Car won't start after battery charge
- Thread starter Grumple
- Start date
steve_c
Grumpy OAP & A2OC Donor
One of these:
Audi A2 Battery Positive Terminal Cover 8Z0915429B for sale online | eBay
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The two prongs fit into the holes at the +ve end of the battery handle.
steve_c
Grumpy OAP & A2OC Donor
I had a short elsewhere in another model of car some years back and that would take all night to drain the battery. Had to work my way round the car with a meter to get to the bottom of it.
Rusty911
A2OC Donor
Suspect the battery? Simply put a multimeter set to volts across the battery.
As a starting point you're looking for a 12.3-12.6 volts.
More to point you don't want to see battery volts dropping much below, say, 11.0 during cranking (you'll ideally need two people, one to turn the key, one to hold the leads and watch the meter).
If voltage barely changes when key in crank position, you know the battery isn't being asked to do anything and starter isn't being engaged. Therefore, in general, suspect starter motor solenoid (try tapping starter motor as key is turned) or ignition switch (whilst holding key over in 'crank' position try wiggling key and tapping around that area with your hand). Or electrics / electronics directly A2 related, in which case I'm all out of info!
I did drive near your location today, but it was around 04:00 so guess you weren't up ?
As a starting point you're looking for a 12.3-12.6 volts.
More to point you don't want to see battery volts dropping much below, say, 11.0 during cranking (you'll ideally need two people, one to turn the key, one to hold the leads and watch the meter).
If voltage barely changes when key in crank position, you know the battery isn't being asked to do anything and starter isn't being engaged. Therefore, in general, suspect starter motor solenoid (try tapping starter motor as key is turned) or ignition switch (whilst holding key over in 'crank' position try wiggling key and tapping around that area with your hand). Or electrics / electronics directly A2 related, in which case I'm all out of info!
I did drive near your location today, but it was around 04:00 so guess you weren't up ?
Just a bit of shaped plastic, no big deal but should be there, I imagine to stop accidental shorting to some extent. You could try Crewe Audi but might be more expensive than the eBay item. Looks like this...
Andy
depronman
A2OC Donor
I would be rigging the battery directly to the starter motor with some jump leads to see if the starter or starter solenoid as died
Poor performance from the starter for a few weeks then died does indicate badly worn brushes that have now worn to the point of not making contact with the stator / or the solenoid as dies a slow death
Earth problem was most likely, and unfortunatly all have the same syptoms
Paul
Poor performance from the starter for a few weeks then died does indicate badly worn brushes that have now worn to the point of not making contact with the stator / or the solenoid as dies a slow death
Earth problem was most likely, and unfortunatly all have the same syptoms
Paul
Grumple
Member
I wouldn't know where to start with that...
Battery back in (without bracket at all) and exactly the same issue - all electrics fine, just no engine cranking.
Need to hand it over to a garage now I think as I don't have the time or knowledge to be problem solving this.
Can't believe I'm in this situation (3rd day of getting the train into work) just from charging the battery!
Grumple
Member
I'll check this, but all other electrics are fine?
Grumple
Member
OK, used my Green Flag home recovery this morning, expecting them to take it to my local garage.
The guy managed to bump start it (with the help of my other half), and diagnosed a dead starter motor.
He's put a new starter in and it starts up better than ever ?
Thanks for all the input here, much appreciated as always.
The guy managed to bump start it (with the help of my other half), and diagnosed a dead starter motor.
He's put a new starter in and it starts up better than ever ?
Thanks for all the input here, much appreciated as always.
Grumple
Member
Out of interest, how would you test for a dead starter motor? Where would you put the multimeter points or even hook up battery leads (as per @depronman)
Rusty911
A2OC Donor
Well, a starter motor has two wires going to it: one, a heavy duty wire going from the battery directly to the solenoid (which is a large magnetically activated switch). This has battery voltage all of the time.
There's a smaller wire, also going to the soleniod. This is only live when the key is in the 'crank' position.
Finally there is a second heavy wire which goes from the solenoid to the motor itself. It's only short and doesn't involve the car's wiring.
When you turn the key to 'crank' the small wire sends voltage into the solenoid. The solenoid's electromagnet is activated, moving a steel shuttle. This does two things, it bridges a pair of contacts sending power from the heavy lead coming into the solenoid to the heavy lead coming back out of the solenoid and into the starter motor itself (motor turns). It also sends out the starter pinion (gear) to engage with the flywheel and these two actions combine to turn the engine over.
