Thread: Battery not holding charge Defender 200Tdi 93/94mod 2.5lturb

Welcome aboard Diesel drinker.
I think you will find its time to buy a new battery As a battery gets older the plates "sulphide up" this sulphide buildup eventually causes an internal short which reduces the batteries capacity.If you look into the top of the battery you can see the buildup.
If you go to a decent auto elec they will stick a load tester on the battery to confirm if its knackered.
Spend a bit extra,look for an AC Delco maintence free battery,they are aprox $30or$40 more but will last much longer.The "supercrap" style cheapies are not worth looking at.You get what you pay for.
Andrew

The other thing is when you buy the new battery, stick INOX conditioner in. Makes batteries last MUCH longer and INOX increase the warranty by 12mths.

So you buy a decent battery with 2yrs manufacturers warranty like.... Century... add the INOX.. send the registration slip away.... and theres 3yrs warranty. Ta da! 8)

3 yrs is about as long as 'most' standard batteries last so makes sense to me to keep warranty for as long as it can be and for an additional $10 to the cost of the battery... why wouldn't you ? [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif[/img]

Thanks guys, but new battery is in, and still doing it??????????

If you mean that your voltmeter is dropping while you have the engine running, your alternator is dying. Joseph Lucas the Prince of Darkness or his Italian cousin Magneto Marelli has struck again.
Seeing you are not experienced with Auto electrics , I suggest you take it to an auto electrician, and see if a Bosch can be fitted. If it is a V belt car is it simple to fit a Bosch 85 amp from a Magna.
regards Philip A

may also have a current leak to something...like a relay sticking and drawing just enough to send it flat ina a few days.


some of the earlier clocks used to also cause this problem.


you need to switch everything off and disconnect a battery terminal then fit an amp meter in series. if there is some current draw above (cant remember correctly but i think it was) 2 milliamps you then disconnect electrical circuits one by one till you find what is causing the drain on the battery. simply remove the alarm fuse and check to see if the current has dropped, then you try the clock, then radio, etc.

this is all auto electrician will do to diagnose the problem but will charge you by the hour. just dont turn anything on or try to start the car or you may fry the amp meter.


if you dont got an amp meter tandy, dick smith, supercrap, etc. all sell ones that will do the job between $10 & $20 for a simple digital one.

good luck