Battery died and the car won't even jump start.

Pras

Pras

A2OC Donor
I haven't used the car for 10 days and when trying to start - nothing no lights.
Multimeter showed 10V.

Already have a new F18 Varta on order but I tried to start the car with one of those jumper battery packs (Suaoki G7) and it wouldn't have it. Cranking for a second and then all lights off!
The same happens when I try and jump start it from my van.

Any ideas why it won't even jump start?

I have since checked the acid levels and all chambers where at least half empty.
The battery is a black sealed Varta - Not sure if thats the original battery.
 
a bench charge might get it back for a bit but sounds like at 10v battery has dead cell , I'm assuming that earth cables checked and ok , when battery is that far down it will suck the life out of any jumper
 
put in on charge then try. if you don't have a charger have a charger, put jump leads on and leave the car you are jumping from running for 10mins or so to charge the A2 battery. When you disconnect the jump leads put lights/heaters/HRW on to load the system as when you disconnect it can give a voltage surge.
 
Don't forget that if yours is a diesel then the glow plugs may be kicking in and draining power as well. You need to try and get some charge in by either mains charging or leaving a running vehicle connected for a while. If you have dead cells then it may not be able to handle any new charge.
 
Cells must be dead. I did leave the donor van connected and running for a good 15mins. Voltage on the A2 battery was up to 12.2. however after trying to jump start it it dropped back to 10V rest again.

I just never had a car that wouldn't even jump start.
 
That's why it cannot be bump started, the glow plugs need to be heated and with a dead battery that's not going to happen. Good job this didn't happen in freezing Scottish wilderness miles away from anywhere. Obviously with a petrol car this is never a problem. It is strange though that you cannot jump start using leads? I managed to jump start the father in laws old citron diesel a while back with no problem. Could be a dead cell as mentioned.
 
Vorsprung durch Technik said:
That's why it cannot be bump started, the glow plugs need to be heated and with a dead battery that's not going to happen. Good job this didn't happen in freezing Scottish wilderness miles away from anywhere. Obviously with a petrol car this is never a problem. It is strange though that you cannot jump start using leads? I managed to jump start the father in laws old citron diesel a while back with no problem. Could be a dead cell as mentioned.
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The A2 can be jump started exactly the same way that any car can be jump started.

The glow plugs come on for a few seconds and then go off again, if that is enough to drain BOTH batteries then you need to get a better battery to jump from.

Are you SURE that the earth strap that goes from the starter to the front body connection (right hand side of the engine bay) has a clean connection where it contacts the body.

With a bad earth and a poor battery you could find that the starter will just not spin, even with a good battery if that earth is poor it will not spin.

The way to tell if it is the battery being flat or the earth is when you turn the key to start the car, if the lights on the dash DON'T dim and you get no starter motor, then the earth connection is likely the cause.
If all of the lights dim on the dash when you turn the key to start it, then there is simply not enough charge in the battery and jump battery.

Steve B
 
Vorsprung durch Technik said:
Of course an A2 can be bump started but not if it's a diesel if the battery is so dead as the op has explained.

Click to expand...

But you are missing my point, NO car can be jump started, Diesel OR petrol, if there is not even enough charge in the battery and jump battery to handle a two second burst of a glow plug.

The image you posted refers to BUMP (i.e. PUSH)starting a diesel, not JUMP starting one. The difference being when BUMP (PUSH) starting the car you have no second battery connected, so that advice is correct. When JUMP starting a diesel it is different because you have connected a healthy battery via the leads and so it will have more than enough power to handle the glow plugs.

Steve B
 
I thought i read that a bump was attempted but read wrongly, reading back again it only mentions a jump start. I agree with you Steve you can JUMP start diesel as i have and mentioned about my father inlwys car above. My point was correct though if your stranded somewhere in a diesel with a battery that's as discharged as the ops without another power source your b****red. I know because i'm the one who has to dig the father in law out of his problems with his diesel car.
 
We used to BUMP start tucks in the army with totally dead batteries and due to the compression ignition didn't need the spark to get it going. It did take a couple of attempts in Norway but then it was extremely cold (or words to that effect).

On our Landrovers, we had to hold the key in a specific position if we wanted to activate the glow plugs, they do not activate every time you start the engine, just below a given temperature to make it easier to start.
 
Yes, if you spin a diesel engine fast enough it will not need to bother with glow plugs heating etc.

Effectively, apart from glow plugs, and especially on older diesel cars and trucks, there is no need for any electrics.

In more modern cars the diesel cars rely on electrics to operate a fuel valve to allow the fuel to flow. In older diesel cars they are stopped by pulling a lever to cut off the fuel.

So army trucks and older diesels are slightly different. The A2 needs a tiny bit of charge to open the fuel valve and then a little bit for the second or two that the glow plugs are on. Push starting them means that you don't get the benefit of the glow plugs and so it is very difficult to start them.

With a little bit of charge (enough to put the ignition on) you CAN push start them but it really needs some speed and constant pushing (such as by a tow car or a "push" from another car.

Not trying to argue with anyone, just trying to explain the differences in terminology and cars / trucks and modern cars.

Steve B
 
Neil50 said:
We used to BUMP start tucks in the army with totally dead batteries and due to the compression ignition didn't need the spark to get it going. It did take a couple of attempts in Norway but then it was extremely cold (or words to that effect).

On our Landrovers, we had to hold the key in a specific position if we wanted to activate the glow plugs, they do not activate every time you start the engine, just below a given temperature to make it easier to start.
Click to expand...
I used to maintain fleet of taxis sierra 2.3 diesels at the time some of them on 300000 plus miles and before overhaul the only way to start them was to tow as compression was so far down, they were the days lol
 
Vorsprung durch Technik said:
I thought i read that a bump was attempted but read wrongly, reading back again it only mentions a jump start. I agree with you Steve you can JUMP start diesel as i have and mentioned about my father inlwys car above. My point was correct though if your stranded somewhere in a diesel with a battery that's as discharged as the ops without another power source your b****red. I know because i'm the one who has to dig the father in law out of his problems with his diesel car.
Click to expand...
Good, we are both completely in line then, that was worrying me, I am glad that we sorted that out!

Steve B
 
New Battery fitted and wow what a difference!
Engine spun faster and started in less than a second!

All winter it was cranking for 1 - 2 seconds and I just put it down to the cold weather.

here are some pics of the old battery - anyone able to date it ?
vowgwm.jpg


np3v4p.jpg
 
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