Evening Guys

I'm having a nightmare ! And I am looking for some all round PF help on this, this is my last Point of call hoping some one can help before I need to pay an auto electrician to come out... ' Gulp! '

My FRST will not hold its charge at first the problem wasn't so bad as it is now for example I could drive the car switch it off , try to start it up again but it would really struggle .

Now the problems that bad I can jump start the car drive it for half hour turn it of and try start it up again and it's dead, I can get lights and interior clock but no fuel pump prime as the battery doesn't have enough power ,

I've had 3 second hand alternators and none have made a difference

I've replaced the battery cables from the bat -starter-alternator,

I bought a brand new battery all be it dead as dead when I got it!

Battery when cars not started reads 11.34

Started reads : 14.42

Everything turned on with car idling reads 12.36

Alternator out put to starter reads 14.46 if I've done it right ( red probe onto output and black probe onto an earth point ! )

I jump start the car and Once I've driven it and switched it off, I have to jump start it again, it will Start on the first crank but if I try to start it on its own , nothing not even fuel pump prime!

Do you have any pointers or advice guys,

Thanks , Matt

 

My first thought has the car got an alarm or immobilser

 

Also forgot to add,

I had a melted ignition relay and holder so had a new fuse box put in ( problems started prior to this )

Also I had a melted crankshaft sensor plug more than likely irrelevant I know!

 

It had an alarm fitted but when all this started it was the first thing I removed ! And the sub and amp was removed to !

 

dose your car have a amp with a live feed from the battery?

 

does the battery light work? if the bulbs blown it wont charge.. the blue wire from the clock to the alternator can cause all sorts of trouble..
just to add ,your new battery was dead when you got it? never had that before...

 

i'd try and borrow a known working battery of someone as never heard of a new battery being dead when bought and think it might have a problem

 

I replaced the blue wire from the alt as far as I could go and swapped over the dash battery light bulb for another

No Amps or etc fitted!

With the brattery it's new , but it was compety discharged , when I got it home to fit it!

 

Burn it lol

 

Lol...

 

I would also say its a problem with your battery not holding a charge. as suggested above try your car with a battery that you know is working and see if your problem goes.

 

With it all switched off
What is the battery reading and If you sit and watch it
You might see it being drained
I would start to disconnect all the things that work with the ignition switched off
If this makes sense
Does your battery light work correctly

 

I checked the reading of the battery today ,

On idle it's 14's with ignition off its 11,40's

The battery light comes on with the oil light when the ignition is turned , once the car is started it is off!

I've had the loom out when the new fuse box was fitted and I took the Time to trace all the wires back for any lives that could be causing an issue , no lives were split or damaged , and quite sure there all going to the right places ... I hope lol

 

you need to find out current draw when switched off, then see what circuit it is.

Also start from a know good point of a charged battery!

drop me a line and I will take you through some of the basic tests!

 

Lazy starter when hot? Does the fuel pump only prime when cranking on these?

 

As above get a decent battery sorted and go from there

 

My old escort rst had same problem mate ! Everytime I booted it or ran it then turned her off it wouldn't start!

After leaving it for half hour it struggled to start!
My oil light kept flickering while I was brakin n giving round corners!
Ended up taking to a rolling road specialist n he fitted a new cam n dialed timing in!

He also said I bet it kept cutting out n wouldn't start!
I said yeh!
He said I sorted it for u now :s
I forgt to ask what he done

 

I'm sure it was to with timing or something!
Had vernier pulley n a piper 285 cam fitted

 

Afternoon everyone,

Thank you so much for everyone's help and input and for the people that have inboxed me I fully appreciate that , slowly going through them and the thread as we speak!

It had a new standard cam fitted by the pervious owner,

I quickly stuck the volt meter on the battery terminal today and got a reading of 11.42 , got all ignition lights , headlights etc, how ever if I try to crank it over there's not enough power! Just what you would expect with a flat battery !

 

A good battery should hold above 12.5 volts when the car isn't running. Anything below that and either you have something draining it, or you have a duff battery.
I would disconnect the battery, charge it. Check the voltage, leave it disconnected after charging, the next day check again. it should be above 12.5, if it is, you have a current draw from somewhere.