mechanic needed need some help with van - Page 2

slinky · 14-12-2006, 18:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by KIPAX

If the battery is in the wrong way around then it will start with jump start and then die later... + towards the engine ...

Although given the choice I would go with slinks..

Thanks Kipax!!

see maybe I did make a bit of sense out of it all!!!! even if that's not the problem. ( I wish I was there when the mechanic tells him it's his alternator..........I would poke him in the eye)

mantrabooks · 14-12-2006, 18:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by KIPAX

If the battery is in the wrong way around then it will start with jump start and then die later... + towards the engine ...

Although given the choice I would go with slinks..

If the battery is in the wrong way I will give you the money myself. Its hardly likely seeing as I have had the van since Feb and its only just started doing this within the last month

entwisi · 14-12-2006, 18:50

Battery in wrong way would have blown most circuits and it wouldn't run at all in modern cars/vans.

One other Q to mantrabooks, is it a petrol or diesel van? Diesels do tend to need a good battery to turn them over and you need towait for teh glow plugs (which may be on their way out)

When you say it doesn't start can you give us more detail, does it turn over or not? Does it even attempt to start or is it totally dead. do all teh other electrics work (Try the lights thing I mentioned earlier)

mantrabooks · 14-12-2006, 18:51

I hope your right about the alternator - hopefully they are cheaper to buy than a starter motor. Although, second thoughts, it may cost me more for a patch.

mantrabooks · 14-12-2006, 18:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by entwisi

Battery in wrong way would have blown most circuits and it wouldn't run at all in modern cars/vans.

One other Q to mantrabooks, is it a petrol or diesel van? Diesels do tend to need a good battery to turn them over and you need towait for teh glow plugs (which may be on their way out)

When you say it doesn't start can you give us more detail, does it turn over or not? Does it even attempt to start or is it totally dead. do all teh other electrics work (Try the lights thing I mentioned earlier)

Its a diesel. I am aware most diesel have heat plugs and you need to wait before they heat up before you start the motor. But the van dosent have any lights to indicate this so from the begining I have just started it from strach. This maybe the problem. The van is going in the garage in the morning so I will let all know how I get on.

slinky · 14-12-2006, 18:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by mantrabooks

I hope your right about the alternator - hopefully they are cheaper to buy than a starter motor. Although, second thoughts, it may cost me more for a patch.

All depends if you are buying from a dealer, a shop, or a scrap yard and whether you are fitting it yourself or getting a mechanic to do it.

I know Ginger has just had to get a alternator for his Renault because he was having same problems as you. But he fitted his himself cos he knows a thing or 2 about cars.

mantrabooks · 14-12-2006, 19:00

I thought about fitting the starter motor myself - being a large motor its easier to get under. But the guy at the garage said he'd look at the electrics too.

slinky · 14-12-2006, 19:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by mantrabooks

I thought about fitting the starter motor myself - being a large motor its easier to get under. But the guy at the garage said he'd look at the electrics too.

Yeah he will.......he needs to make a living!!

I would have done the starter motor first and seen if it made a difference. If not then nothing lost!! let the guy have a butchers, but if it's fine you saved yourself money!

KIPAX · 14-12-2006, 20:07

I ahve seen people with batteries in the wrong way,.. never seen anything blown.. but thats years ago... you say it would blow modern stuff.. van doesnt sound modern...

entwisi · 14-12-2006, 20:31

Are you sure it was the 'wrong way' . In the old days a lot of cars were +ve Earth, now they tend to be -ve earth. I've had a couple of pos earth cars, makes it interesting fitting a modern radio to them

madmal_1 · 14-12-2006, 21:56

it,s the goverments fault i think you would better off going to west end auto elecrics doing it by prosese of ilimitation can be costly in the long run

entwisi · 14-12-2006, 22:05

Wow, Tony broke mantras van, thats a pretty amazing claim mal, care to back it up?

madmal_1 · 14-12-2006, 22:10

it,s the global warming thingy they want you to pay out more mony the van dosent like the price of diese lol
l

Neil · 15-12-2006, 09:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by entwisi

One other point, you should always remove the earth (-ve) lead first when disconnecting a battery.

I have read/heard that before I can only think of one reason for it, if you touch the body with the spanner then you won't create a short, if you undid the +ve first and shorted to the body with the spanner you would. I can't think of any other reason for it.

If you think you might be drawing current while the engine is off overnight, an easy way to check if you don't have an ammeter is to disconnect the -ve terminal overnight, then reconnect in the morning and see if it still starts.

entwisi · 15-12-2006, 10:09

They used to do a fitting that had a screw on it so you could undo it when you parked up and it effectively disconnected the battery (They had a small 'fuse' that would handle an amp or two so that radio memories etc were OK but it would blow if anyone tried starting the car) It was marketed as an anti theft device for classic cars.

Unfortunately this problem seems to be a small leak over a period of time so its quite hard to diagnose.