Slow starter

[Neil Nicholls]

For the past 2-3 weeks the van has been a bit slow to start. Not normal at all.
Its not like it all the time, but it seems there is sometimes a delay of maybe a second, before it fires.
It can be like it from cold start or start/stop. I've been a bit worried about it starting, but its never not fired yet.
I was thinking maybe battery, but would stop/start kick in if the battery was low ?
Or, maybe a sticking starter, but its not like it all the time.
Its due a service & belt, so maybe try a new battery ?
Its on a 66 plate 80k miles

 

[DaveD]

For the past 2-3 weeks the van has been a bit slow to start. Not normal at all.
Its not like it all the time, but it seems there is sometimes a delay of maybe a second, before it fires.
It can be like it from cold start or start/stop. I've been a bit worried about it starting, but its never not fired yet.
I was thinking maybe battery, but would stop/start kick in if the battery was low ?
Or, maybe a sticking starter, but its not like it all the time.
Its due a service & belt, so maybe try a new battery ?
Its on a 66 plate 80k miles

I'd get the battery tested, you may well be right, but I'd get it tested before shelling out for a new one, you don't want a new battery and find that nothing's changed!
Edit: I have a battery tester and just saw you're not far from me, if you want to meet at Baldock services I can stick the tester on it. Message me if you want to arrange a time and day.

 

[Pete C]

When you say slow to start, do you mean there is a delay before the starter motor starts to turn, or that the starter motor turns for longer before the engine fires ?

Pete

 

[Neil Nicholls]

I'd get the battery tested, you may well be right, but I'd get it tested before shelling out for a new one, you don't want a new battery and find that nothing's changed!
Edit: I have a battery tester and just saw you're not far from me, if you want to meet at Baldock services I can stick the tester on it. Message me if you want to arrange a time and day.

Hi Dave,

Very nice of you, thanks for the offer.
To be fair, I use an local garage, and there sound, so im hoping it lasts until it goes in for a service, when they can test it.
I was wondering if anyone had experienced similar.

 

[Neil Nicholls]

When you say slow to start, do you mean there is a delay before the starter motor starts to turn, or that the starter motor turns for longer before the engine fires ?

Pete

Yep, a delay, and then it turns over, but slower than normal.
Its a change from the norm, so something is a miss.

 

[Pete C]

Are you confident that the battery is well charged i.e. you do regular longer runs ?

Pete

 

[Neil Nicholls]

Are you confident that the battery is well charged i.e. you do regular longer runs ?

Pete

Yep, I do over 100 miles most days, and it gets some decent speed on dual carridgeways. No short journeys .
Thats actually a good idea, to stick a charger on it, and see if makes a difference

 

[DaveD]

Yep, a delay, and then it turns over, but slower than normal.
Its a change from the norm, so something is a miss.

Ah, I get the same if I jump in and don't wait long enough for the glow plugs to do their thing before turning the key to start the engine. If I wait for the glow plug light to go out I don't get the delay.

 

[Neil Nicholls]

Ah, I get the same if I jump in and don't wait long enough for the glow plugs to do their thing before turning the key to start the engine. If I wait for the glow plug light to go out I don't get the delay.

Yep I know what you mean. This could be during a start/stop cycle though.
I've had the van for years, and its not a normal thing for it to do.

 

[DaveD]

Yep I know what you mean. This could be during a start/stop cycle though.
I've had the van for years, and its not a normal thing for it to do.

You know your van, if it's behaving differently it's worth getting it checked out, and if it's due a service you can kill two birds with one visit.

 

[Pete C]

Yep, I do over 100 miles most days, and it gets some decent speed on dual carridgeways. No short journeys .
Thats actually a good idea, to stick a charger on it, and see if makes a difference

It that improves things, and it reverts to the same behaviour a bit later, then it is likely that your battery is on the way out.

Peter

 

[Neil Nicholls]

It that improves things, and it reverts to the same behaviour a bit later, then it is likely that your battery is on the way out.

Peter

I've just put a charger on, will see how it goes......

 

[Neil Nicholls]

Still not charged this morning, so guess thats the problem......

 

[Pete C]

What model charger is it ?

Pete

 

[Neil Nicholls]

What model charger is it ?

Pete

Its a C tek 3600

 

[Pete C]

I would leave it on as long as you can, and then try your van out.
It's a fairly low current charger, so could take a while, but I would have expected it to have finished by now, given your van is used regularly.

Pete

 

[Neil Nicholls]

I would leave it on as long as you can, and then try your van out.
It's a fairly low current charger, so could take a while, but I would have expected it to have finished by now, given your van is used regularly.

Pete

Yep will do. I also expected it to be full by the morning.
I will leave it on over the weekend and see if it gets to full charge.

 

[Neil Nicholls]

Defiantly the battery. It didn`t get to full charge, but back to normal driving/starting today.
New battery on order.