Thanks. I was Googling after asking the question. You beat me to it.

I remember seeing above 200 rpm when I looked yesterday, and there was not a significant difference with the booster fitted.

The big difference was that the booster was fitted to the lead, before I tightened up the loose terminal.

 

I am hoping that I get some positive feedback on Monday that the car starts fine, as after tightening the terminal, it started on the button.

My colleague has just let me know that the car started ok, but was a bit lazy to start.

 

Progress…

 

I will keep an eye on it over the next few days.

Thats actually good news, it rules out the minimum cranking speed thing, sounds like you tightening the terminal fixed the non start but a new battery might be required.

 

The only time my MK1 Octavia ever broke down was not a breakdown as such but a similar failure to start, my pal tow started me and once home I set to cleaning all the leads and connections in the starter circuit, it was corrosion and oxidisation under the main battery cable tab on the starter motor, only visible when removed and only a slight film.

 

But it was after 20 years of running and at that point 300000 miles so pretty good going in my book.

20 minutes ago, J.R. said:

Thats actually good news, it rules out the minimum cranking speed thing, sounds like you tightening the terminal fixed the non start but a new battery might be required.

 

The minimum cranking speed issue was a HOT start issue, the fact that this is a cold start issue rules that out completely regardless of anything else.

Edited 24 February, 20242 yr by SuperbTWM

Battery voltage was 12.5V after she started the car, and had turned the engine off.

I am not 100% sure it needs a new battery yet.

 

We will see what happens between now and Monday.

1 hour ago, SuperbTWM said:

The minimum cranking speed issue was a HOT start issue, the fact that this is a cold start issue rules that out completely regardless of anything else.

Yes I had forgotten that, what a stupid thing to have been programmed in!

29 minutes ago, J.R. said:

Yes I had forgotten that, what a stupid thing to have been programmed in!

Yea, not quite sure I understand the logic behind that, I'm sure somebody much smarter than me decided there was a good reason for it though. Cost me £250 from VAG to replace the Valeo starter with a Bosch one!!

 

The car started again this morning. 
That is a 100% record since tightening up the battery connection.

 

Is it too early to declare it is fixed?

4 hours ago, CageyH said:

The car started again this morning. 
That is a 100% record since tightening up the battery connection.

 

Is it too early to declare it is fixed?

🤞

The car started again this morning. 
My colleague did not drive it in, as she said “it coughed” and she did not want to get stranded.

 

Now I need to work out what “it coughed” means.

100% starting record since I tightened the battery terminal.

The “coughing” did not happen today either. 
 

My colleague is driving home tomorrow, so hopefully she will make it without breaking down on route.

She also tells me that if she goes above 90km/h, she gets the dashboard lighting up like a Christmas tree, and a beeping, and is forced to restart the car. I asked her if this started the same time that the garage replaced her battery, but she does not remember.

 

I am starting to think that the car has a few more serious electrical issues, which I am not sure I want to tackle. 

That is going to need any logged error codes read.

Good news - my colleague made the two hour drive home without breaking down. 

 

The problem with the over 90km/h fault is that when this happens, there are no fault codes logged. I think it is linked to the loose battery terminal, and the EVU resets itself, due to a dodgy power supply. 
 

I have asked my colleague to try the car now that the starting issue is fixed. She is going to try it soon, and let me know.

Once back at home, the car refused to start again.

As it is two hours away, there is not much Incan do to help my colleague.