Testing: you'd make sure you had voltage at the solenoid where heavy lead enters. You'd then check voltage at the small lead when key is turned to start. If all looked well but no starter you could try shorting (using old screwdriver) the two big terminals / leads at the solenoid. This bypasses the solenoid completely. If motor now runs, you'd suspect solenoid main contacts. When you see people tapping / hitting the starter motor to get it to work, they're often jiggling the internal solenoid contacts about which sometimes is enough for a fresh contact to be made and the starter to work. One way or another, if starter cranks engine fine at this point you know car's battery and 'big leads' are O.K.
If no voltage at solenoid small lead you'd trace that back poss to the ignition switch or any wiring between that and the solenoid.
If no or low voltage at the large solenoid lead, you'd investigate battery volts, battery terminals, the big leads etc.
If voltages were fine but still no action you'd be checking earths.
Mr RAC checked the car itself was O.K. by bypassing the whole need for a starter motor by push-starting the car. That confirmed all other systems were fine.
The direct test would be to disconnect the small solenoid lead and try applying 12 volts there. If it didn't do anything, you'd then try brushing your jump lead over one of the two terminals that take the short lead between solenoid and starter. If it still doesn't work, then starter motor needs a rebuild or replace.
There's a smaller wire, also going to the soleniod. This is only live when the key is in the 'crank' position.
Finally there is a second heavy wire which goes from the solenoid to the motor itself. It's only short and doesn't involve the car's wiring.
When you turn the key to 'crank' the small wire sends voltage into the solenoid. The solenoid's electromagnet is activated, moving a steel shuttle. This does two things, it bridges a pair of contacts sending power from the heavy lead coming into the solenoid to the heavy lead coming back out of the solenoid and into the starter motor itself (motor turns). It also sends out the starter pinion (gear) to engage with the flywheel and these two actions combine to turn the engine over.
Testing: you'd make sure you had voltage at the solenoid where heavy lead enters. You'd then check voltage at the small lead when key is turned to start. If all looked well but no starter you could try shorting (using old screwdriver) the two big terminals / leads at the solenoid. This bypasses the solenoid completely. If motor now runs, you'd suspect solenoid main contacts. When you see people tapping / hitting the starter motor to get it to work, they're often jiggling the internal solenoid contacts about which sometimes is enough for a fresh contact to be made and the starter to work. One way or another, if starter cranks engine fine at this point you know car's battery and 'big leads' are O.K.
If no voltage at solenoid small lead you'd trace that back poss to the ignition switch or any wiring between that and the solenoid.
If no or low voltage at the large solenoid lead, you'd investigate battery volts, battery terminals, the big leads etc.
If voltages were fine but still no action you'd be checking earths.
Mr RAC checked the car itself was O.K. by bypassing the whole need for a starter motor by push-starting the car. That confirmed all other systems were fine.
The direct test would be to disconnect the small solenoid lead and try applying 12 volts there. If it didn't do anything, you'd then try brushing your jump lead over one of the two terminals that take the short lead between solenoid and starter. If it still doesn't work, then starter motor needs a rebuild or replace.
Last edited:
Pinkythelabrat
A2OC Donor
Everything Rusty said I did in a sideways sleet storm on a Honda Civic trying to get my Dad’s car going in the Ardnamurchan peninsula. I wish I’d had your nice clear explanation then I tell you. Same cause - sudden fatality of the starter motor. I’ve had it myself on a T25 transporter mid way through starting. ‘Chug chug chug’... then nothing ever again. Completely dead starters in both cases - unrepairable.
I’ve seen people bashing starter motors with a hammer they carry for that sole purpose - every start up for years. Those were vw camper vans so it was in keeping with the general ‘who is jumping me today?’ vibe that some people had going on
Congrats on getting it sorted.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I’ve seen people bashing starter motors with a hammer they carry for that sole purpose - every start up for years. Those were vw camper vans so it was in keeping with the general ‘who is jumping me today?’ vibe that some people had going on
Congrats on getting it sorted.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Rusty911
A2OC Donor
Everything Rusty said I did in a sideways sleet storm on a Honda Civic trying to get my Dad’s car going in the Ardnamurchan peninsula. I wish I’d had your nice clear explanation then I tell you. Same cause - sudden fatality of the starter motor. I’ve had it myself on a T25 transporter mid way through starting. ‘Chug chug chug’... then nothing ever again. Completely dead starters in both cases - unrepairable.
I’ve seen people bashing starter motors with a hammer they carry for that sole purpose - every start up for years. Those were vw camper vans so it was in keeping with the general ‘who is jumping me today?’ vibe that some people had going on
Congrats on getting it sorted.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
