Hi,

I bought a Mitsubishi L300 Starwagon a couple of weeks ago and i've had nothing but trouble since.

The problem is starting her.

I've taken her to the mechanic and he's referred her to an auto-electrician.

The van had a new battery and alternator last August and the auto electrician felt it was a voltage drop from the key to the starter, he put a wire from the ignition to the starter to boost it and also one to the alternator to give it a bit more kick but the problems have persisted. I'm in WA in Australia were cars have to have immobilisers. He thought this might be the problem and has bypassed the immobilser but she still isn't working. The voltage is reading 13.1 so that should be fine.

If she is worked on by a mechanic she will invariably start all day but if I leave her over night and try and start her she won't go.

I have jump started her on a couple of occasions and she will be alright for a day and a half but then it's back to the same old problems.

Everyone I've spoken to thinks its an alternator but if she has had a new one fitted last august and she has only done 5000km since the alternator should still be fine shouldn't it.

Help and advice appreciated. We've spent about $2000 AUD on her inclusing $600 on mechanic/auto-electrician fees and were looking to drive up the west coast from Perth to Darwin a couple of weeks.

also before we had her looked at when we drove her one night and turned the heat on, it drained the battery to such an extent that I couldn't keep her in 5th gear.

I told the auto-elecky all this and when he gave me her back the other he said she should be fine but driving home I had the radio on, then I turned the cold air on and the radio display scrambled and I couldn't turn it off. By the time I got to my house the battery light was coming on and she was struggling to keep going. She finally conked out but the radio was still going.I had to rip it out and unplug it. The heat to the back of the radio was almost too much to handle.

Hi Paco,

While the car is running, check the voltage at the battery and it should be over 14 volts. If it isn't, check the voltage at the alternator and see if it is over 14v at the output connector.

If you have over 14v at the alternator, but only 13 at the battery, I would check the cabling from the alternator and the connection at the alternator. If you don't have 14v at the alternator, I would suggest that it is either a regulator problem or alternator problem.

I would also check the voltage at the battery when you get home in the evening and check again in the morning. If there is significant difference (say more than 0.5v) there is something draining the battery or the battery needs replacement. A little trial and error removing fuses for various circuits will isolate a battery drain.

Also you could take your battery to supercheap/repco who offer free battery checks. Easy way to cut out that problem.

Cheers,
JamitGZE.

hey,

sounds like good advice. i had a sim problem in the past with an old volvo. the altenator wires ran under the exhaust and were shorting against the block. took me some time to find that one. also, a friend of mine had an issue with a fusable link. it was "cracked" not burned all the way. somedays it would be fine, other times it would not stay running. hope you find the issue.

tom.