Starting Problems - Urgent

[neiloakley]

Every morning, i have to push start my car unless i have left the battery on charge overnight. I have taken the car to kwik fit but they say there is nothing wrong with the battery. Once the engine is running, i can stop it, and start it again easily. but as soon as it gets cold again, it will be very difficult to start. Any ideas? I need to get it sorted as it makes me late for work!!!

[Aragorn]

hrm, it does sound like the battery

if kwik fit test it after its been for a run it will appear ok because as you've pointed out it will start immediately afterwards

this happened to me da's van, replaced the battery and it was fine

another mate of mine had an issue similar to this too, his turned out to be a faulty alternator, but not in the respect it wasnt charging the battery,
summat was fucked inside the regulator and the alt was DRAWING a current when the car was turned off meaning when he came to start it it was flat

whack a new battery on - they aint dear, i got a meaty one for me da's van for less than ?40 from teh local motor factors, if that dont cure it look for other things that could be drawing a current when the engine is off

might even be possible to connect an ammeter between the battery and the live connector and measure the current flowing thru the circuit
be warned tho, most ammeters will max around 10A so dont go trying to start it with it still connected:)

[neiloakley]

well the battery is only five months old from kwik fit and it's one of the big fuckers so it has a four year gaurentee. me thinks it's just kiwk fit asying it's fine so they dont have to replace it. I think i will measure the current drain though. i'm guessing it shouldn't be more that 0.5A ?

[Dicko]

its gotta be the battry or earth wires.
if your earth wire from the batery to the bulkhead is going you WILL have starting problems. it takes more current to start when cold and this extr load might be too much for the cable (if its fcuked).
other option would be to borrow somebodys batery or take urs to a local motorspares shop as they usualy test for free!!

[neiloakley]

what should the charging voltage be? my battery is about 12.30 and it charges at about 12.80v does this suggest it could be the alternator?

[neiloakley]

KF are a bunch of nobbers. He 'tested' the battery and told me it was ok but i pointed out the condition idicator on the top of the battery and it was black. Black means replace battery. Thier poster evens says so in the counter so i showed the manager and he promptly ordered he little wench to change my battery leaving two other customers waiting for half completed jobs. Ha.

[Aragorn]

the voltage across the battery when the engine is running should be 13.8v

it will normally sit just over 12v when its fully charged and the engine is off

[Dicko]

it shud b in he high 12vs when charged, and over 13v when its charging as it will read the voltage the alt is giving out

[neiloakley]

mine sits at 12.3-12.4 when engine is off but only 12.8-12.9 when engine is on. New alternator? anyone got one for a 20SEH engine?

[Dicko]

go on www.migweb.co.uk
ur almost garanteed to get 1 off there if u post on wanted forum