no power

[andrea_mcguinn]

Hi all again,

 

We got the new battery this morning, fitted it and no life. On dash meter when turning the key it shows 12v and can hear a click coming from the engine but no life.

Any ideas ?

 

Thanks

Andrea

[Chalky]

Faulty ignition switch or faulty starter motor?

 

The ignition switch has several positions (and names for those positions depending on who you work for). If the crank one has failed then the meter will still read but the engine won't crank. Alternatively there may be a starter motor (or starter relay) fault that mean that they're not responding as the should. I suggest that you need to follow the circuit through with a meter and work out where the fault is. Also check for obvious things like wires dropped off and that the battery is connected the right way round (sounds stupid but I have seen it! The engine would crank, there was a spark and petrol but it wouldn't start - it had been cranked in the wrong direction).

Edited February 17, 2013 by Chalky

[Paul C]

The new battery is probably 1/4 or 1/2 charged, not fully charged. Can you measure its voltage with a more accurate voltmeter?

[bizzard]

Hi all again,

 

We got the new battery this morning, fitted it and no life. On dash meter when turning the key it shows 12v and can hear a click coming from the engine but no life.

Any ideas ?

 

Thanks

Andrea

First of all hold the starter key over to the start position whilst feeling the battery terminals, if they heat up clean them. If still no go check and clean all the heavy battery cable connections at the battery, isolator switch, starter motor and engine neg- cable to battery neg- post.

[Chris Pink]

It is quite common for batteries to be supplied with not enough oomph to turn the starter even though the volts are showing good.

 

Check for hot connections as above. The switch and solenoid are fine (the click) so check at all connections in the fat cables.

 

If no hot connections then you will need to put the battery on charge for a few hours, 2 or 3 should do it if you are reasonably confident the engine wants to start.

[bottle]

. wish i could type faster..

Edited February 17, 2013 by bottle

[Iain_S]

Assuming the voltmeter is on the dash, and measures the start battery, what does it do when the key is in the "start" position?

 

If it drops to zero or thereabouts, it indicates a flat battery; if it stays on 12V, it indicates a bad connection somewhere.

 

Iain

[andrea_mcguinn]

Thanks for all the help, starter motor needs servicing. Thankfully a very helpful gent on our jetty came to have a chat, we explained our situation, he said tap here, do this do that. Found the problem within 5 mins. So got to take off and pop it to the local auto electrician.

Many thanks and much appreciated for all your help

Andrea

[roggie]

Wow - think of all the problems you can have when the engine won't start and everyone says it the starter motor - it almost never is... well I guess it sometimes is ;-}