D40 Failing to start

[RWright]

Hi,
So my D40 has been struggling to start recently and the other day just failed all together, at the turn of the key it was clicking rapidly but doing nothing else. Called out RAC, after 5 hours waiting, it started first time off a jump. Drove an hour home, no warning lights drove fine. Got home, turned it off, tried to start again and just clicking. I’ve had the battery off and charging for 24 hours, metered it at 13V, still just clicking. When you put in the key and turn it everything acts a little strange, the cd changer runs constantly round etc, the speedo needle drops below 0 and twitches, lights on the dash flash. Any ideas? I have a new battery and glow plugs on order because that was my thought for the original issue. I’ll put a video up.
Thanks. I am at a loss, I would guess dead starter except it fired up with a jump the other night absolutely perfectly.

 

[Old.Tony]

It sounds like a classic poor battery. My own did this to me - I was driving home in the rain, as I went around a bend I saw a Suzuki Swift drifting around a bend, but instead of "what an idiot", I realised that it was a front wheel drive and it was sliding, so I slowed ... sure enough the lady driver had lost control and crashed through a fence into a paddock.

I stopped - helped the lady, coordinated emergency services, kept her calm. Upon returning to my car, it wouldn't start. SES guy gave me a jump - no drama.

I took my car to Battery World who put one of their testers on the battery. It made their test device smoke - the guy pronounced the battery "good". I did manage to start the car again and drive away (because the alternator had been charging the battery on the way there).

Next day - nothing. Jump started it - went somewhere else and bought a new battery (yes, another Century 910CCA unit). Problem gone.

It's likely that your battery has just enough power to show a good voltage but enough plate degradation to not allow starting current (in our diesel engines, that's somewhere north of 500 amps).

 

[RWright]

It sounds like a classic poor battery. My own did this to me - I was driving home in the rain, as I went around a bend I saw a Suzuki Swift drifting around a bend, but instead of "what an idiot", I realised that it was a front wheel drive and it was sliding, so I slowed ... sure enough the lady driver had lost control and crashed through a fence into a paddock.

I stopped - helped the lady, coordinated emergency services, kept her calm. Upon returning to my car, it wouldn't start. SES guy gave me a jump - no drama.

I took my car to Battery World who put one of their testers on the battery. It made their test device smoke - the guy pronounced the battery "good". I did manage to start the car again and drive away (because the alternator had been charging the battery on the way there).

Next day - nothing. Jump started it - went somewhere else and bought a new battery (yes, another Century 910CCA unit). Problem gone.

It's likely that your battery has just enough power to show a good voltage but enough plate degradation to not allow starting current (in our diesel engines, that's somewhere north of 500 amps).

Thank you for the response. I’ve ordered a new battery, going to check all the earthing points again today and just double check fuses and relays. Fingers crossed it’s just a dodgy battery and the new one sorts it.