Ferret Starter Problem

[Sylvester]

Hi Folks,

I have a problem!! :banghead:

Ferret Mk 2/4, Has been running fine, then parked up after the shows, now....... It Won't Start!! :argh:

Turn it on, operate starter switch, lights dim but nowt happens! Occasionally the lights brighten slightly then when you operate the switch you get a click/clunk from the starter....but thats it!

Have topped up the batteries, charged them both up, reconnected it all....and same again!! :banghead:

HELP!!! :flower:

Am I overlooking somat or is there a simple remedy?? :rtfm:

All instrument guages and lights work, but its getting me depressed now!

 

Would welcome any suggestions PLEASE!! :wave:

 

All the Best Folks

 

Fred

[Marmite!!]

Bad earth, loose connection on batteries or starter or elsewhere or shagged starter :shake:

[fv1609]

Ah you need to carry a starting handle. Done it on the pig & hornet a few times, not too difficult but you need to move your hands quickly when it fires.

 

But yes I agree, check earth & supply leads. But it may only be the brushes on the starter motor worn down.

[andreadavide]

Did you try a klopftest first?

Andrea

[sirhc]

Fred,

 

What voltage are you getting from your batteries? If they've fully discharged then they may be a cell down, so even if you've charged them up they won't have full charge. Check the batteries and replace if any are reading low.

 

Chris

[AlienFTM]

I got symptoms not dissimilar to these in Cyprus when one of the batteries shifted and shorted against the battery box. Left me running on 12 volts: not enough to start it and dim lights.

[ferret]

Hi Fred,

 

I had a similar problem to this, I checked the batteries and 1 cell was down.

 

replaced battery no more problems.

 

regards Chris

[Tony B]

It may well be obvious, have you taken off and cleaned all the starter connectors? the muck builds up and suddnley no go. A gentle tap with a rubber hammer and lots of WD40 may also help.

[Sylvester]

Hi Folks, :wave:

Cheers for all the suggestions, will take the Batts out and check em both... but will also check the terminals and..... check all the earth strips first!! :bow: but, think it could be poss for one of the batts to have struck the lid....Had a bit of a rough moment at W&P this year :whistle:

So...Will check those points over again,

The funny thing is the lights.. both come on but as you try the starter switch, the lights just dim out or go out completely...Then occasionally the lights will return with a brighter glow, and then the switch makes that contact click/clunk! :what:

Just out of interest...What is a Clopftest????? :dunno:

 

All the Beast Folks and Many Thanks

 

Fred :banana:

[andreadavide]

Klopftest was a term that I learned from my father's colleagues at a big German computer firm in the late sixties.

 

When (and it happened frequently) a "Fehler" (error) light went off on the big mainframe, the first action of the tecnician was to bang with more or less force the machine in the hoper that it was just a loose contact in the modules.

 

This was called "KlopfTest" and it worked more frequently than one would suspect now.

 

Andrea

[Sylvester]

Ahh, Gotcha now!

Cheers for that Andrea! :rofl:

 

Anyway.. The Saga continues, Have checked all the connections, No movement or damage found! ... The Batteries are kicking out 27.5 Volts! ...But ...Still the same!! :banghead:

Me thinks it could be the actual switch?? :idea:

It does have a slight movement in it that it didn't have before! Any takers that this could be where my trouble lays?? :help:

 

I fear a long and very cramped working position coming up eh!

 

It's just a total Sod! :oops2:

 

Still open to any other suggestions.... Mind you, Andrea might have the best one, ...Just welt the B**** Thing! Might not fix it but might make me feel a whole lot better eh! :whistle:

 

Cheers Folks

All the Beast

 

Fred :banana:

[Bodge Deep]

Used to have an old 340 volvo that did that...

used to put it in gear rock it back 'n' forth a bit and hey presto... ;-)

[fv1609]

The Batteries are kicking out 27.5 Volts! Fred

 

Yes but are they doing this when you try to start it? Or is that the voltage you read with a multimeter? You could have the correct voltage when there is minimal current drawn. One of those voltmeters that draws many tens of amps are good test of what the battery is actually capable of delivering. Maybe plug your multimeter in the inspection lamp socket & see how much the voltage drops when you try to start it.

[Tony B]

Best to use an old vehicle amp meter, most multis won't cope with large ampage. Would the inspection lights work for ampage, they have to go in series with a circuit , volts are paraalel. Best thing is proper battery condition tester that loads the batterys on test.

