the starter solenoid to the starter - this often corrodes and breaks and would cause the above!)

[Ralf85]

Was the replacement battery fully charged? What voltage have you got on it now? Check my battery query on today's forum about my battery for the checks.

Also, it might just be an ignition switch problem.

Good luck mate.

[scottbott]

just going out to check voltage etc,the engine is a 1.9 DG,the starter motor is just over 4 years old,bosch battery ant 10 months old,trouble is it is a bit dark,luckily the wife is going out for the whole day to the horse of the year show so I can mess about all day in peace and quiet,the ignition switch is a couple of years old

[scottbott]

just been out the battery is showing 12.75 volts and I checked for parasitic draw and is showing 0.01 ma,does that seem very low or is that good?

[scottbott]

yippee got him going,I disconnected the wires on the back of the alternator,noticed a bit of corrosion cleaned them up on wet/dry and the nuts,put a thin coating of vaseline on,disconnected the battery earth at the body connection there was a bit of corrosion there but noticed that the earth strap was in contact with paint no bare metal,I wonder if VW relied on the thread of the bolt on new metal for the earth?,anyway I rubbed the paint off a bit and refitted with a dab of vaseline.went to start him up and nada,bugger,I then checked the starter motor connector and noticed that the lucar terminal had red insulating tape wrapped around it,I unwrapped it and the wire was a bit crusty looking,cut the terminal off crimped a new one on them soldered it as well,some new heat shrink on,connected it up and hey presto she started,will wait until tomorrow to see how it goes especially if it is cold tonight

[scottbott]

yippee got him going,I disconnected the wires on the back of the alternator,noticed a bit of corrosion cleaned them up on wet/dry and the nuts,put a thin coating of vaseline on,disconnected the battery earth at the body connection there was a bit of corrosion there but noticed that the earth strap was in contact with paint no bare metal,I wonder if VW relied on the thread of the bolt on new metal for the earth?,anyway I rubbed the paint off a bit and refitted with a dab of vaseline.went to start him up and nada,bugger,I then checked the starter motor connector and noticed that the lucar terminal had red insulating tape wrapped around it,I unwrapped it and the wire was a bit crusty looking,cut the terminal off crimped a new one on them soldered it as well,some new heat shrink on,connected it up and hey presto she started,will wait until tomorrow to see how it goes especially if it is cold tonight ,

[Ralf85]

Result. Rock on mate!