eagle6052
24th February 2018, 12:43 PM
1996 GQ RX 11 Nissan Patrol 4.2D Wagon.
I had a problem with starting even after glow plugs had been on.
Had to let glow plugs come on twice and even then would hardly turn over, would have to switch in second battery to get instant start.
Testing showed the following.
Battery in good condition.
Batteries not getting full charge 14 volts app.
Glow plugs were all new.
Glow plug relay ok.
Alternator was working properly.
Findings:
Nissan GQ owners who experienced this problem also reported a clicking sound with ignition turned off.
This occurred when you removed auxiliary black wire from negative side of main battery and just touched it to battery post. (slight Spark)
After testing all electrical components and finding no problems I started looking further.
There were two white wires coming from alternator which joined into one white wire into main loom.
Found that there was a short to earth causing the problem.
Alternator was charging but only a trickle went into main battery the rest was discharged to earth.
If you turned car off and put on headlights for 5 mins then tried to start there was not enough power in main battery.
Where was the problem ?
Pulled main loom apart tracing white wire which according to wiring diagram went to battery positive.
Could not find earth fault after testing everything it was like there was something else connected to the main white wire.
Without pulling the rest of the loom to pieces which I will do now the fault is fixed.
I cut the white wire going to main positive of battery straight away earth fault had gone.
Ran a temporary wire from good side of wiring from alternator to positive of main battery.
Started car straight away alternator was charging both batteries at about 14 volts.
It seems like for some reason the white wire has shorted somewhere to earth which I will now look for.
Once I find what caused the problem I will post the answer.
I had a problem with starting even after glow plugs had been on.
Had to let glow plugs come on twice and even then would hardly turn over, would have to switch in second battery to get instant start.
Testing showed the following.
Battery in good condition.
Batteries not getting full charge 14 volts app.
Glow plugs were all new.
Glow plug relay ok.
Alternator was working properly.
Findings:
Nissan GQ owners who experienced this problem also reported a clicking sound with ignition turned off.
This occurred when you removed auxiliary black wire from negative side of main battery and just touched it to battery post. (slight Spark)
After testing all electrical components and finding no problems I started looking further.
There were two white wires coming from alternator which joined into one white wire into main loom.
Found that there was a short to earth causing the problem.
Alternator was charging but only a trickle went into main battery the rest was discharged to earth.
If you turned car off and put on headlights for 5 mins then tried to start there was not enough power in main battery.
Where was the problem ?
Pulled main loom apart tracing white wire which according to wiring diagram went to battery positive.
Could not find earth fault after testing everything it was like there was something else connected to the main white wire.
Without pulling the rest of the loom to pieces which I will do now the fault is fixed.
I cut the white wire going to main positive of battery straight away earth fault had gone.
Ran a temporary wire from good side of wiring from alternator to positive of main battery.
Started car straight away alternator was charging both batteries at about 14 volts.
It seems like for some reason the white wire has shorted somewhere to earth which I will now look for.
Once I find what caused the problem I will post the answer.