[Sylvester]

You Sparkies are getting me worried now! :schocked:

 

In my line o work I fix people not the national grid! :rofl:

All this electrical talk...I a bit Dim! Like me Lights!! :rofl:

Please keep it simple ... you know, just for me eh! :nut:

 

All the Beast

 

Fred :banana:

[Sylvester]

Used to have an old 340 volvo that did that...

used to put it in gear rock it back 'n' forth a bit and hey presto... ;-)

 

 

Hey Bodge,

 

Your quite welcome to come n rock this bugger to fro if you wish! :rofl:

 

Fred :banana:

[Tony B]

Is the battery flat, ah well shouldn't have parked in the ring at Beltring then. :evil: :evil:

[Richard Grosvenor]

Have you checked the ignition switch?

Sometimes my Ferret ( and the Militant for that matter which has the same type of switch panel ) will just clonk when operating the starter. A quick wiggle of the ignition switch always cures the problem. It seems to do it if ignition switch is fully "on", if it's turned back a couple of degree's it's fine. I'm guessing it's just because of wear.

 

Regards

Richard

[Tony B]

A much neglected piece of kit the ignition switch. The second problem I had with the Dodge was a loose wire from the switch. Gave all sorts of things from dicky start to sudden cut out. Only took about 2 minutes to fix though. Also seems to be a regular problem on 101s, mind you the wiring on the ambulance is a cats cradle anyway. A good way to pass a winters evening is to go over all the switch contacts check and if open give a light smear of silicon grease or vaseline, tedious but prevents a lot of silly hard to track down problems.

[sirhc]

The ignition panels on Ferrets aren't the best. I've had loads of problems with mine, swapped it for another take out which failed after a few months. I rebuilt mine using what I assume is an upgrade part, the main board had the switches modernised. It was made some time in the mid 80s, and since fitting it I've not had any more problems.

 

Fred, try taking the switch board apart and have a look at all the contacts. Some of the switches rely on springs to make the contacts, after 40-odd years these springs can become weak. If you need a new panel you'd best get saving, I think Marcus was asking £350 for them at one point!

 

Chris

[Richard Farrant]

 

 

Fred, try taking the switch board apart and have a look at all the contacts. Some of the switches rely on springs to make the contacts, after 40-odd years these springs can become weak. If you need a new panel you'd best get saving, I think Marcus was asking £350 for them at one point!

 

 

Fred,

 

If you need a new switchboard, give me a shout, I think that I still have a new one, at a third of the price quoted above.............and I am not far away :tup:

[fv1609]

You Sparkies are getting me worried now! :schocked:

 

In my line o work I fix people not the national grid! :rofl:

All this electrical talk...I a bit Dim! Like me Lights!! :rofl:

Please keep it simple ... you know, just for me eh! :nut:

 

All the Beast

 

Fred :banana:

 

 

Try don't try to mess around putting an ammeter in circuit, that creates all sorts of problems. Far simpler to make deductions from voltage measurements.

 

You said you were measuring 27.5 volts from your batteries fine. Rig something up so you can measure the battery voltage as you try to start up.

 

If your battery voltage drops significantly during this then the batteries (or part thereof are knackered) or there is a poor terminal contact or earth.

 

If the voltage remains pretty close to this level there is a fault in the switch panel or the starter or wiring.

 

I merely suggested the inspection socket as a convenient place to plug in a voltmeter (or for most people the voltage range of a multimeter. You would not be able to measure current from here)

[andreadavide]

Fred,

I am curious, how exactly do you fix people? Maybe we are colleagues...

 

Andrea

[Tony B]

Fred you can always plug people into the power certainly makes them jump. vehicle wiring is not difficult really, go and get a decent multimeter in the £15 to £20 range. Get one with a numerical disply not a needle, a lot easier to read. Place the correct wire to earth and then just slowly methodically go through the wiring. Any major discrepancy on voltage will be a problem. The meter should also have Ohm range, used for tracing breaks in wires and fuse /bulb testing. You may find one with a continuity tester, this does the same thing but will buzz or flash a light, again can make life a lot easier. Haynes do a good book on auto electrics.

[Topdog]

Fred, I would start (snigger) by looking at the batteries as it is the easiest job to do. Where are you? as I have a spare heavy duty 12v you can use to isolate yours. I'm in Maidstone and can pop over one evening if you are not too far away.

Dave

[Tony B]

Fred, I would start (snigger) by looking at the batteries as it is the easiest job to do. Where are you? as I have a spare heavy duty 12v you can use to isolate yours. I'm in Maidstone and can pop over one evening if you are not too far away.

Dave

 

VERY silly question, you have checked the battery levels have you? If they are sealed units these have a nasty habit of turning there electrons up with no notice.