Hi everyone

 

I got a problem and was wondering if anyone could help please?  I got a new battery last April, it's a BOSCH S4 007 for my Octavia 1.9TDI (W Reg).  A couple of weeks back the battery was dead so I've been charging it up all this week, the battery charger said 100%.  I've just put it back in, connected the cables and did a quick ignition and it started.  I then turned it off and proceeded to tighten the nuts and sprayed some WD40 on the battery seating bracket, cleaned up the bolt for that, etc..maybe 15-20 minutes.  I then tried starting it again and it won't start!  The alternator just turns.

 

I'm now either thinking the company i bought the battery from sent me the wrong one or something is draining the battery?  But what could drain a car battery in 20 minutes?

 

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks

Q

Edited 24 August, 201312 yr by Quyeno

Try getting the car scanned for codes, it will be something small but could be a pain to find. Can be lots of sources for the drain.

When you say that a couple of weeks ago the battery was dead, they don't just go dead by themselves unless left sitting a long time so any ideas on the cause of that?

Also, the alternator is driven by a belt off the engine so I assume you mean starter? Is it turning over fast enough to start?

Hi,

 

I'm wondering how to get the car scanned for codes when it won't start to get it to the garage! lol.  I think the battery went dead after because I was only driving it at weekends, it's was starting up fine before that.  

 

Yeah, I mean the start motor.  It sounds like it's turning quite fast, it's not a weak turn over.  All the lights in the console light up when i put the key in and all turn off when i turn the key except for the handbrake light and the battery light.  The central locking works.

 

I took the battery back out there and have it charging again.  Right enough the battery is dead, the charger is showing the charge in the battery as minimum.

 

I had some electrical work down on it about a month back, it was to fix a non working speedo dial.  The problem was a cable's insulation had worn and was touching the car body so the garage replaced that length of cable.  

 

Would i have to take it to a skoda garage to get the car scanned for codes?

It doesn't have to be a skoda garage,I'm sure there's a section on here with members who have vcds,there maybye someone near who could come and scan your car for codes for some beer money,I have vcds at my work but would mean you would have to get your car recovered to my work in fife,hopefully someone nearby will have vcds.

VCDS is best but even a more generic fault finder from any independent garage might show something up... Could be immobiliser/ fuel pressure/ heater plugs etc...

Sounds like the battery is knackered to me. If you had a drain big enough to flatten the battery in 20 minutes, you would have seen a big spark when connecting the terminals

Hi,

 

Thanks for the replys.  I bought cheapo charger on amazon for £15 (it had decent reviews) but I'm sending it back and have order a Ctek MXS 5 which apparently can rejuvenate the oldest of batteries.  I'm thinking the cheapo charger probably hasn't managed to charge the battery properly.

 

mushtafa - when I was connecting the terminals I did get a spark.  I connected the black lead first then the red and the small cable box, i did notice a spark when I was doing it. Could that have drained the battery?  How would should I have connected the cables without causing a spark?

 

Thanks

You normally get a spark when reconnecting the leads. You connect the positive lead first and then the negative lead.

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The safest way is to connect the positive stuff first, than the earth lead last.

How big was the spark? You'd get a small one if the interior lights came on etc. But, a drain large enough to flatten a healthy battery in 20 mins would be a big spark. Perhaps even big enough to make you jump.

Have you got a multimeter? Amp clamp?

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Unfortunately I don't have a multimeter, I don't really do much car DIY hence my lack of knowledge.  I could ask to see if any of mates have one.  I assume it's to read the voltage across the battery when it's connected?  If so what range should I expect?

 

I think the spark was small was was noticeable, certainly didn't give me a jump or sh't myself lol.  Next time i'll be sure to connect the positive, then negative, then the little box of cables that goes on top of the battery and definitely wrap a cloth around the terminals to be make sure they don;t touch the car while i'm attaching.

 

I think when the car is finally running again, i'll book it into the same auto electrician and get him to check the alternater charge capacity and may be pester a local briskoda member to check codes for some beer money.

I was going to get you to measure the drain. 

cool, i'll look into it.

Update - I charged the battery up with the Ctek MXS5, it was charged up to stage 7 which means it's ready to use.  installed the battery connecting the positive first then negative and then the little box of cables that site on top of the battery (which also connects the positive)  I got a tiny spark when connect the cable box to the positive.  tried starting the car and no luck, it just turns.

 

I'm thinking there must be something with the car since the Ctek apparently tests whether the battery can hold charge after fully charging (stage 5 I think) and it passes that stage so I guess the battery is good.  I connected the battery to charge again and it's at stage 3 which is charging the battery to 80%, so something has drained the battery.

 

Can the engine codes be read without the battery installed?

does the engine turn over or does just the starter motor spin?

Hi

 

The starter motor spins, from what i can tell it seems like a decent strength spin.

So the engine doesn't actually turn over then?

 

With the aid of an assistant give the starter a tap with a hammer whilst said assistant turns the key, see if the engine then turns over.

 

Could be that the starter is kaput or some teeth are missing off the flywheel (I think that's what the starter engages on).  If it is the latter try moving the car a few feet in gear and then try starting it again.

Hi,

 

I'm not very experienced with cars, If you mean by 'engine turn over' as it sounds like the engine is trying to start up then yeah I think the engine does turn over but doesn't start.  Sorry for the confusion.  After turning off, I can hear the starter motor retracting.

I should think the noise you hear after turning off maybe the anti shudder valve rather than the starter.

 

I think you need to see if there is anyone near you with VCDS who could scan the car and see if any obvious faults are present.

 

Look in the VCDS forum where there is a thread with a list of people round the country with VCDS.  I would think if there is someone near you they would pop round for a few beer tokens.

Can you see diesel in the clear fuel line just after the filter?  It is normal to see a bubble (or two) of air in there.

 

If you charge the battery, wait a while and then reconnect the charger what stage does it show it at?  A small spark is expected when connecting the battery back up, you would need a large spark (enough to make you jump) to see the sort of drain you are reporting.  Just to rule out the battery from the equation, what happens if you try to jump the car?

 

I suspect either lack of fuel or an electrical problem else where (assuming the engine makes the normal sort of turning over noises).

Hi, thanks for the replies.

 

I'll ask in VCDS forums for help.  

 

Briskodian - When I reconnected the Ctek, after a pause it went through stages 1, 2 then 3 quite quickly.  I checked up on it after 20-30 mins later and it was at stage 7 already which means the battery is ready to use.

 

I'll go check to see if i can see the fuel line.

Just had a look at the fuel line and there is diesel in it and a bubble as you said.  The bubble is about half an inch long.

bubble size is fine.  Just wanted to check you had fuel ;-)