Thread: Sluggish/no start diagnosis

Have you had your battery load tested also what is the cold cranking amps CCA of your battery , I recently changed to a yellow top 780 CCA battery and it works great for me , I did have a 650 CCA battery which struggled on cold mornings or when left for a period would stuggle

I'd start by checking the battery voltage before you go to start it.
If its under 12v then its probably too low for a good start. Either it isn't charging up properly and/or something is draining it (or simply self discharging).

Steve

Hi eddiec and do you disconnect the other batteries or just let them all charger together ( recommended ) ?

Either way, if you had the battery(s) on charge all night, then there is a serious drain/fault somewhere.

Also, have you checked all your cable connections, particularly the negative/earth connections?

Originally Posted by drivesafe

Also, have you checked all your cable connections, particularly the negative/earth connections?

thats where Id start

Thanks for the feedback...

Yes, I've checked the voltage. Doesn't seem to be dropping that rapidly and I'm starting to think that's not the problem. After all, it had been on charge all night last night, the Traxide blinky light was solid, and it still didn't start. I've checked it in the past and even after a few days it was well above 12v, but I know from experience it would struggle to start. But I'll double check, thanks.

I'll start with the earths, definitely. Given I haven't touched the starter motor in a few years, nor has anyone else, it's quite possibly in poor shape.

And yes drivesafe, I do leave all the batteries connected whilst charging. Second battery is permanently connected and the third only comes out while camping, otherwise they all remain in and connected.

Thanks again.

Unless it has been modified, the earth for your starter comes from the earth strap connected to the transfer case.

This is usually fine, straight out of the factory but once the units have been split for a clutch change, etc... Grime gets on the surfaces and you eventually loose the electrical continuity.

I had similar issues on mine, so I ran a lead from the -ve, straight to one of the starter fixing bolts which cured it... and the 'over heating' problem I had!!

M

Originally Posted by camel_landy

Unless it has been modified, the earth for your starter comes from the earth strap connected to the transfer case.

This is usually fine, straight out of the factory but once the units have been split for a clutch change, etc... Grime gets on the surfaces and you eventually loose the electrical continuity.

I had similar issues on mine, so I ran a lead from the -ve, straight to one of the starter fixing bolts which cured it... and the 'over heating' problem I had!!

M

Thanks - that's exactly what I'm going to try... Tried to get in there on the weekend to clean the earth on the starter but of course you can't reach it without removing, and the bolts are way too tight for me to budge. So I'll try that fix!

As a temporary 'Let us see if that would fix it' kinda thing, try just using a long jump lead from the -ve on the battery to the engine. That way, you'll be able to see if improving the earth connection will solve your problem...

...and therefore make it worth the 'spanner rash'.

M