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Flat battery and burnt out wire

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Flat battery and burnt out wire

Postby vampirequeen » Sat Aug 18, 2018 7:57 pm

A nightmare has descended on me. The van (2000 mk6 lwb high top) seemed to be running normally until this morning. We switched on the engine and nothing happened. Not even a flicker of life. Nothing electric working. A nice man came from Green Flag and jumped started her. We drove around in her on and off all day and she seemed to be fine. This evening my husband tried to start her and again nothing happened. No life in the battery whatsoever. He investigated and found that the split charger relay was hot so disconnected the connection between the batteries. He could smell burning so opened the bonnet and found that the cable to the +jumpstart (the red thing next to the fuse box) looked like this.

WP_20180818_18_33_16_Pro.jpg


Any ideas what has burnt out? Is it something we can repair ourselves? If so, what size cable do we need?


Thanks
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Re: Flat battery and burnt out wire

Postby Altransit » Sat Aug 18, 2018 8:16 pm

Altransit wrote:The broken/melted wire will be the fusible link to the glow plugs. It's melted because one or more of the plugs has gone short circuit, which is very common.

Depending on the type and condition of the engine, you may not need the glow plugs for starting (my old TDDi 85ps didn't) but if you do want to replace them, you need to be very careful not to snap them off in the head!
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Re: Flat battery and burnt out wire

Postby ned » Sat Aug 18, 2018 8:24 pm

My 125ps starts fine without glow plugs as well and yes I have a snapped one in the head :roll:

If the engine is warm and not starting I would 1, check and replace battery, 2, check the starter motor. N
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Re: Flat battery and burnt out wire

Postby vampirequeen » Sat Aug 18, 2018 8:25 pm

Thanks. Will that also cause the battery to go flat?
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Re: Flat battery and burnt out wire

Postby vampirequeen » Sat Aug 18, 2018 8:26 pm

We know that the starter motor and alternator are OK because they were replaced last year.
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Re: Flat battery and burnt out wire

Postby ned » Sat Aug 18, 2018 9:07 pm

How old are the batteries? N
RUST IS LIGHTER THEN CARBON FIBRE

57 transit 85t260 2.2 swb, moondust silver.
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=209987

03 transit 125t280 2.0 tdci swb 229,000 miles.
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=168296
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Re: Flat battery and burnt out wire

Postby vampirequeen » Sat Aug 18, 2018 9:09 pm

We're not sure how old the battery is. Could it be that we have two issues that have coincidently flared up at the same time?
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Re: Flat battery and burnt out wire

Postby Altransit » Sat Aug 18, 2018 9:13 pm

I would cut and isolate the burnt wire, and see if it starts.

The short circuit may have killed an ailing battery, or it may just need a proper re-charge.
1994 Mk4 SWB 115 Minibus 70ps Di (R.I.P.)
1997 Mk5 SWB 115 Minibus 70ps Di (Gone, but not forgotten!)
2004 Mk6 SWB T280 Medium Roof 85PS 2.0 TDDi - Vantunered (Also gone)
2008 Mk7 SWB T280 Medium Roof 85PS 2.2 TDCi - Also Vantunered
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Re: Flat battery and burnt out wire

Postby vampirequeen » Sat Aug 18, 2018 9:43 pm

Thanks. We'll try that.
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Re: Flat battery and burnt out wire

Postby vampirequeen » Sun Aug 19, 2018 6:06 am

We tested the battery this morning and it's show 13.5 so we're guessing it's not the battery at fault.
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Re: Flat battery and burnt out wire

Postby vampirequeen » Sun Aug 19, 2018 7:36 am

We had to move the van this morning by letting her roll down the hill. The lights etc work. The engine tried to turn over a couple of times before we ran out of momentum. The cable is definitely the one that goes to the glow plug relay.
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Re: Flat battery and burnt out wire

Postby vampirequeen » Sun Aug 19, 2018 1:06 pm

My daughter tried to jump start the van with her little Ford Fiesta (1200cc) but it wouldn't start. Could it be that her car wasn't strong enough to jump start a van?

We have access to a Transit Mk7 mini bus. Would it be worth trying that? Would it be safe for the Mk7 with all it's computerised bells and whistles?
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Re: Flat battery and burnt out wire

Postby ned » Sun Aug 19, 2018 1:11 pm

vampirequeen wrote:We tested the battery this morning and it's show 13.5 so we're guessing it's not the battery at fault.


Was that the voltage with the engine running?

The problem with batteries is they might have 12+ v but the cells die inside reducing the CCA (cold cranking amps) its the amps that the van uses to start,

Jump start from a mk7 will be fine.

Most garages offer free battery testing. N
RUST IS LIGHTER THEN CARBON FIBRE

57 transit 85t260 2.2 swb, moondust silver.
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=209987

03 transit 125t280 2.0 tdci swb 229,000 miles.
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=168296
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Re: Flat battery and burnt out wire

Postby vampirequeen » Sun Aug 19, 2018 2:55 pm

Thanks Ned. We'll try to jump start her with the Mk7 and nurse her to a safer parking spot. Then I'll phone the garage tomorrow.
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Re: Flat battery and burnt out wire

Postby rebuilder86 » Mon Aug 20, 2018 5:32 am

so vampire, jsut to clarify what i think has happened.
Your glowplug relay is stuck on, this happens regardless of the ignition switch, the relay is activated to its "on" position by the ignition swich and otehr things, but it the relay jsut gets stuck on, then its always on rgardless of ignition switch. In this ON position, it just connects the glow plugs to the battery via that wire u have seen melted. I'm not convinced that its actually a dedicated fusible link wire though, it just looks too serious.
So this is draining the battery. a drained battery which is left disconnected for some hours, can stil read 12 volts on a voltimeter, but have absolutely no juice in it.
WHen it succesfully started, that was because the alternator was doing all the work needed, and the battery was effectively a giant resistor. DO not continue to jump start it in this condiditon. This is inceidbly bad for your brand new alternator.
Charge the battery on a multi stage battery charger.
Replace the glow plug relay
replace the burnt wire or tape it up i its still got enough good copper.
Returrn battery terminals drive straight to the auto electrican and have them verify that there is no current running down that glowplug wire with a specialst auto electrical tool, known as a "clamp meter."
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