Page 2 of 6 FirstFirst 1 2 3 4 5 6 LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 56

Thread: car maintenance for dummies

  1. #11

    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    De Pijp
    Posts
    10,915
    Thanks
    28,179
    Been Thanked: 46,725 Times

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by MrCannab1sir View Post
    If that were the case would the battery still work enough to put the lights/radio etc on, even if just for a while? They were working this morinig, nothing haappened when I tried to start it but the lights and radio did work
    Radio lights are a light load so the shagged battery can just about supply. The starter motor is a big load so battery cannot cope.

    Just going off the slow starter motor you mentioned. I could be wrong.

    You could look for corrosion on the battery terminals which can have similar effect ( high resistance )

    Like mentioned, jump start car off another and that will confirm the battery

    Bump start on a hill or a push and that will rule out coil pack issues

  2. The Following 6 Users Say Thank You to gardro For This Useful Post:

    GEORGE (13-06-20), Jingo (13-06-20), Krofam (15-06-20), Mac (13-06-20), MrC (13-06-20), M_C (14-06-20)

  3. #12

    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    11,264
    Thanks
    35,516
    Been Thanked: 42,620 Times

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by gardro View Post
    Radio lights are a light load so the shagged battery can just about supply. The starter motor is a big load so battery cannot cope.

    Just going off the slow starter motor you mentioned. I could be wrong.

    You could look for corrosion on the battery terminals which can have similar effect ( high resistance )

    Like mentioned, jump start car off another and that will confirm the battery

    Bump start on a hill or a push and that will rule out coil pack issues
    Yep, check and clean your battery cables were they connect to the battery also check your main starter cable to make sure it's well connected and clean as well as smaller wires coming off your starter solenoid. Do you know how to cross a starter solenoid to get it to start? That's always a good diagnostic. you can also use a jumper cable as an extra cable from your hot side of your battery to the main big connector on your starter, basically checking to see if that big cable is bad.

    If you're into just buying stuff and replacing until it starts to work, the first thing I would buy would be a nice handheld auto ranging voltmeter. you can diagnose about anything on your car including your coil packs.



    "If science can't be questioned, It's not science anymore"

    ~Aaron Rogers

    "This is not an economic turndown, it is a takedown"

    ~ Catherin Austin Fitts

  4. The Following 6 Users Say Thank You to Jingo For This Useful Post:

    British green (13-06-20), gardro (13-06-20), GEORGE (13-06-20), Krofam (15-06-20), Mac (13-06-20), MrC (13-06-20)

  5. #13

    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    Royston Vasey
    Posts
    10,296
    Thanks
    21,273
    Been Thanked: 62,958 Times

    Default

    Yeh its hard to diagnose by txt, I appreciate that and your help guys. If it helps it was a gradual thing, maybe over the last 10-15 starts it gradually took longer and longer to turn over and start. Last time it started it made a starting sound, went quiet, made another little noise then fired up, took 3-4 seconds at least. Then today just nada, nothin at all when turning key. I'll get out soon and see if there's anything odd looking about the battery/connector. Hoping not to have to get starter motor replaced, pain in the arse

  6. The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to MrC For This Useful Post:

    gardro (13-06-20), GEORGE (13-06-20), Jingo (13-06-20), Krofam (15-06-20), Mac (13-06-20)

  7. #14

    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    De Pijp
    Posts
    10,915
    Thanks
    28,179
    Been Thanked: 46,725 Times

    Default

    Think the starter solenoid is fine if the engine is turning

  8. The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to gardro For This Useful Post:

    GEORGE (13-06-20), Jingo (13-06-20), Krofam (15-06-20), Mac (13-06-20), MrC (13-06-20)

  9. #15

    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    11,264
    Thanks
    35,516
    Been Thanked: 42,620 Times

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by gardro View Post
    Think the starter solenoid is fine if the engine is turning
    But jumping or crossing at the solenoid will let you know if you got bad cables in between. It will also help you rule out a bad ignition.


