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[Cheshley]

1998 Omega 2.5TD.  I've recently started had a problem with getting my car going.  It'll run fine for a while and then without warning it turns over really slowly like that battery is dead.  Not a good thing when I've been Mountain Biking in the Peak District and I'm in the middle of nowhere with no mobli signal, as happened a couple of weeks ago!!!!!  After that I charged the battery for a few hours and it's been fine since, until Saturday when it wouldn't start again.

Yesterday I had the battery on charge all day and it still won't start.  It does turn over but really slowly and only for a few seconds before the battery gives out altogether.  I've had it to an auto electricial who checked for anything draining the battery and he couldn't find anything.

Any ideas?

[Andy B]

Fubar'd starter motor?
Good 12v connections to/from the battery/alternator?
Good earth connections ie between block & chassis?
Find another/better autospark?          

[MickAP]

Seems like your battery is not holding charge or it's not being charged by the alternator. I guess they checked them both when you took it to the auto elec.
I'm no expert on car electrics but when mine refused to start one cold winter morning it was the glow-plugs at fault.
If it starts ok when the engine is warm but struggles when cold then check glow-plugs, trying to start with faulty ones will soon drain the battery as I found out last year. Did you get these checked out also.
Could be also fuel supply, plenty of info on here for you to check.

Mick

[jules]

sounds like a bad earth connection to me.

check the battery terminals are clean rustfree and tight.

Check the alternator connections and the solenoid earth strap.

[TheBoy]

Is the battery old?

[Cheshley]

No idea how old the battery is, it was on the car when I got it and I've had it 2 years.

[TheBoy]

You need to measure it then

[Cheshley]

ermmmmmm, it's about ¦-----------------------¦ that big. . . . . .  

 

[subliminal]

Had a similar problem in November - battery would charge and hold a charge, but wasn't able to ouput enough current to adequately crank the starter motor. The battery was the original one built with the car (so about 7 years old). A new genuine Vx battery supplied by my local garage cost me £53 + VAT and now all is well

[Cheshley]

Had a similar problem in November - battery would charge and hold a charge, but wasn't able to ouput enough current to adequately crank the starter motor. The battery was the original one built with the car (so about 7 years old). A new genuine Vx battery supplied by my local garage cost me £53 + VAT and now all is well

It's been on charge since 8.30am and I've checked just about every electrical contact I can get my hands on this afternoon but it still turns over like the battery is dying.  The battery looks like it's been there a while so a new one won't hurt anyway so unless anyone comes up with a miracle cure before tomorrow, I'll get one and see if that does the trick.  

[MickAP]

Good luck with it, let's hope that solves it.

Mick

[Albert1]

Is it a Vx branded battery?  If so, increases the likelihood that it's the original, in which case it's 10 years old, and that's old enough.

[Cheshley]

OK, news update.  In trying to research prices I have found the following:
The 94-98 Omega TD requires an 096 battery which is 12v 72Ah and CCA 680.  Oh yeah, and it's 278mm long (remember this, there'll be questions later)
The 99-> Omega TD has an 017 battery which is 12v 88Ah and CCA 750.  This one is 354mm long.

My car is a 1998 model but has a battery that's 354mm long.  This leads me to think that either (a) someone put the wrong one on by mistake, (b) someone put the bigger battery on thinking that the higher power would make the car start better or (c) the bigger battery was recommended when the towbar was fitted (would this be necessary....?)

I have always thought that the battery was 'kin huge but closer inspection shows that the battery is larger than the battery tray it should be sitting on.

The question now is this........... Does it actually make any difference which battery I put in it?  Is the higher Ah rating any advantage or should I just stick to what the car should have in it?  :-?

Thanks

[BigCat]

I'd put in the larger battery.

Just imagine trying to ask yourself the same question next time you're in the peak District, stuck in the middle of nowhere with no mobile signal...

[Taxi_Driver]

OK, news update.  In trying to research prices I have found the following:
The 94-98 Omega TD requires an 096 battery which is 12v 72Ah and CCA 680.  Oh yeah, and it's 278mm long (remember this, there'll be questions later)
The 99-> Omega TD has an 017 battery which is 12v 88Ah and CCA 750.  This one is 354mm long.

My car is a 1998 model but has a battery that's 354mm long.  This leads me to think that either (a) someone put the wrong one on by mistake, (b) someone put the bigger battery on thinking that the higher power would make the car start better or (c) the bigger battery was recommended when the towbar was fitted (would this be necessary....?)

I have always thought that the battery was 'kin huge but closer inspection shows that the battery is larger than the battery tray it should be sitting on.

The question now is this........... Does it actually make any difference which battery I put in it?  Is the higher Ah rating any advantage or should I just stick to what the car should have in it?  :-?

Thanks

According to the book the 2.5 TD's have an 85Ah battery