Lack of power on first start up.

[tony rodaway]

Hello members i have a strange problem with my lc90 on first start up.
I left for work yesterday at 5.45 and car was all good but came out for my break at 10.45 and went to start it up to go somewere but the car was dead as just one click as battery seemed lifeless.
I got a jumpstart but did,nt seem to do any good as just got 3 to 4 clicks with little power it was gaining.
I changed my main battery for my axuillary one and went to jump start and straight away you could tell it was drawing power from the jump start so i tried to start and bingo first time.
Seems i have a dead battery so i drove for around 1.5miles with auxillary battery on and stopped and started again and car was dead again.
I got another jump start and went to get a new battery £91 and came home and put it on and started it up and bingo first time start so problem solved but no as i turnrd the engine off and started it up again one click with new battery on and this was not a battery fault even alternator would not kill a new battery that quick.
In the mean while my auxillary battery was on charge and since it was not a battery fault i removed the new one and replaced my original one back on and started the car and it started first time so deffo not a battery fault.
The car has started every time since BUT now startes like the battery is dieing on first start up or if i leave it for a few hours at least.
One first start up it sounds like it does not have the power to start and seems more white smoke than normal but just fires and then all is normal as drives perfect.
If i drive and stop and start up again it will fire up no problem like power is restored but to be honest i dont think its taking any power out the battery just there is some thing else that seems the problem.
Wth my symtoms i thought i may have a short somewere or faulty glow plug but to get a new battery and not start that is not a power fault but may be a sensor or machanical fault but what can it be causeing this problem.
My dash has no warning lights from battery or alternator and starts so not starter fault either.

ANY IDEAS AND HAS ANY ONE HAD THIS PROBLEM AS I NEED MY Car FOR WORK AS IT STANDS NOT SURE IF IT WILL START WHEN I GET IN IT.

 

[Shayne]

Clean the big Ground connection on your starter motor through the passenger side wheel arch .

 

[tony rodaway]

Clean the big Ground connection on your starter motor through the passenger side wheel arch .

Thanks shayne but would this cause a slow start up as it fires ok once running or been running.

 

[Shayne]

Well its sounds to me like either the power is not getting to your starter or your starter is failing , my bets are on the latter mine took 4 days to die .

 

[tony rodaway]

Well its sounds to me like either the power is not getting to your starter or your starter is failing , my bets are on the latter mine took 4 days is the sta


Is the starter easy to fit as i no on some lc,s the starter is hidden away in the engine.

 

[Shayne]

It's a straight forward thing as in no need to pay a mechanic but it would be handy to have an 8 year old gymnast to help .
I have a body lift which helped but if i remember correctly , and i might not , i did most of it from under the truck .

Without anyone to help i might add .

 

[tony rodaway]

It's a straight forward thing as in no need to pay a mechanic but it would be handy to have an 8 year old gymnast to help .
I have a body lift which helped but if i remember correctly , and i might not , i did most of it from under the truck .

Without anyone to help i might add .

Thanks shayne but would this cause the car to start slow as i thought the starter had only one job to start the engine but i can only do one thing at a time as with out eml light on its just a guess.

 

[Shayne]

A starter is just an electric motor and an electric motor is basically just a couple of magnets so when it fails the symptoms are never identical to what the other fella described . Next time it won't start smack the starter with a hammer , if it cures the problem then you know you need a rebuild kit or a new starter .

 

[tony rodaway]

A starter is just an electric motor and an electric motor is basically just a couple of magnets so when it fails the symptoms are never identical to what the other fella described . Next time it won't start smack the starter with a hammer , if it cures the problem then you know you need a rebuild kit or a new starter .

Ok shayne thank you.

 

[Ben Stratford]

Check the alternator after it has been sat with engine off for 2 hours. If alternator is still warm there may be an internal short drawing amps

 

[Beau]

Start off with all main electrical connections. Battery terminals, grounds, alternator and starter wires... These things don't hurt the wallet to check/clean.

 

[Steve H]

Hi. Next time your truck does this try putting a jump lead from the negative terminal to a good earth point on the engine. If the truck starts it will be your main earthing lead to the engine playing up/faulty. Also do you have a multi meter or volt gauge to test your alternator output with. I say this because my truck was getting harder to start a while back and it turned out to be the alternator slowly dying and only putting out 11 volts, enough charge to stop the warning light coming on even at tick over. Also a couple of years ago my starter motor would occasionally click a couple of times before starting. Turned out to be the contacts on the solenoid burnt out on one side. Got a repair kit from Roughtrax and couple of hours later all done.

 

[tony rodaway]

Check the alternator after it has been sat with engine off for 2 hours. If alternator is still warm there may be an internal short drawing amps

Thank you and i will check as i no its something stupid.

 

[tony rodaway]

Hi. Next time your truck does this try putting a jump lead from the negative terminal to a good earth point on the engine. If the truck starts it will be your main earthing lead to the engine playing up/faulty. Also do you have a multi meter or volt gauge to test your alternator output with. I say this because my truck was getting harder to start a while back and it turned out to be the alternator slowly dying and only putting out 11 volts, enough charge to stop the warning light coming on even at tick over. Also a couple of years ago my starter motor would occasionally click a couple of times before starting. Turned out to be the contacts on the solenoid burnt out on one side. Got a repair kit from Roughtrax and couple of hours later all done.

Ok shayne thank you.

Found this plug by my alternator but whats does it belong to.

 

[tony rodaway]

Found this plug by my alternator but whats does it belong to.

View attachment 127857 View attachment 127858

Does anybody else have this plug and is it an add on plug or has it came off something.

 

[Dave]

Its only a single connection, so maybe something like a/c compressor?

 

[tony rodaway]

Its only a single connection, so maybe something like a/c compressor?

Thanks dave it may be that as compressor is above it.

 

[tony rodaway]

Its only a single connection, so maybe something like a/c compressor?

You are spot on dave as it came off the a/c compressor so back on now and thanks dave.

 

[tony rodaway]

Starter motor
Alternator and batterys all working fine and charging as they should but it is something else causing my symtoms.
May be a faulty glow plug because if stood for hours and get excess smoke but i dont think its electrical but mechanical now but what else can cause my symtoms on start up and cause my struggling start..

 

[tony rodaway]

My car when left over night and start in the morning will struggle to start as in dieing battery symtoms but my batterys are both good.
I started my car today and with lots of white excess smoke as more than normal so let it run for a bit then left for a few hrs but then same again with excess smoke but has a strange strong smell as different to normal my starter and alternator are both good and have even checked my earth with multimeter test .
I have done the parasitic draw test on my ground wire and was 0.3 draw so that was ok.
Just thinking with excess smoke it may be a sensor or glow plug or but would either of these cause my symptoms.