Shot Battery or Starter!?

[fodtommo]

Hi All

Not been on for a while due to hectic everything!

Your thoughts please.

Left the face on the stero 'on' for a couple of days by accident. Van wont start so assumed flat battery.

Attempted to jump start last night but to no avail, could nt even get it to turn over. voltmeter was showing about 11v on its own 14v with the other car hooked up.

Lights etc work ok and dim to nothing if you turn the key to crank.

Did start it by bumping in the end, drove it for a while, then popped it on charge - charger is showing that the battery is fully charged from the moment you connect it - usually a sure sign that its going...

However glow plugs work, and ign relay clicks, but nothing from the starter - gave it a few usefully placed whacks!

My first thoughts are a battery - its about 5 yrs old and thats about it normally, also they seem to die instantly these days rather than the gradual decline they used to have - happened earlier in the year on the family pug.

But i am very surprised I couldnt even get a turn out of the starter with the jump leads on?

Tom

[kevtherev]

...and that's why I'd be investigating the connections on the starter

[pauly8888]

What size battery on the car you tried to jump start with?
Or even, what was the car?

[BOXY]

If the battery was completely dead the "jumper" was trying to charge the van's battery, charge it's own battery & start the van. Plus like Kev says any dirty connections are going to increase resistance and make starting even harder. A battery might seem ok through the summer, but once the temperature drops and lights, wipers etc start getting used it'll soon run out of juice.

[fodtommo]

Thanks All

Connections on the starter seem ok, with all boots present and correct, however tonight ill check feeds etc.

JUmping car was pug 405 1.9td.

Battery seems less flat than its been in the past, when a jump has worked fine, ie lights/ dash lights etc work.

[kevtherev]

seem is not clean

don't be lazy..

[fodtommo]

OK Thanks Kev - it was a case of laziness-ish

Turned out that when I took the starter off, the main braided feed from the solenoid to the motor had corroded through, but was being held in place by the hard sheathing around it.

1 piece of heavy duty cable, 10mins with a soldering iron and we are all systems go!