Weird electrical issue....

[Big Rob]

Had a strange afternoon on Saturday. The Wife and I drove into town to visit my Mum in hospital and we took the van. Bad choice, we drove through a huge thunderstorm, so I had the lights and aircon/demister on all the way.

When we got back in the van and turned the key there was Nothing! No power at all to anything. I assumed I had a bad battery terminal connection and twisted them to get a better contact, and all I got was a click from the starter when I turned the key.

A nice bloke (with a prosthetic leg!) was kind enough to loan us some jumper leads and a jump start, but the motor still wouldn't turn over.

When the jumper leads were connected we had headlights and interior light and radio, but as soon as I disconnected them all we had was the interior light.

So it was a trip home on the tilt-tray, a very rare experience for us as I usually get whatever is wrong sorted out.

My battery is good and showing a full charge and the interior light is strong.

Could my problem be the positive lead connection to the starter motor? Or the alternator?

It seems strange that power is getting to the fuse box, but not to the starter (or headlights!)

This one has got me stumped. I want to fix it myself if it's an easy fix, before resorting to the auto electrician in town.

Anyone??????

[Innuendo]

Fusable Link? Although that would normally kill all power.

[wbute]

Sure it's not the solenoid on the starter motor. The one on my WB would start it from cold every time. But when you went to start it hot it would do the old click click and nothing. A good tap with the wheel brace on the solenoid and away it went. Needed a rebuilt starter motor.
Also when you say the battery is showing good charge, is that showing 12 volts? The battery could still be no good.

[Cocko750]

You sure your cars aren't conspiring together , they know two are going and may believe ..... You are gonna get a ford to replace them !!!

[SLR_dave]

It does sound like starter motor solenoid, although the radio things a bit wierd. But, as WB suggested, the starter motor, and battery are pretty obvious suspects. A new gear reduction starter motor is pretty cheap these days, about 130 last I looked but that was a while back, (they're nice and short, its a good peice of gear to have.)

Times like that its often best to check everything over from the beginning, is the negative lead to the block connected propery, is it a good clean conection, whats happening at the back of the alernator, is everything done up right and in the right place, etc. What are the starter connections like etc. A nice chunky modern earth strap from the block to the chassis can sometimes also help sort weird ghost problems in older cars, you install it to an already exsisting fastner on the motor and the chassis/body at each end.

[wbute]

How did the bloke with the prosthetic leg go with the jump start?

[Sandaro]

How did the bloke with the prosthetic leg go with the jump start?

haha, can you imagine if Big Rob tried a clutch start and needed a push.

Seriously though, have you tried another battery you know is good? Those symptoms sound a lot like a dead battery (I get clicking sound from starter too when my battery is nearly out of charge) Your battery may re charge and be okay, the root of your problem maybe something else like your alternator wasn't up to the task of keeping up the charge on that trip

And connecting jumper leads to a dead battery sometimes won't result in a car starting either. I've had it that the dead battery like absorbs the charge form the jumper leads and the car gets very little and still doesn't start

[Valencia]

My mate had this problem on his Landcruiser we thought it was the starter ended up being the battery
just try a different battery first Rob

[jason.ruff]

You need to load test the battery to be sure it is all right. it might have the right voltage but could die in the arse when a load is applied. most garages or battery world can do it.

[Vombil]

ignition module in distributor ?