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Any auto-electricians or vehicle mechanics on here?


Paul ™
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Hi there,
 
Looking for some help on an issue I have with my Transit.
 
It is a 1990 Ford Transit Minibus, 190 LWB 15 seater. 2.5 Diesel which I converted over the winter into a campervan, see thread HERE
 
I have been using the van a lot this summer, while working away at various festivals and sometimes I have had an issue starting it. 
 
It started off very intermittent, and the majority of the time the engine would turn over but not start. This would be resolved by giving it a jump from my leisure batteries, and it would start up most of the time.
 
There has been one occasion where it didnt start that way, but started ok from another vehicle that was running their engine for 5-10 minutes.
 
There has been a couple of occasions that it would not start with a jump, but then I have went back out to the vehicle later that day/week and it has started.
 
There has also been one occasion more recently where it wouldn't even turn over and just made a clicking sound, but started with a jump from the leisure batteries.
 
Also this could happen when I am out using the van, on a run and I would stop at a garage/shop etc and then just not start till jumped.
 
Last week, it wouldn't turn over at all or jump start from the leisure batteries at all and just clicked. I got a breakdown guy to attend, and it wouldn't even start from his huge booster pack. He thought it would possibly be the starter motor and went on his way.
 
I ordered a starter motor, but before it arrived I went out a few days later and the van started first time, just the once and then its back to the clicking sound. 
 
I replaced the starter motor yesterday and there is no change, it won't start at all.
 
 
So guys, any ideas what I should be looking into doing? It's currently outside my property, so is it best to get it towed to a mechanic, auto electrician or is there something I can do from here?
 
Many thanks in advance and sorry for the long winded post
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Sounds to me like your battery is knackered.  I've got a 2.5 diesel Audi which was getting troublesome to start. and I thought that it might be the glowplugs needed replacing.  But in the end one day it just wouldn't start.  RAC came, checked the battery and it was dead.  New battery and now no problems.

Any battery place will be able to check it for you for free.

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Battery been checked, its a digitial machine now that apparently tests the cells.. anyway report it printed out said battery condition is good, and the fact the van doesn't even jump start now is making me think its either wiring/earth issue or something more serious.

 

The starter motor has been replaced, could be a duff one I guess, will take it out and test it tomorrow

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When you switch on the ignition, without going as far as trying to start the van, does the glowplug light go out, indicating it's ready to start?  If it doesn't go out fairly promptly then it's probably either knackered battery without enough power to warm the glowplugs or it's glowplugs that need replacing (not always a cheap job).

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Just an idea but may be worth stripping any protection from around the battery terminal connectors and checking the condition of what's left therein.... your problem read exactly like what happened with a car of mine.

Upon changing then testing the battery then the alternator all seemed fine and upon that suggestion cut the heatshrinky stuff off and the contents fell out like so much coppery powder - fuck knows how it had ever started frankly. Just a thought if everything else is looking fine

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When you switch on the ignition, without going as far as trying to start the van, does the glowplug light go out, indicating it's ready to start?  If it doesn't go out fairly promptly then it's probably either knackered battery without enough power to warm the glowplugs or it's glowplugs that need replacing (not always a cheap job).

Goes it pretty promptly to be honest, which it always has done.

 

Just an idea but may be worth stripping any protection from around the battery terminal connectors and checking the condition of what's left therein.... your problem read exactly like what happened with a car of mine.

Upon changing then testing the battery then the alternator all seemed fine and upon that suggestion cut the heatshrinky stuff off and the contents fell out like so much coppery powder - fuck knows how it had ever started frankly. Just a thought if everything else is looking fine

Good point, some of the connections do look a bit iffy.

 

Think am gonna have to take it down to an auto-electricians at the start of the week, and just pray that it;s not going to cost hundreds to fix :(

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Starter was replaced.

 

Anyway I had been out every couple days trying to start it, trying a couple things.

 

Yesterday called the breakdown people out again so they could to it to an auto-electricians. Just before calling them I tried to start it, same wouldn't turn and just clicked.

 

As soon as the guy turned up and tried it, it started first time! Unfuckingbelievable! 

 

So I drove it to the garage, left it with them to run tests on electrics etc.

 

They called in afternoon, it was starting 100% of the time for them! Sod's bloody law.

 

Anyway I've got it back, been out in it a few times today and starts fine, seems quicker than ever started before too.

 

Hopefully it's fixed then, as away up north today in it for 6 days! 

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Best of luck with it Paul.

Bush part I spoke of is on the engine side not attached to starter motor but into which it engages. Therefore changing the starter motor wouldn't have made any difference. On my engine it mainly happened when hot so prob not your solution but you never know.

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Best of luck with it Paul.

Bush part I spoke of is on the engine side not attached to starter motor but into which it engages. Therefore changing the starter motor wouldn't have made any difference. On my engine it mainly happened when hot so prob not your solution but you never know.

Hummmm .....

 

I've been watching this thread with interest, as I have a vw campervan with a starter problem.  We've tried all of the things mentioned above, and the van is a little better than it was, but not completely cured.

 

Finally, booked to take it into the garage Tuesday night, and I had a real job to get it started and keep it ticking over - lots of missing and spluttering.  The following morning the garage try the ignition and it starts first time without any problem! Typical!

 

Would the starter motor bush problem, by any chance, cause the van not to want to restart after it's been running for a while - for example, after having stopped to get some petrol?

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We're collecting our van later today.  Fingers crossed it'll be okay cos we're due to be going to the coast for a few days tomorrow!

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Hummmm .....

 

I've been watching this thread with interest, as I have a vw campervan with a starter problem.  We've tried all of the things mentioned above, and the van is a little better than it was, but not completely cured.

 

Finally, booked to take it into the garage Tuesday night, and I had a real job to get it started and keep it ticking over - lots of missing and spluttering.  The following morning the garage try the ignition and it starts first time without any problem! Typical!

 

Would the starter motor bush problem, by any chance, cause the van not to want to restart after it's been running for a while - for example, after having stopped to get some petrol?

Yeah hot restarting on old VW's is often this bush. If you get stuck a whack to the starter motor with a hammer often sorts it

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Well, we still struggle to get the van started, in spite of its trip to the garage!  And, to top it all, we arrived at the coast on Saturday to discover that a large part of the exhaust had fallen off during the journey!  Time to book in with a vw specialist, I think ...

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  • 4 weeks later...

*Update*

 

Just as I know a couple people were following this, that is a month on since it was 'fixed' and the van is still starting with no issue, quicker than previously.

 

So looks like it was the starter after all, just with a hiccup after the new one was fitted so it wouldn't start!

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