Batt, alternator or starter failing?

[Colin Wiltshire]

I have a another potential problem, either battery on way out, alternator not charging batt much, or starter motor starting to seize.

The last 1, is mainly a guess, as my van used to start slowly, changed batt, only to find the starter motor failed the week after, then started quickly again.

Have had a few times, when turn the key to start, and nothing happens, lights stay on, on the dash, turn off then on, it starts.

So, any tips on what tests I can do? so I can find out and change the troublesome part.

Thanks

[Nick Mann]

The dash lights don't go out? I'd suggest the ignition barrel switch.

[Davezj]

ignition barrel switch is dodgy on the vr4, some time when i go from ignition ON to start i just get a click, as if the immobiliser has kicked in, but i fitted a push button stsrt in parallel with the ignition switch and that start the car every time the barrel switch fails to start.

[swinks]

I would blame also ignition barrel switch. Had almost identical problem last winter. Copper inside the switch was half burnt out.

[Colin Wiltshire]

ok, thanks, easy fix?

Still how do i test the alternator?

[Tam]

Hi Colin.
Sad to hear all the dramas your having but when she's back hopefully will be a beast.

I have just changed my alternator and it seems to have fixed my drama. Mine lost the radio, rev counter and the abs light came on whenever I put my lights on. At idle my battery was only measuring 9.5v and when I put the lights on it went down to 7.5v, changed alternator and straight back to 14.5v on idle.

Marc

[Colin Wiltshire]

There is always something with these cars lol.

I'm not having those problems, I have a whine that's in time with the engine, I suspect could be the alternator, seems more prominant from inside than out. As well as sometimes the car not starting, from other posts here, seems to be the ignition barrel switch.

At the moment, the engine is the most important thing to change (hopefully Jan) then continue to work on the list of things that need doing including poss buying a new wheel as 1 is buckled.

[TAR]

Hi Colin, sorry you are having more issues.

When the car does start normally, does the starter turn the car over quickly? - If yes, then battery is probably OK.

When the car won't start do you just get a clicking noise? - This could indicate the starter motor failing, or jamming on the starter ring.

With the car switched off, the battery should read 12v, when the car is running the battery voltage should read 14.5v. If its OK when off and not reading 14.5v when running, it may be that alternator at fault.

Some easy tests to try if you have a voltmeter.

[Colin Wiltshire]

When the car won't start do you just get a clicking noise? - This could indicate the starter motor failing, or jamming on the starter ring.

Iirc no noise, no nothing. just turn off and on, then it starts. But only every now and then it does that.

[swinks]

Colin, acces to ignition barrel switch is fiddly but not difficult, You will need to remove steering column shroud, steering wheel itself for easy access. Unplug left column stalk, then you will get access to switch plug itself, behind left (wiper) stalk. You will need short philips screwdriver, and small flat one to undo plugs locks.

I'm still convinced that it's ignition switch at fault.

[Davezj]

personally all i did was work out which wires get connected when you switch the ignition from on position to start the car. then just test it by stripping a small bit of insulation off each wire and shorting the wires out, the car should start, then just fit a high current push to make switch there in parallel with the one in the igition barrel. you can connect into the wires at any point , it does not have to be at the ignition barrel.
the car will not start until the ignition key is in the on position so security is no worse with the switch fitted than it is as standard from the factory. pushing the switch on it's own will not start the car, the key has to be in the ignition and in the ON position.

you are basically hot wiring the car. all igritions work in the same basic way,
you have 3 wires a gnd and power and a start wire. The pwoer gets connected to gnd to complete the circuit, when you turn the key from OFF to ACC then to ON and when you turn from ON to START the start wire gets connected to the power for a momentary contact which starts the car.

all you need to a multi meter to work out what wire does what.

[TAR]

Iirc no noise, no nothing. just turn off and on, then it starts. But only every now and then it does that.

I have to agree with Tomasz, its probably a faulty ignition switch then.

[Colin Wiltshire]

I like the sound of that

[Colin Wiltshire]

For a while, my car started fine. Then started to have problems again (re just clicking when turning key). Sometimes takes me 5 mins to get to the point where it will turn over. I have now fitted a start button, with great help from the information found on this site. It took a couple of hours, but I never seem to do anything quickly when fiddling with my (before any of you say, it was just my) car.
I read somewhere that the power for the switch goes to the same red power lead that one side of the relay from the switch uses, although this worked, the switch remained lit up (red led one), I wasn't happy with this, so used the 2nd acc cable, so only lights up when just before starting.

I did find that someone else had cut/spliced into one of the wires there, soldered back together the taped round it.

That's one more issue hopefully sorted/got around lol.