Draining battery on Berlingo 1.9D

sledge · Unread post by **sledge** » 18 Dec 2009, 17:06

Hello folks and a Happy Christmas to you all.

My 2000 model year 1.9D berlingo has an intermitant fault.
You can get up in the morning and it starts first time. You then turn it off after 10mins of driving, leave it for 10 mins to cool down, then go to start it and the battery is flat? eh! I don't get it!!! But then once it has been jump or bump started it will be fine maybe even for a few days. I know the battery is fine but what else could it be?

Thanks

XantiaDaveEire · Unread post by **XantiaDaveEire** » 18 Dec 2009, 17:17

slipping auxillary belt perhaps? does the car squeal when you start her up?

sledge · Unread post by **sledge** » 18 Dec 2009, 17:21

No squeeling and the belt tension seams fine as does the ouput of the alternator.

Someone did suggest that it might be dodgy glow plugs?? But that sounds weird to me.

Unread post by **Peter.N.** » 18 Dec 2009, 17:21

How old is the battery? could be due for replacement. Have you checked/cleaned the battery connections?

Peter

sledge · Unread post by **sledge** » 18 Dec 2009, 17:24

Yep battery has been checked and is fine. I even took the battery (which is new) off my other car and put it on the Berlingo for a couple of weeks and the same happened. But this is a random problem and happens whenever it wants to.

Unread post by **Old-Guy** » 18 Dec 2009, 17:53

Ahh, but when it won't start is the battery actually 'flat' or is it a matter of not enough power to the starter.

Do the instrument and/or side lights dim when it won't start? If so, general lack of volts - bad connection at or close to the battery. If not then it's a bad connection in the starter circuit.

A favourite for getting overlooked is a bad earth connection somewhere - try the common earthing point on the N/S/F inner wing.

sledge · Unread post by **sledge** » 18 Dec 2009, 17:56

Yeah things do dim when it won't start but as soon as it has been bumped you can turn it off and it will start again. It is really weird.

sledge · Unread post by **sledge** » 18 Dec 2009, 18:04

What happened today was this.

I started my van from cold this afternoon with no problem. Drove 10 minutes to Kwik fit to have 2 new tryes fitted. I parked up, went in reception, they started it up drove it in the workshop, turned it off and gave me the keys. 10 to 15 mins later I get into it and the battery appears to be flat. Got jump started, drove 150 yards down the road to where my wife works turned engine off, had a 10 min chat with her got in the van and it started no probs atall.

Unread post by **Peter.N.** » 18 Dec 2009, 18:12

Could be a dodgy starter motor.

sledge · Unread post by **sledge** » 18 Dec 2009, 18:13

Would that give the syptoms of a flat bettery though?

Unread post by **Peter.N.** » 18 Dec 2009, 18:21

Yes, if the starter bearings are worn the comutator can touch the field giving a lot of friction. If the lights are dimming by at least the usual ammount, the starter is drawing current but not producing the power. In the olden days this used to happen if the bolts came loose but I don't think that happens now.

First though, check the earth connection from the battery to the engine.

HDI · Unread post by **HDI** » 18 Dec 2009, 20:00

Those symptoms are characteristic of a faulty connection , could be earth or positive. Cables can go high resistance ,cable terminations can be high resistance to the cable. Next time it does it , check the voltage on the actual battery posts , then check the voltage from the postive battery post to earth on the body and engine. Battery should measure at least 12.5 volts. If you measure any less when checking from positive post to earth then there is a faulty earth.

Unread post by **Peter.N.** » 18 Dec 2009, 20:08

The battery will read 12v with quite a high resistance in series with it - until you put a load on it. Check the voltage on your battery and starter while the starter is engaged, the voltage on the batery will drop to 8-10 volts with about 1 volt less on the starter. If it doesnt you have a high resistance connection, if not the starter motor is probably faulty.

sledge · Unread post by **sledge** » 20 Dec 2009, 18:35

Thank you all for your suggestions, I will be looking into the problem this coming week.

If I don't post before, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.