XANTIA 1.9TD INT WONT START ANY IDEAS>?

[MATTT]

very intermittently wont spin over with the key
new batt fitted as the old one was sluggish seems to have helped
been ok for 2 weeks did it again tonight
its electrical i think as when i bumped the car it started ok
whilst driving it noticed the radio was dead, i tried to start it again on a quiet bit of road whilst coasting still no joy,suddenly the radio sprang to life and it cranks over fine again now
checked the starter wires and batt wires all ok
its almost as if its getting no power to the starter solenoid
any ideas> poss fusebox prob or a common feed to the radio and iginition circuit>
ill look at the haynes book tomorrow too
thanks
matt

[mpr1956]

Hi there, I had this very problem a few months ago.. I changed the battery terminal connectors for new ones and cleaned up the battery terminals and it hasn't re-occurred.. It may not be obvious that there is a problem with the battery terminals, and it was only when I noticed that if I wiggled them around then the car started ok that I sussed it out. (All the proper lights came on when I turned the "ignition" on, but as soon as I turned the key to start, everything went dark!. The connection was good enough to handle the very low current for dashlights etc, but once I tried to draw hundreds of amps for starting, it was having none of it!!
I hope your problem is as easily solved !! Best wishes, Martin

Ps.. I have a 93 tdsx

[MATTT]

I did notice they wernt really tight as they are as tight as you can get(no gap left ) and if you push them hard enough they will twist
my mate was pushing them though as i held the key to crank position and that didnt make any difference,worth a try though i think
only thing thart was wierd was the radio not working at the same time
also the lights dont go dark i switched the main beam on against the wall
and it hardly dipped at all when you tried to crank it

[Peter.N.]

Could be a faulty starter or ignition switch. Check for 12v on the small starter terminal with someone turning the key, if present, ignition switch OK, probably starter. Try the technical approach - hit it with something heavy, this very often brings them back to life

[AndersDK]

This is 100% a clear fault with the battery terminals.

I had my SIL replace his terminals in his BX - TWICE - before I learned him NOT to torque the poleclamp nutss. He really managed to stretch the clamps each time - to the point where they were loose on the battery poles - with torqued nuts

The reason why I'm sure is these words : "they wernt really tight as they are as tight as you can get(no gap left )"

No chance Mr MATTT - its new battery clamps. Nothing else.
And make sure the new ones are the hard stuff - that will break when you get the nut torqued too much. That will teach you 8)

[citronut]

if your battery is the type that the brakedown services sell,they are universal and i found on a customers car the conection between the round terminals and the square ford type terminal inside the round ones was brakeing down,so it gave an intermitent conection
regards malcolm

ps.you should not bump start a diesel as you seriously risk shatering the clutch,as the snatch when a diesel firers up is a lot greater than that of a petrol engine

[MATTT]

No chance Mr MATTT - its new battery clamps. Nothing else.
And make sure the new ones are the hard stuff - that will break when you get the nut torqued too much. That will teach you

lol

it wasnt me they were already overtightened,they arnt what i would describe as loose,you have to really push them hard to make them move even slightly
im going to change the ends just to rule them out but i have my doubts!! ,
as my friend was pushing the clamps when i was trying to start it and it made no difference-gave the starter a few taps with the end of hammer handle too
still doesnt explain why the radio was dead either

[citronut]

i prefer the original lead clamps,if they do not tighten up enough just remove the pinch bolt and run a file across the two matting surfaces between where the bolt pulls it together,then put it back together and do not tighten it till it closes the gap
regards malcolm

[jeremy]

And while you're following Malcolm's s instructions, run the file or something similar round the insid3e of the terminal and round the terminal post just to make sure there is a good metal to metal contact. DON'T file half the terminal away.

[BonceChops]

Turn the clamps upside down , this got me home once and worked that well I never go round to changing them

[8304]

i dont think it will be down to the battery clamps - why would the radio not work??

ive had trouble with the clamps on my td zx before but only when you come to start the car where the starter draws a huge current - the radio draws next to nothing......its gotta b somthing else..

[sub42]

Have you considered that the new battery may have desoldered it's posts from the plates inside? That would account for the refusal to start (high current) and the suddenly returning radio over a bump in the road. Its a little more common than you might think with cheaper batteries. I would also go looking at the ignition switch aswell, along with the engine to body earth strap.

[MATTT]

it did this same thing but much more often with the old worn battery though
and i bought a Bosch one not a cheapie
its been in use all this week and been fine again,starting a lot all short trips
ive not even got around to filing or changing the batt clamps yet either

[LeeDJC]

Sounds just like a problem we had with a renault diesel. It turned out to be the earth in the end.

I'd def check that out first.

[sub42]

Oh, and just a little warning. If the earth strap fails altogether, it could end up being a little firestarter. I have seen some of the worst harness damage on cars after the strap is either corroded away, or somebody forgets to connect it back up after and engine/gearbox change. Best be safe rather than sorry