2.5 turbo diesel starting issues

[Tomfairch88]

Hello everybody I am new to this forum so I appreciate any help in advance.

We recently bought a 96 bongo 2.5 turbo diesel and for the past fewonths apart from the odd old water pipe she has been a dream but over the last couple of months she has not wanted to start unless she has a boost from another car or a machine and when she does she starts up straight away no problem.

We have been to halfords 3 times and each time they have told us the battery is better than new and that our problem could be the starter but in my head when she is dead you get all the usual clicks from the starter and when you boost her she fires up straight away.

She is charging fine at about 14v and I left her not connected to the bongo and she held charge no problem.

I can't see a parasitic drain either as she is sitting at just above 10v after starting a couple of times and hasn't dropped since.

Any ideas what could be happening or what I need to replace? My head is spinning and my family love going out in the van and when she's going she is a dream.

Any help would be amazing and I look forward to hearing any ideas.

Thank you

Tom

[gilly99]

10v sounds way too low. Bongos have notoriously high parasitic drain on the battery. To test, if you disconnect the negative terminal, put a multi-meter on, then if a high value, start pulling fuses you should be able to find the problem circuit. Mines within limits, but battery will still get a bit sluggish if laid up for a month - I used to connect a little 12v solar panel on the dash to keep the battery 'conditioned', but have now fitted a quick disconnect terminal.

I'd take it a proper garage to check alternator and starter circuits if your battery is good.

[g8dhe]

Have to agree below 11v on a battery is a bad sign especially on a diesel, as you have the glowplugs and higher compression to overcome with the starter motor, than on a petrol vehicle. The fact that you start with minimal problems when boosted from another vehicle also points to this, the only other cause could be dodgy battery connections, try removing each and cleaning the terminals and clamps, otherwise it all points to a flat battery.

[Tomfairch88]

I appreciate the messages thank you.

It is strange even when we took her for a run and a good charge you would stop and then try and start her again and she wouldnt. Could it be the starter taking too much voltage or something like that?

I should take it too a garage but I'm one of those guys who likes to try himself fiest.

Thanks again

[g8dhe]

The only other possibility is that the starter motor contactor needs replacing, but this normally shows itself by hearing a click from the starter but the motor itself does not turn over, this will repeat a number of times and then it will all work no problem, until a few starts later.

What happens is that the contactor is actually a rotating plate, it makes a small turn on each starting attempt, over time the surface gets damaged and then refuses to start, until you have restarted sufficient number of times for the small turning movement gets to a clean part again. However this doesn't match up with the fact that bridging over from another vehicle gets you going, unless it just happens at the same time as the contactor turns to a clean section....