Milord
Part of things
Posts: 155
|
|
Sept 30, 2018 6:01:39 GMT
|
|
Everyone,
I recently bought a Jeep Cherokee XJ for a good friend of mine.
Over the past few weeks I've tried to get the car in shape a bit, or at least good enough to pass import and MOT.
This is a side project, aside from many other side projects, so progress has been slow.
Something I've noticed over the past few months is the battery slowly losing charge.
Typically when the car's been stood for a couple of days without running the battery's charge would drop to about 2volts.
Previously I thought this to be caused by two things:
- the battery was way too small for the car and looked pretty old
- brake lights would engage even if the car just stood there
I've since replaced the battery with a brand new one and replaced the brake light switch on the pedal, which eliminated these two possible causes.
The battery keeps losing charge however, and since I'm not exactly an electrical engineer I haven't really got a clue as to how I best tackle this problem.
The car has seen a fair deal of DIY bodges, mechanically as well as electrically. So the problem could really be anywhere.
I also did notice the alternator is not the correct one, but has the same specs so I guess that's ok?
Any suggestions or tips on how I can locate the problem?
The car is an early XJ from 1986 with the 2.1TD engine from Renault.
|
| |
Currently:
BMW E46 320i Touring
BMW E34 525TDS Touring
VW T3 panel van 1.6d
Opel Kadett C1 Caravan 1.2
Fiat 411R
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 30, 2018 15:29:53 GMT
|
|
Hi, You could have an earth leakage problem. Try turning everything off and disconnect the earth cable on the battery, then just keep touching it on and off and see if there spark, if it does then something is leaking. Then go round disconnecting things or removing fuses one at a time until it stops. First points of call would be the alternator because the is an internal diode that can fail, or the clock depending on what type it is.
Colin
|
| |
Last Edit: Sept 30, 2018 15:56:59 GMT by colnerov
|
|
Rich
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 6,234 
Club RR Member Number: 160
|
|
Sept 30, 2018 15:43:52 GMT
|
|
Check the lamp round the ignition switch isn't staying on, really common issue on these. There is a small metal tube under the drivers side dash that controls it and it gets hot to the touch, the bulb can be removed and the tube disconnected if that is the issue.
Does the car have keyless entry (line of sight IR remote? there will be a small black dome on the headlining) because if it does mine suffered with the interior lamps coming on after the car had been stood for about 30-60 minutes and not shutting off again. There is a relay on the interior fuseboard you can remove if this is another issue, which means the interior lights work only when the doors are opened, not on the time delay feature.
If you want me to email you a digital copy of the workshop manual, PM me an email address and I'll send it over to you.
|
| |
|
|
Milord
Part of things
Posts: 155
|
|
|
|
Will check for earth leakage next weekend! Lets hope we can locate the problem! rich, Thanks for the offer! As I mentioned in the PM, the car is a very early 1986 model, so has no keyless entry, not even central locking, and to my knowledge, doesn't have a lamp around the ignition switch, but I will check that!  Far from the actual car but it's this model:  |
| |
Currently:
BMW E46 320i Touring
BMW E34 525TDS Touring
VW T3 panel van 1.6d
Opel Kadett C1 Caravan 1.2
Fiat 411R
|
|
squonk
Part of things
Posts: 855
|
|
|
|
|
I had exactly the same problem on a 1999 WJ Jeep. It went to a main Jeep dealer and they couldn't find the cause but eventually I did and it was the most stupid of things. The ignition key on the Jeep has the usual off/accessory/ignition/crank positions but the accessory position is fully anticlockwise. In other words the sequence is accessory/off/ignition/crank. You should only be able to take the key out when in the 'off' position. However, when the key wears it is possible to remove it whilst in the accessory position. So sometimes when the engine was stopped and the key was removed it was done so by accident in the accessory position. When this happens there was a draw of approx 10 Amps on the battery which would flatten it in a day or so.
Just being careful and making sure the key was taken out in the 'off' position was all that needed to be done to cure the problem.
Maybe worth checking out on yours.
|
| |
Last Edit: Oct 5, 2018 5:32:44 GMT by squonk
2004 Chevrolet Avalanche Z71
2005 Mercedes CLK320 Cabriolet
1996 Mercedes C180 Elegance Auto Saloon
1996 Rover 620Ti (Dead fuel pump)
1992 Toyota HiLux Surf
1987 Range Rover Vogue (Rusty)
1992 Range Rover Vogue SE (More Rusty)
2006 Chrysler Grand Voyager
2008 Corsa 1.4 Design
|
|
Rich
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 6,234
Club RR Member Number: 160
|
|
|
|
Will check for earth leakage next weekend! Lets hope we can locate the problem! rich, Thanks for the offer! As I mentioned in the PM, the car is a very early 1986 model, so has no keyless entry, not even central locking, and to my knowledge, doesn't have a lamp around the ignition switch, but I will check that! Far from the actual car but it's this model: Sport. Mine is the same 'model', just higher trim and more engine   Hopefully you find the issue. The aforementioned accessory position thing might be worth a shout. I can't removed the key from mine if it's turned that far so it didn't really cross my mind that if its worn it may be a problem. |
| |
|
|
