20yr old French car in FTP shocker. Any ideas?

[binhoker668]

SO.

Drove to work as usual at 6am - bit cold, but started no problem.  Got to work - reversed into space and got out.  Pressed key fob to lock, but no dice.  Just left it, thinking, cold weather, possibly just a wee French hiccup.

Went back out 20mins later to give it another go - nothing.  Key in ignition, nothing - at all.

Volt meter on battery - 12.8 volts.

But still nothing in car.

Jump leads + spare battery = lights and speedo/rev counter go utterly nuts, and loud fast clicking when trying to start.

Just weird.

Relay?

Anyone had this before?

In terms of automotive electrics, I am utterly and completely bereft of all skills.

 

 

 

(I'd have put this in the Ask A Shiter thread, but it's a bit more urgent as have to get home and to/from work this week right early...)

[Parky]

Try a battery cable from the negative terminal to the bodywork as it might be a poor earth. That is quick and easy to check and it is surprising how much chaos a bad earth can generate. If all works ok afterwards you are on your way to a solution. And if not that’s one thing eliminated

 

What car is it anyway? Xantia I presume?

[andy18s]

I'd go 1 bit further and put it between the engine/gearbox and the battery neg

That eliminate all possible earthing issues

Sure the battery terminals are clean and tight?

[dollywobbler]

What they said. Battery terminals or main earth point. BECAUSE FRENCH.

[Zelandeth]

Yep, broken earth between engine/body or body/battery would be my first port of call.

[Junkman]

12.8 V is way too low.

Either a cell has died, or a diode in the rectifier.

[dollywobbler]

12.8 V is way too low.

Either a cell has died, or a diode in the rectifier.

 

Eh? As a resting voltage, that's fine.

[Bren]

12.8 volts standing is good. But not much if engine is running.

[motorpunk]

Check the earth strap. Then check that the spare battery actually has enough juice to do the job. If that fails then TLIIRO*

 

*Try leaving it in rice overnight. An irritating and unfunny acronym has been born.

[jollysmart]

Try using the spare battery earth directly onto a decent clean bit of the engine with the other leg onto the car battery as normal to eliminate the earth from the car battery being faulty?

[Captain Furious]

The fact it at least has a go when the spare battery is connected suggests the problem is your battery.  Depending on how thick your leads are a spare battery connected by jump leads probably isn't sufficient to start it, can you try another running car?  Or failing that get the spare actually fitted to the car rather than connected via leads.

 

I had a battery fail in a similar manner earlier this year, It had been running, I stopped it for 3 minutes with nothing on but the radio and when I came to start it it was stone cold dead.  AA came out and hooked their box of tricks up and it showed volts good, amps not so good...He said something about something failing internally in the battery, and then sold me a new one for £100+VAT...It has been fine ever since though.

 

Problems which appear to be the battery, usually do end up being the battery, in my experience.

[binhoker668]

Cheers guys - trying to fit in tinkering with the normal working day.  Have swapped the battery over for the good one and cleaned the terminal etc.  Still doing the mental clicking/christmas tree dash thing.  Sparky from work is gonna give me a hand checking earths in a bit, as I have no idea exactly where to put the wires etc. 

Fingers crossed and trying not to listen to the *impending doom* sounds that the ole brain is making ha ha...

[binhoker668]

It's funny how all the stop-gap car roffles always dry up every time these French problems occur!

Kiltox's GT is an annoying insurance leap for some reason...

[binhoker668]

OK.

Jump started it from another car.  So it's the battery.  Or rather both of the batteries I had.

Panic pants have now been removed and now just have to source a good battery.

Many thanks for the replies guys - always class to know that there is support!

Mods - thread can be removed....

 

Battery recommendations meanwhile?

[Junkman]

Eh? As a resting voltage, that's fine.

12.8 volts standing is good. But not much if engine is running.

 

Not on a modern it isn't, no.

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

As soon as I read the post, dead cell like JM suggested. You need amps and with a cell down it won't happen. The cold will finish off a faulty battery. I just get those batteries from halfrauds. When it goes pop again in warranty, they just swap it straight over. No dicking about with parcels and internetting.

[barefoot]

 

Battery recommendations meanwhile?

 

Whatever can be delivered by the time you go home tonight.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

....Battery recommendations meanwhile?

 

I replaced the CX's battery with an Exide 067, which has a slightly* greater output than the previous one. No starting FTP / FTSs on that score.....

[Captain Furious]

I have always bought genuine Ford for mine until this time, the AA supplied one is Yuassa (or however you spell it) with a 5 year warranty.  I can't really comment on quality other than its been on for about 3 months so far and when I turn the key electricity has always happened.

 

The only ones I was warned to stay away from, by "a mate in the trade" was the ECP favourite "LION" batterys, which are allegedly shite.  Anything you buy is gonna come with at least a 3 year warranty tho so you're pretty safe.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

....The only ones I was warned to stay away from, by "a mate in the trade" was the ECP favourite "LION" batteries, which are allegedly shite.....

 

"Lying" rather than "Lion", then?

[binhoker668]

All done and dusted. I’ve had too many french cars. The minute ANYTHING electric makes the slightest noise and I fear the worst ha ha. Oh well, motoring on, fingers crossed and a lazy roffle bid here and there.

[Parky]

Anything with a higher CCA (cold cranking ampage) than you currently have if you can find one. Just means it has a little more oomph for starting

[Ghosty]

Yuasa seem to be alright, both my cars have them - I took one off my GSi before I sold it as it was recent (and AA branded), whereas the one on there was an unknown quantity (and knackered when I got it). Civic also came with a Yuasa.

I was going to suggest the keypad of doom, if it had one. (These should be removed from all PSA products as a matter of course). 

[binhoker668]

Yeah I got a nice big brand new Yuasa for £90 all in. Car starts beautifully now. Hadn’t realised how lazy it was before!

Will have to give it a 2 bucket special in appreciation.

[Richard]

Lion=Halfords=Yuasa=Poundland PP3 as far as I can tell. 

[Zelandeth]

If you or someone you know has a Costco card, worth a look there. I had a quick glance at them a couple of months back (knowing I'll be picking one for the Invacar up at some point), prices were about half what Halfords were asking.

[Uncle Jimmy]

Stroke it lovingly and tell it not to worry, the idiot Macron will soon be gone.

[rainagain]

Yuasa make nearly all bike batteries fitted by OEM and about half of all new cars made today leave the factory with a Yuasa battery.

 

I’ve used Lion batteries in a couple of cars and never had any problems although I only kept each car for less than two years so not really a long term test!

[Dan the van]

The Yuasa battery in my Honda quad is at least ten years old and quite possibly the original which makes it 15.

[Richard]

I know Yuasa is a major manufacturer of OEM batteries but the ones you get in motor factors are strictly for squeezing another few months out of ELVs, as long as they aren't too demanding to start. 

 

 

I thought my TDi Volvo was broken because it would never start if it was frosty and the replacement Halfords battery I got under warranty for it was no better- and barely lasted the remainder of the warranty period. With a Bosch battery it was fine. It was the same with the Yuasa batteries on the C5, about a year out of them at best. I've not had a Lion battery but I strongly suspect all three are the same thing with different branding.

 

They'd all be fine to get you through a winter I'm sure, but don't be fooled into thinking they are in any way premium.