  10. The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to Jingo For This Useful Post:

    gardro (13-06-20), GEORGE (13-06-20), Krofam (15-06-20), Mac (13-06-20), MrC (13-06-20)

  11. #16

    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Who Knows
    Posts
    28,652
    Thanks
    620,412
    Been Thanked: 90,468 Times

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by MrCannab1sir View Post
    Firstly I'll say I know nothing about cars, the terminology and its no good asking me to look under the binnet lol. Basically my cars pretty old, mk1 focus, and its always had a repetetive coil pack/spark plug issue. Every now and then it'll misfire and I'll know I have to change the spark plugs and possibly the coil pack.

    last wk I noticed it was struggling to turn over, it was like a slow motion start but got there quite quickly but with a noticeable delay. I've only used car a cple times since and it's got worse each time, now it won't turn over at all, like nothing, not a sound, but the lights and radio come on so not the battery, it also doesn't click when turning over so its not the alternator, which was replaced about 2 yrs ago. So I googled it a bit and ordered a coil pack/ignition coil. Anyone with any car knowledge think it may be the reason? There was no misfiring while driving, just a struggle to start, now it won't turn over at all. But the dash lights come on as if everythings fine.
    Your battery is dead, you need a new one. After you get A new battery, you will be able to tell if you need anything else then. I've go for A new battery first. JMO

  12. The Following 6 Users Say Thank You to GEORGE For This Useful Post:

    gardro (13-06-20), Jingo (13-06-20), Krofam (15-06-20), Mac (13-06-20), MrC (13-06-20), M_C (14-06-20)

  13. #17

    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Who Knows
    Posts
    28,652
    Thanks
    620,412
    Been Thanked: 90,468 Times

    Default

    Once you get A new battery, and it still doesn't crank, it is your Starter. Starter and Battery's are hard to determin, they show the same signs when felling.

  14. The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to GEORGE For This Useful Post:

    gardro (13-06-20), Krofam (15-06-20), Mac (13-06-20), MrC (13-06-20)

  15. #18

    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    in a house
    Posts
    1,999
    Thanks
    2,371
    Been Thanked: 10,978 Times

    Default

    Like people are saying, the battery is it fault. Battery does most work when the key is turned needs to cycle that engine through compression stroke before a plug can spark.

    If it doesn't fire off the first cylinder it will fire of the second cylinder etc etc so your battery needs to hold some good ampage to get through them compression strokes to fire the engine especially if it's taking a little while to start.

    Usually the give away is the slow turn over of the engine followed by a clicking nose then nothing happens.



    Sent from my WAS-LX1A using Tapatalk

  16. The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to funkydawg For This Useful Post:

    GEORGE (14-06-20), Krofam (15-06-20), Mac (14-06-20), MrC (14-06-20)

  17. #19

    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    Royston Vasey
    Posts
    10,296
    Thanks
    21,273
    Been Thanked: 62,958 Times

    Default

    Cheers man, it doesn't do anything at all when turning the key, no noise, no start, no clicking, just sounds totally dead. But the battery isn't dead as the lights and radio come on. Could hear a pin drop when you turn the key.

    Realised though that I have AA which I pay silly money for nothing each month, I have homestart so they can earn the money they've had for years and diagnose it for me, if they can't fix it they can at least start it so I can go to my local garage and tell them exactly what the problem is.

  18. The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to MrC For This Useful Post:

    funkydawg (14-06-20), GEORGE (14-06-20), Krofam (15-06-20), Mac (14-06-20)

  19. #20

    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    in a house
    Posts
    1,999
    Thanks
    2,371
    Been Thanked: 10,978 Times

    Default

    When they come out to do home start they will diagnose the problem anyway, they want to tell you because if you don't solve the problem and keep calling them they can charge you as you haven't fixed the problem.

    Learned that with my vw golf.
    They will check alternator to make sure its putting out enough current to charge battery and also check condition of your battery.

    Sent from my WAS-LX1A using Tapatalk

  20. The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to funkydawg For This Useful Post:

    GEORGE (14-06-20), Krofam (15-06-20), Mac (14-06-20), MrC (14-06-20)

Page 2 of 6 FirstFirst 1 2 3 4 5 6 LastLast

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  


THCtalk.com Disclaimer - You must be over 18 years old to view/use this site .THCtalk.com does not encourage growing Cannabis or possessing Cannabis. Learning how to grow Cannabis instructions should be for educational purposes only. All Information contained in this web site is for: Historical reference, Scientific reference and Educational purposes only. Visitors to this website are advised against breaking the law as It is illegal to smoke, grow, or possess cannabis in the UK and some US States