Dead battery?

Post by **Balaclava** » 15 Jun 2007, 09:19

My battery has gone flat. Is something draining it or has it just come to the end of it's natural?
The other day I drove all around town and could smell some rubber burning and the alternator belt was doing some squealing. No red light came on the dash and it seemed to settle down. I have been having trouble with belts lately.
Anyway, I drove down to the garage to fill up the other day. Everything seemed fine and then it wouldn't start. I got a mate to jumpstart me and he suggested getting a new battery. I have done that and am about to fit it.

I'm just worried that something will drain the new battery as well. After my mate jumpstarted me I drove for a while and noticed that it was overheating. The red light for overheating started to flicker on and off. Well I drove straight home without a problem but now I'm wondering what made it overheat? Does this happen when the battery is dead?

When I got home I switched off and then tried to start again. Nada. Nought. Dead. So the battery didn't charge as I was driving yet the red alternator light didn't come on so I presume the alternator is working ok with the belt in it's proper place. Dead battery. Is that all it is?

Post by **tonytech** » 15 Jun 2007, 09:32

Air cooled? Water cooled?
Petrol ? Diesel?

Post by **Mocki** » 15 Jun 2007, 09:56

so you have a flat battery, could smell burning rubber and its over heating?

sounds like a fan belt problem to me, even a seized water pump or alternator burning the belt out....... check all the above.......

tt aircolds don't have a red light to flash in the temp gauge they don't have!

posted mobile from me phone

Post by **tonytech** » 15 Jun 2007, 10:46

Mocki wrote: aircolds don't have a red light to flash in the temp gauge they don't have!

posted mobile from me phone

Post by **Balaclava** » 15 Jun 2007, 23:40

It's deisel, water cooled, turbo.

I put in a new battery and of course it started ok but as I drove along the red light on the dash started to flicker. That bleedin' alternator is just not charging. Belt must be slipping. Overheating has stopped.

I've found a great guy who works only on transporters in his garage. He's going to work on it in the morning. Don of Georges Road, Holloway just off the Caledonian Road.

One thing he did do was check to see if a charge was going into the battery as the engine idled.The needle on his meter swung over when he held it on the alternator end but when he placed it on the wires going into the battery there was nothing. Could I just have a faulty connection? Loose wireing? I did notice a wire loose coming from the front of the vehicle that wasn't connected to anything.

Post by **Balaclava** » 16 Jun 2007, 21:25

Just to round off this thread in case anyone has had a similar problem.

Opend up the alternator and found that the brushes had worn, already, supposed to have been a re-conditioned one. Cost me sixty quid two months ago.
Also I had put the bolt holding the alternator on the wrong way round causing the belt disc to be slightly lop sided making the belt run funny or slip. Worth remembering next time.
Everything works fine now.

Except for one wire that is coming from the front over the top of the engine. It's loose and I haven't a clue where it is supposed to be connected to. I wonder what it does? maybe I should take a icture and put it on here. Manana.

Post by **Westy.Club.Joker** » 17 Jun 2007, 20:53

What colour is the wire? That`s a good indicator of where it`s come off, that`s why they use different colours

Post by **Balaclava** » 17 Jun 2007, 21:06

I'll have a look in the morning!!

(I think it's blue)

Post by **andysimpson** » 17 Jun 2007, 21:12

Balaclava wrote:I'll have a look in the morning!! (I think it's blue)

Blue is the wire which puts the alternator light on, that will be why the light does not come on.

Post by **Balaclava** » 18 Jun 2007, 16:47

The wire is black like all the other wires! Has a blue metal tip though.

Post by **Balaclava** » 18 Jun 2007, 22:56

To hell with this!!

I turned the ignition this evening and it wouldn'r start. Back to square one.

I thought the bloke had fixed everything. All he did was replace the alternator belt which I have done three times now. He charged up the battery from somehwere in his workshop and that lasted for a few startups. It's dead again now.
I feel like giving up but I need the van for work tomorrow. I'm charging up the battery with a borrowed charger at the moment. Will leave it on overnight so that at least I can get to the job in the morning.

I could buy an old Ford transit and use that for camping and work, couldn't I?

Post by **Balaclava** » 19 Jun 2007, 20:13

Finally, in desperation I took tje van down to Jack's Garage in Notting Hill. Within five minutes they had pinpointed the fault. The alternator was charging up fine. The battery WAS being drained.

It was the bloody interior strip light that was doing it! I accidently smashed the tube a few weeks ago and hadn't replaced it but I had left it switched on. Because there was no light on I didn't realise that it was still switched on and it was this little bleeder that was draining the battery.

One press with my finger and the problem was gone. Jacks didn't charge me for the diagnosis.

I spent 40 quid on a new battery and a further 75 quid on parts for the alternator and for the previous mechanic to work on it. What a bloody fool I was! 115 quid down the pan when all I had to do was switch off that damn broken light.

Right, I'm off to Loch Lomond on Thursday.