Pumba_GT

iTrader: (1)

Following my thread last week, there is my new updates chaps.

My mechanic came to rescue my bugeye yesterday. He checked the battery, starter motor and wiring to the starter motor - all seemed to be fine. We then bumped start to makesure it wasn't the alarm problem. The engine fired up after the bump start and had not been a problem to restart after that.
When I want to cold start it again this morning, the same problem reoccurred - it won't start and with no ticking noise.

Now, could it be the cold start solenoid or fuel pump? How do I know if it is the cold start solenoid or the fuel pump? I don't seem to hear any pump whining noise and can someone point out how to detect if the cold start solenoid is broken?

Help needed urgently as this is very annoying issues without a car during my days off work, Lol...

wrxyz

iTrader: (2)

If I had to choose it would be the cold start solenoid, the fuel pump is obviously working the rest of the time.

Pumba_GT

iTrader: (1)

I think I had to backfired my judgement just now. Just checked the user manual and there isn't a cold start solenoid for bugeye! There is a pressure sensor solenoid and water temperature sensor at the throttle body. Not sure if the above two are related to my engiene won't start problem. Any suggestion?

Turbotits

iTrader: (2)

Whats the car doing? Does it crank?

360ste

iTrader: (1)

One thing you don't say was checked is the earthing of the engine and the chassis to the battery. Try connecting a jump lead between the engine block and the NEGATIVE terminal of the battery to see if this improves things. Over my military career I have traced many poor starting faults to bad earth connections which have caused an excessive volts drop thus not allowing other components to operate. If using the jump lead improves things then disconnect the battery and clean up all the connections to the chassis to bright metal and smear with copper based grease. Do the same to all connections on the engine especially the ones on the top of the inlet manifold. I would even clean up the connections on the starter motor and the alternator in the same way.

Beastie

iTrader: (2)

Sounds like duff battery......

Pumba_GT

iTrader: (1)

No, it won't crank and I hold the ignition key over to start the engine. Nothing happen when I turn over the ignition key, no noise, no crank and no tick. The dash icons are lite thou.

Pumba_GT

iTrader: (1)

Earthing all checked with new lead from battery-ve to engine, chassis, etc - no joy.

I think I will just change the battery to a brand new one and see if it solve the problem.

Turbotits

iTrader: (2)

If its not cranking it can only be very few things. starter,battery, battery leads or connections, alarm, ignition switch. or exciter wiring.

how was the battery checked?

chopperman

Get the battery drop tested to test the amp rather than volt test. If that's ok i would go for earth strap.
It's the tester with the 2 big prongs and the gauge in the middle. It put the battery under load so tester the amp per hour. Any garage will do that test for free.

Pumba_GT

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the comments guys.
Yeah, the battery was checked with the 2 big prongs and the gauge in the middle. It was reading 9.4v then unstable and dropped to 9.0v in 20secs. Bear in mind that the car was not driven for 12 days and all the play start at the starter motor that morning. They didn't check the Amp thou.
The mechanic came again last night and he confirmed the missing signal from the ignition switch to the starter motor. It could be a broken ignition switch, or a dodgy immoboliser which stops the circuit to reach the starter motor on turn over. But my big question is: If the battery was low (ie 8.9v), will this mess up the ignition switch or the alarm/immoboliser and hence lost of circuit to the starter motor? If someone had the similar problem before and had a solution, maybe I can point out to the mechanic where the culprit is before he starts a thorough check tomorrow morning.
Thanks again guys.

chopperman

Firstly the car battery is not a 12v battery, its actually 13.2v. 2.2v per cell and 6 cells = 13.2v. There called 12v because its a 12v system. If the battery voltage drops below 12v don't expect anything to work. Think of it like water, the volts are the supply like a header tank. The amps are the flow like water coming down the pipes. Your starter will require the full 12v supply and maximum amount of amps to produce the torque to turn your engine over.
Reading your above post i would say your battery is either flat and needs charging or is knackered and need replacing. 9 volts is no good what so ever mate.

Turbotits

iTrader: (2)

pretty much as above lol

except i was taught they are 2.1 per cell total 12.6volts

but im not splitting hair cos i may be wrong lol

chopperman

I'm pulling back distant memorys from collage days and 2.2v was how my old brain remembered it ,but like you im not going to argue over 0.1 volt

I bet if you go out and use a multimeter on your healthy battery it will read over 13v

bustaMOVEs

iTrader: (31)

Did a guy called mark at crigglestone garage look at this for you by any chance?
Because he phoned me regarding a simlar problem

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

Being pedantic, 2.11V for 12.66 total

chopperman

Well whether its 2.2, 2.11 or 2.1. one thing we agree on is a total of 9.4v aint going to start the car

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

Without doubt!


OP, just to let you know...

In addition, when the car's running, a healthy alternator will crank out c.13.5 to 14.5 V too.

chopperman

yup and the fact he bump started it and it ran say's to me the alternator is good but the battery is destined to be stripped for its lead.

Turbotits

iTrader: (2)

agree with all above lol

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

360ste

iTrader: (1)

When doing a drop test on the battery using the two pronged tester the battery should not drop below 9 volts when fully charged. Normally on starting a car you will find the battery will drop to about 10 volts. My scooby will not start if left for about 2 weeks of not being used. The battery is a 45 ampere/hour battery, this means that a drain of 1 amp will discharge the battery to it's end point voltage in 45 hours. All I do is the day before I need the car I stick my charger/maintainer on it, I also have a small booster battery for a quick start.

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

Yes 360ste, I suffered exactly that the last two Christmas holiday periods of 10 working days (or pretty much two weeks inc. the weekends). Had to make a hasty purchase of a new batt. - even though the run down batt. was only a year old and still has 2 years warranty on it!

But the 'knackered' batt. prob. has enough juice in it, so as to act as a jump starter for this coming Xmas though (I trickle charged it back to 12.66+V, and it seems to hold it (it's stored indoors at room temp, with no parasitic drains)...

craigybaby

iTrader: (8)

Was this problem ever sorted I occasionally have this problem on my bug turn the car over in the morning have dash lights etc but nothing happens but then it will start some times if I keep trying its weird