electrical gremlins

[william]

just got it back in miracle time cost me $300 looks nice i refitted it in the car went to start it again nothing in going to burn it

[Cupra]

just got it back in miracle time cost me $300 looks nice i refitted it in the car went to start it again nothing in going to burn it

But you do have power in the car? It just wont crank correct?

[Corderoy]

william, I'm no expert in auto electrics let alone Seat auto electrics but I have on two occasions had similar probs to yours and in both instances it was leak back through diodes.

The last time was on my daughter's Commodore and at stationary, ignition off, it was leaking 4 amps.

I tested it myself with a multimeter (so it's not a difficult procedure) but I can't for the life of me remember how I did it. A google for it should come up with something - I'll have a look when I finish work.

In any event, the fix was to replace/recondition the alternator.

Apologies if that has been done or ruled out, I had a quick skim through the thread and didn't see it there.

[gpk_gti]

which towing company are you using to get to the nats??????



I feel for you brother!!!!!!!!!!!!!




burn it!

[william]

But you do have power in the car? It just wont crank correct?

i have power i go to crank the car you hear the solinoid work but it doesnt have enough power to crank but i reads 12.8 volts she just wont turn over its bizarre i put more petrol in it because there wasnt much in there next il check spark but there hasnt been a problem there i have a new coil new plugs and leads new alternator new fuel filter second hand sender so im lost

[Corderoy]

william, I'm no expert in auto electrics let alone Seat auto electrics but I have on two occasions had similar probs to yours and in both instances it was leak back through diodes.

The last time was on my daughter's Commodore and at stationary, ignition off, it was leaking 4 amps.

I tested it myself with a multimeter (so it's not a difficult procedure) but I can't for the life of me remember how I did it. A google for it should come up with something - I'll have a look when I finish work.

In any event, the fix was to replace/recondition the alternator.

Apologies if that has been done or ruled out, I had a quick skim through the thread and didn't see it there.

To test for drain from leaking diode you need to set your multimeter to amps. Remove the negative battery lead from the battery and connect your multimeter between the negative lead and the vehicle chassis. Multimeter reading should be zero.
It may not be your problem but it's a very easy test to do and it won't hurt to rule it out.

[william]

il try it but as i said i replaced the leads and grounds to the chassis il let you know how i go

[Corderoy]

il try it but as i said i replaced the leads and grounds to the chassis il let you know how i go

Hang on mate the more I think about it the less I'm sure that is the right procedure. It's close from memory but may not be entirely correct.

[william]

haha i went down to the garage bc i was racking my brain i removed the battery and found the fuel pump relay was disconnected that would explain it but still doesnt turn over ive put it to charge the battery and il check it in the morning hopefully thats it im praying to the vw gods

[Corderoy]

haha i went down to the garage bc i was racking my brain i removed the battery and found the fuel pump relay was disconnected that would explain it but still doesnt turn over ive put it to charge the battery and il check it in the morning hopefully thats it im praying to the vw gods

Lets hope you've got is sussed.

I've racked my brain but it was 10 years ago I did the diode test and I really cannot remember the procedure clearly. Sorry.

I've hunted the internet and couldn't find anything that reads the way I remember it

I did find this, so if your battery is draining it's worth a try:-

"Sometimes a bad alternator diode can cause a battery to run down. A good diode should only pass current in one direction. If it leaks current in the opposite direction, it may keep the charging circuit on when the engine is not running, causing the battery to run down. This kind of problem can be diagnosed several ways. If your voltmeter has an AC (alternating current) scale, switch to that scale and observe the charging voltage with the engine running. If the meter shows any AC voltage, one or more diodes are leaking and the alternator needs to be replaced. The alternator's output can also be observed as a waveform on a digital storage oscilloscope (DSO) or an alternator tester that measures ripple voltage to detect this kind of problem. Or, just disconnect the alternator overnight and see if the battery stills run down. If the battery drain stops, you have found the problem. Replace the alternator."