We have a diesel van and it keeps killing batteries (heavy duty ones). It will be fine for a month or 2 with a new battery and then wham the battery drains. Have looked at altenator and starter motor but still cant figure it out. Any help and thoughts would be greatly appreciated. TIA
bigfatmat1,
Aug 3, 2:58am
I thinka trip to the local auto sparky for some helpful advise and testing is whats needed.
skin1235,
Aug 3, 5:49am
when you say killing batteries, what do you mean, it is flat and will not recover even after a long charge, - ie buy a new one, or it is flat one morning and comes right again as soon as it has been charged scenario one says get the charging system checked - it's over charging and boiling the battery to the point it is stuffed, scenario two says look at your drivers, who is it that has not managed to learn yet on how to turn everything off when they exit the vehicle
haventrader,
Aug 3, 7:37am
Do you have trouble starting it, in other words does it crank for a number of turns before it finally starts, and this is draining the battery! Check the glow plugs.
sparkyz,
Aug 3, 7:47am
#2 had the answer.
muzzaandmich,
Aug 3, 7:50am
when you have done every thng the experts here reccomend and its still faultycontact the authorised dealershipthey fix what your husbandtried to and couldnt ,,
rosebud33,
Aug 3, 9:01am
Its not the glow plugs as it starts when it has a fully charged battery in it. Sometimes ie. today, it wouldnt turn over (the sound was dead battery wind over sound) then 5 mins later tried it again and it started as normal. Then half an hour later it was totally dead. I thought I would ask in here just incase someone had some other ideas but thanks for all the replies :)
bitsy_boffin,
Aug 3, 9:06am
Totally dead, as in, no lights, no horn, no nothin!
I'd check the battery terminals, and grounding for start, could be as simple as a loose terminal or bad connection not capable of carrying the current.
gadgit3,
Aug 3, 9:26am
Starts one min then wont the next untill you leave it for a min of so .
Sounds like an earth fault OR sticky/worn brush in the starter.
rosebud33,
Aug 3, 9:40am
Hey thanks for the tips. Going to check all this tomorrow :)
divermark,
Aug 6, 9:42am
Check for accessories (stereo, alarm, fridge etc) that are 12v and connected to only one of the two batteries. this will do exactly what you're experiencing.
mechnificent,
Aug 7, 1:28am
Vibration!
rosebud33,
Sep 30, 11:47am
The regulator in the alternator was stuffed. Personally I didnt think it was that as the light never come on in the dash. It always went off. Its getting fixed now so hopefully when its put back in it will run right again :)
So thanks again everyone for all the tips. It was much appreciated!
Had a bad run with the cars lately, other car kept stopping too. Was another problem i couldnt figure out. Ended up bein water in the gas from sitting for months. I learnt that meths in the gas tank fixes that problem.
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