42 replies to this topic

[Bratby]

Just put the volt meter on the battery which reads 12.05 the connection on the solenoid side it reads 11.93 this is just while the ignition is on, I can't get a reading when trying to turn over from the battery as I'm the only one in today so need an extra pair of hands ha, the solenoid when turns over drops down but couldn't get a good positive probe in as I say I'm on my own and trying to turn it over at the same time ha. The battery was charged last week by me to rule this out, it was also brought new earlier this year

[Bratby]

Just checking on some other routes that I had checked but I've just taken the ht leads off one by one to check for a spark and nothing it happening from either end. I checked this before and thought it was fine however holding them against the block I can't see any spark now, is this a dizzy problem them or why is there no spark from any of the leads. I took the lead off the coil from the dizzy end and this is throwing a spark so I'm going to take the cap off now and have a look?

[Bratby]

Ha I'm a Dick there is a spark from the ht lead I've took one plug out and put the lead back on it's sparking, not a lot but there is a spark on the plug

[Bratby]

Right so I got her started for about 30 seconds!!!! haha, brought my rover 45 round to the back of the house and put the jump leads on the car tried to start and it had a little try when I added some throttle it started, ran a little rough but i think this was prob me flooding it slightly. Tried her again and back to square one where she was just turning over but slowly again (I think i must of ran the battery down when turning the engine over when I've been trying to get her started although after charging the battery last week it still wouldn't start so unsure why it decided to have a little go today??). Like I said earlier I did charge the battery up last week so I'm a bit shocked it ran down so quick, I had installed a car radio a couple of weeks ago in the mini so I've not disconnected this in case this was or is draining the battery (although i don't think this would be the case). 

I took the battery off my rover 45 and tried to connect this to the mini to see if she would start with this but couldn't get the connection tight on the positive cable then when i went to connect the earth on the  battery it started sparking (does this mean the earth on the battery could be the problem after all) anyway I'm going to order a new earth cable for the battery just to rule this out then I've got the mini battery on charge again, there at last seems to be some light at the end of the tunnel

[FlyingScot]

If it was sparking when you tried to connect the earth,the something is drawing current and is the reason your battery had gone flat.
Remove the main + ve cable at the battery and at the solenoid end and test between it and the earth with your meter set to ohms (resistance) it should be infinity ie no connection anything lass and you have a damaged main cable.
Otherwise there is something drawing a current and you need to work your way through the circuits.
Also worth checking the fuse box (especially behind it as they rot)

FS

Edited by FlyingScot, 23 November 2013 - 07:08 PM.

[Bratby]

Way hey she's back!!! Had the battery on charge and went to put it back in this morning when i decided to clean the battery earth again to see if this made any difference as I'd already cleaned it up from where it attaches to the body, I cleaned up the battery end of the earth (the claw/grip thing) plugged in the battery real tight and boosh she started first time without hesitation! Now i'm hoping that it was an earthing problem from the battery earth although I've cleaned up all the starter wires and engine earths (added a new one to the clutch housing). 

I've had the voltmeter on the battery and just wanted to check my readings to make sure it looks like the alternator is also still working like it should:

 

when ignition is off the voltmeter gave 13.23 off the battery

when the car was started and ticking over it gave 14 ish 

when i turned everything on like the full beam lights, heater, rear demister etc it gave  12.30 - 12.42 does all this sound about right?

 

As I mentioned earlier I had installed a new radio in the mini which I've left disconnected for the moment just to rule this out as a drain on the battery as I'm going to monitor the battery and starting for the next week then plug the radio back in and see how I get on, thank god for some holiday off work so i can play with the mini haha, cheers for everyone's help and please let me know what you think about the alternator?

[Bratby]

Think I way heyed too soon, I'm actually getting fed up now!! Went to start the mini this morning and guess what she's not firing up again, turning over very fast and just not starting grrrrr!!! I'm going to get the volmeter out in a min and have a poke around, I don't understand how she can fire up no problem yesterday then not today could it be a dud battery as yesterday I'd taken it off the charge and put it straight in the mini? 

[Bratby]

OK got new readings off the voltmeter 12.84 off the battery with nothing on, 12.54 when the ignition is on I'm getting the same figure at the solonoid end also. I'm starting to give up on the car now............

[xrocketengineer]

What is the voltage at the battery when the engine is turning over? If it is less than 10 volts, the battery is no good.

[Bratby]

 

Right so I've been testing the voltage at the solenoid and the coil, I tried to test the resistance in the coil but not sure if I did this right, I was getting 003 or 009 when I changed the setting on the meter (not sure what this should be on?). The volt at the solenoid is coming up at 12.63 then 12.67 at the coil (guessing my voltmeters not great either), does this all sound like a knackered coil or something else a miss here? 

If your wondering why the engine bay looks a mess one reason is basically it is and the other is I've sprayed alot of wd40 and put Vaseline on lot of the connection to see if this does anything.

 

I'll get the reading on the battery when turning over tomorrow morning for you rocket engineer

Edited by Bratby, 27 November 2013 - 03:49 PM.

[xrocketengineer]

The positive side of the coil (ignition switch sort off) is the the brown/pink wire. The white/black go to the ECU pin 25 (points equivalent) and the tach.

[Bratby]

The positive side of the coil (ignition switch sort off) is the the brown/pink wire. The white/black go to the ECU pin 25 (points equivalent) and the tach.

 

So do you think I would get a different volt reading off that side, What is the single wire that also comes from that side as well I assumed this was a earth (it goes to that circle thing on the block) so didn't think that was a positive side? I've read quite a bit about this brown/pink wire on here from what I gather it's the source of a few problems? Could this be what it wrong with my mini?

Edited by Bratby, 27 November 2013 - 08:42 PM.

[xrocketengineer]

The single wire cylindrical device connected to the block is capacitor or filter that prevents ignition noise from reaching the radio through the power wires. The brown/pink wire should have close to the battery voltage all the time with the ignition switch on. When turning over the voltage will drop but anything below 10 volts and things will get iffy for the engine to start. If the voltage at the battery is already low (10 volts or less)  while turning over, the voltage at the coil will be even less and the engine will not start.

[Bratby]

Cool will check on this tomorrow morning now, thanks for your help again and I'll keep you posted.

[Bratby]

What is the voltage at the battery when the engine is turning over? If it is less than 10 volts, the battery is no good.

Ok so got my old man to turn over the car today, I've got 10.74 at the battery when trying to start and 10.23 at the solenoid when trying to start, does this sound good enough as I went and checked my rover 45 for a comparison when that went to start the battery dropped to 9 point something and fires up fine, could this all be a tired starter as it fires up no problem with when the battery has just come off charge but the day after when the battery has dropped a little it's turning over fast just not firing so I'm wondering if it just down to the solenoid or starter as it looks like it's getting enough juice to fire?