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Van won't start


walshie
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Just got back from a few days away and the wife's dog bus (old vauxhall combo) won't start. I've checked the battery with my multimeter (12.5v), checked the starter motor fuse (ok) and relay (makes one click when turning the key). I swapped the relays around to make sure that wasn't the problem and swapped them back again. 

When you turn the key to the first position all the dash lights come on as usual. When you turn the key to the start position the lights don't go dim, just the click from the relay. There was no issue like slow starting last weekend, so I'm a bit stumped. Surely if it was the starter itself the lights would dim when trying to start?

Any ideas? 

Ta. 

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Battery is charged at 14v so no it doesn’t need that to turn it over. Check starter solenoid, give it a tap while someone tries starting? If you can get to it..

If it was slow starting last week it’s more than likely the starter motor has had it. 

Edited by Jason_ox
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23 minutes ago, Jason_ox said:

Battery is charged at 14v so no it doesn’t need that to turn it over. Check starter solenoid, give it a tap while someone tries starting? If you can get to it..

If it was slow starting last week it’s more than likely the starter motor has had it. 

There wasn't an issue last week. It just went from starting perfectly to not starting at all. 

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Usually turns out to be the battery, try jump leads and see if that will do it. Had this several times with family cars after a few days standing. Remember to depress the clutch of the non starting vehicle at the same time as you turn the engine over, this takes some of the load off of the starting engine, especially as the weather is turning colder and the oil is pretty viscous.

 

FB

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Another point about starting cars is some people leave fans and other items turned on. This diverts electric that could otherwise make a difference to the amount used to turn the engine over. Make sure everything is off, including interior courtesy lights etc.

It sounds like a duff battery to me, a bit of cold really knocks bad batteries about.

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1 hour ago, snow white said:

Get somebody to hold your tester on batter and ask them to tell you what it reads when you turn key to start it it will drop down to about 9 or 10 volts.

Done that. It drops from 12.5v to 11.5v. Waiting for someone with a car to get home soon to try jumping it. 

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1 hour ago, guzzicat said:

Starter jammed ? put in gear & rock back & forth, listen for click as it frees.

Nope. Made no difference.

39 minutes ago, snow white said:

 It still could be the battery if one or more of the cells as gone down does not matter how good the donner battery is it will not start it only way to make sure is change the bat

Temporarily swapped it for another. No luck. Bump starts fine though. I'll tell her to park on a hill.

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