Intermittent starting

[loopy_lab08]

Hi

I hope someone may know what this problem could be?

Just got my Ford/Mazda back from having the cam belt done and now my van is hit and miss as to whether it starts or not.

I stopped at a shop for some bits and for got to lock the van whilst I went in!! When I got my van wouldn't start - dead! no electrics, wouldn't turn over! went under the bonnet, fiddled with the battery terminals closed the bonnet got back in, now the van decides to start!

The next day started fine but thought I would check the battery is charged - it has a green circle and a red dot in the center which means it is charged, so far ok. Checked the terminals again and the positive is a little loose so tightened.

This morning starts fine. Later this morning wouldn't start?

Any ideas?

Thanks.

[wonkanoby]

what kind of terminals

as they should not be coming loose

[jimmo62]

Suggest you take the terminals off and give them and the battery posts a good clean and grease then reassemble. Could be the garage disconnected the battery while working on the engine and they are a bit loose, or maybe corroded and have been disturbed.

[loopy_lab08]

Yes sorry forgot to say that I had taken the negative and positive connections off and greased them and tightened them up (They have the quick release connections) I still have the problem however???

[ELZE]

Might sound like a silly question but does it have an imobiliser??

I ask because I have and as chance would have it I had exactly the same problem this weekend and have had to leave the van at home until the alarm fitter comes Thursday this week! When I pressed the hazards the ignition came back on and it started??

[Simon Jones]

You don't mention which engine you have but the diesel starter motor is prone to contacts wearing on the solenoid. Repair kits readily available, but I would contact the garage in the first instance and mention the problem has only happened since they worked on it. It's possible they've disturbed the earthing strap or one of the connections to the starter motor.

[loopy_lab08]

Thanks for the responses.

No immobiliser and its a 2.0 ltr petrol.

I will contact the garage tomorrow to see if they could have knocked a wire whilst working on it.

[wonkanoby]

then i would change the terminals to regular bolt ones

and check the engines earth wire as well

[Simon Jones]

The starter battery will not have quick release connections as the primary fuse block is integral to the positive connection. A leisure battery on the other hand is likely to have quick release terminals.

[jimmo62]

When you say it was dead - how dead exactly? If you had ignition lights, interior lights, central locking all working then it's likely to be starter motor/solenoid/relay/ignition switch/ignition fuse. If you had nothing at all then it's more likely to be battery connections/main fuse

[loopy_lab08]

Dead as in no ignition lights and no central locking.

Having had another look it seems I was in fact looking at the leisure battery! I'm assuming it is considering it say auxiliary power for the caravan and marine industry.

The main battery has the bolt on connections and the earth lead seems a little loose but only a little. I will unbolt them and grease accordingly and tighten to see what happens.

Thanks for the info it's been a great help.

I will keep you posted!

[loopy_lab08]

Hi

Greased and tightened so will see what happens!!

[loopy_lab08]

All seems to be OK.

Thanks for everyone's help!