acf8181 0 Posted May 28, 2004 Report Share Posted May 28, 2004 ok, thought i may as well ask all this as i'm bored. not been using the car for a while as its MOT has run out and i have a couple of things to do to get it through (done most of it, rests getting done on tues before the retest), but i have a couple of other little problems. keep in mind its juts had the headgasket replaced, along with all service items, and thw wishbone bushes (not that this makes any difference to these issues).... the battery appears to keep going flat (is only lasting about 2 days max), but i'm not 100% convinced its the battery, thinkin it could be somethin else, is there any way of testing a battery (i'm sure i've heard that halfords have the equiptment to check them)? when i try and start it theres loads of clicking coming from the fusebox, is this normal with a flat battery? its also not idling when first started, and then idles at a very lumpy 500rpm. any theory's? did idle lumpy previous to the h/g change but not that low. any help appreciated, am gonna get the fault codes checked but worth askig on here first. it's a '93 vr6 by the way (colipack, obd1). Link to post Share on other sites
antera309 3 Posted May 28, 2004 Report Share Posted May 28, 2004 Have you got a voltmeter? It's always worth checking the output from your alternator is OK before replacing a battery. If it isn't, your new battery will go the same way.The battery has never run flat in my Golf, but in some other cars I've had the relays for ignition, ABS etc. did click like mad when the battery was flat. Link to post Share on other sites
Eat this 2 Posted May 29, 2004 Report Share Posted May 29, 2004 the clicking is normal on a dead batt the solonoids/relays are switched by the 12v from the battery. when there is no load on the battery (ie when the car is off) the battery wil prob giv 12v but when u start the car and the relays switch the battery is loaded and the voltage droppes cuz its flat that turns the relays off which in turn removes the load so the voltage goes back up and it goes round and round click click Link to post Share on other sites
kilokilla 0 Posted May 29, 2004 Report Share Posted May 29, 2004 yes you can get battery checked most places that sell car batteries have a tool that just pushes onto batt terminals and tells you condition ov battery .also there is many things that can cause battery drain if head gasket has just been done have a quick check that all wires connected to engine are good and connected properly specially the earths ,but iv also known relays, alarms and on 1 car a fault with the central locking to drain the battery ,also if battery is dead low can cause car not to run pukka cos its not getting right amount of power for spark and fuel pump etc.etc. Link to post Share on other sites
Mangold 0 Posted May 29, 2004 Report Share Posted May 29, 2004 If you remove the negative terminal of the battery and put a voltmeter selected to (Amps) in the circuit, ie the voltmeter is now connecting the battery to the chassis of the car, you can see if you have a current drain. Think an exceptable value off the top of my head is 500ma (0.5A) any more and something is wrong, usual suspect is a car stereo. Link to post Share on other sites
acf8181 0 Posted May 29, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2004 ok, i have just bought a voltmeter...but have no real idea how to use it (what do i set the big dial to?)! Link to post Share on other sites
FishWick 21 Posted May 29, 2004 Report Share Posted May 29, 2004 Have you checked the boot light is switching off? I know on the Corrado it's a common thing for the light to stay on as the microswitch inside the latch jams on. If you're getting clicking from the dash when starting, that's the ECU relay not getting enough current. Always a sign of a dying battery.Go to Vauxhall and get a big diesel spec battery and be done with it.Why Vauxhall? Because they're made by AC Delco, arguably the best battery money can buy, other than Odyessey dry cells.I've got a 15 year old AC delco battery and the diagnositic indicator is still green, indicating good health! They have a little indicator on them. Green for good, red for shafted and amber for low voltage, i.e. insufficient current from the alternator. Link to post Share on other sites
acf8181 0 Posted May 31, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2004 ok, chrged the battery for two days, went out to it yesterday and it started fine first time. then 10 mins later was really struggling to start! Link to post Share on other sites
VR6Rob 0 Posted May 31, 2004 Report Share Posted May 31, 2004 you need to check that your battery is holding its charge. charge the battery ond check the voltage it should be about 12V test it again after a hour if it has droped below 10-11V you need a new batteryyou can also check that its charging on the carwith the car running you should be getting about 14V at the battery. Link to post Share on other sites
madmonkee 0 Posted May 31, 2004 Report Share Posted May 31, 2004 i had that, its battery, nowt else. Mine never even turned over just undid all the windows Link to post Share on other sites
acf8181 0 Posted May 31, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2004 ok, just removed the cahrger (been on all night) and its showing 14v.will report back in a hour Link to post Share on other sites
acf8181 0 Posted May 31, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2004 ok, its now dropped to 13.37.what should i do next? Link to post Share on other sites
just2zang 0 Posted June 1, 2004 Report Share Posted June 1, 2004 have u properly checked your alternator? How about the voltage regulator on the alternator? voltage coming out of alternator should be consistant. if it is going up and down drastically, then suspect your voltage regulator on the alternator or failing this your alternator itself. Link to post Share on other sites
acf8181 0 Posted June 1, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2004 how do i check it then? put the voltmeter to the pos and neg of the alternator with the engine running? Link to post Share on other sites
acf8181 0 Posted June 1, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2004 ok, the garage diagnosed that its a dodgy starter motor...anyone got a spare one? Link to post Share on other sites
ninja 0 Posted June 1, 2004 Report Share Posted June 1, 2004 Starter motor on ebay-currently £15. Don't know what they normally go for.http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=9895&item=7903900334&rd=1 Link to post Share on other sites
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