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1987 Peugeot 205 Starting Problem


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Pug205Pete
Novice

Nov 30, 2016, 5:00 AM

Post #1 of 12 (1571 views)
1987 Peugeot 205 Starting Problem Sign In

Hi. I'm looking for some advise, as I'm no expert. Our family car died today so I'm looking to get my old Peugeot 205 GL 1.1 back on the road.

I had her on the road up until June of this year, since then she's been parked up. I was starting her up every few weeks to keep her ticking over, but then the battery went flat. She hadn't started for a few months and when I recharged the battery she wouldn't start; the battery is near new.

Please can you advise me what else I should be trying?

Thanks,
Pete


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Nov 30, 2016, 5:05 AM

Post #2 of 12 (1565 views)
Re: 1987 Peugeot 205 Starting Problem Sign In

The battery may have been new when it was parked there but sitting idle in a car destroys batteries. Take the battery out and have it first charged and then tested and go from there.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Pug205Pete
Novice

Nov 30, 2016, 5:09 AM

Post #3 of 12 (1554 views)
Re: 1987 Peugeot 205 Starting Problem Sign In

Thanks. I have fully recharged the battery and it seems to be fine. The electrics in the car all work, but there's no response from the engine if I try to start her. I wonder whether its the damp and cold?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Nov 30, 2016, 5:13 AM

Post #4 of 12 (1550 views)
Re: 1987 Peugeot 205 Starting Problem Sign In


Quote
Thanks. I have fully recharged the battery and it seems to be fine.


"Seems to be fine" is not acceptable. You have no idea the actual capacity of this battery, Everything else working doesn't mean anything as to battery condition. It needs to be professionally tested before you go any further.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Pug205Pete
Novice

Nov 30, 2016, 5:23 AM

Post #5 of 12 (1544 views)
Re: 1987 Peugeot 205 Starting Problem Sign In

Ok, thanks. I will look further at the battery. In the meanwhile are there other elements of the cars starting system that could be suspect?

Thanks for your time and help.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Nov 30, 2016, 6:42 AM

Post #6 of 12 (1517 views)
Re: 1987 Peugeot 205 Starting Problem Sign In

Just FYI - You said you ran it once in a while to keep it OK which was good then found battery flat.
Know that batteries have a date either embossed in code and or obvious when they were made by month and year. If it's over 4 years old now from that date IMO you are wasting your time on that battery as they plain age and any that go low frequently take a hit or get damaged. Don't think of car battery like a rechargeable device designed to run low.


It might still light lights but you need to know if it can put out AMPS which is a load test. Starters are a load greater than everything else in the car all at once so other things working mean little as HT said.


Note when you see them they are rated by "Cranking Amps" and "Cold Cranking Amps" also just called CCA. That's what matters and declines normally with age and faster if allowed to discharge,


T



Pug205Pete
Novice

Nov 30, 2016, 7:18 AM

Post #7 of 12 (1507 views)
Re: 1987 Peugeot 205 Starting Problem Sign In

Thanks. So if it's the battery I should be able to get her started from another car with a jump. I will see if I have any success with battery / jumping.

The battery has a code that ends 0812 on it, which I guess is a reference to Aug 2012, making it 4 years 3 months old; it had a 3 year warranty.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Nov 30, 2016, 7:27 AM

Post #8 of 12 (1501 views)
Re: 1987 Peugeot 205 Starting Problem Sign In

No, not necessarily.

As you have been advised several times HAVE THE BATTERY TESTED.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Nov 30, 2016, 7:28 AM)


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Nov 30, 2016, 7:29 AM

Post #9 of 12 (1497 views)
Re: 1987 Peugeot 205 Starting Problem Sign In

Yes - that code would suggest just that. If an original battery it would be close in date manufactured as the date listed when the car was made as well on door jam sticker's usually. They code battery for warranty. If you don't have the sale date documented they'll go by date melted into the casing like you saw.


Beat on this for you a bit: It's as I said not like a rechargeable and portable battery. It's more like a head of lettuce. Every time you use it you peel a leaf off kind of thinking and it ages with time if you like it or not.


Many new CAR/VEHICLE battery makers would throw out for recycling a battery that is approaching a year old even new unsold! The lettuce analogy is actually about right - is it fresh or can you peel off yucky outer skins and find something left - yes but it isn't good for much anymore in non-automotive speak,


T



Pug205Pete
Novice

Dec 3, 2016, 6:05 AM

Post #10 of 12 (1444 views)
Re: 1987 Peugeot 205 Starting Problem Sign In

Thanks for your help to this point.

I have tried a new battery in the car, but the problem persists. I have been able to jump start her from another vehicle and then she runs fine; I have taken her out for a 10 mile run. However, having parked back up at home, switched her off, she then won't restart, exactly the same as previously - I have been able to jump start her a second time, but she won't start independently - it appears there is something wrong with the starting mechanism? Please can you advise.

Thanks,
Pete


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Dec 3, 2016, 6:34 AM

Post #11 of 12 (1430 views)
Re: 1987 Peugeot 205 Starting Problem Sign In

Let's rethink this. If another battery thought to be good (new) does exactly the same thing and it starts properly with a jump start then again will NOT on it's own the new battery would have to be exactly as bad as the old one which is unlikely. Do charge batteries when new before even installing them as they are NOT fully charged just the charge it has when it was filled then sealed is NOT fully charged yet but usually enough.


If your connecting U-Bolts (think this uses those) can't make an adequate connection no matter what they look like or how tight they feel they just don't make enough connection which you could see with a plain voltmeter upon trying to start it.


The center of the connection is direct to the battery the outer part is not - understand me? It matters. With very good jumper cables you could start a vehicle without a battery in it at all but leave it connected to a battery or would cause harm - can't run an alternator charged vehicle without a battery hooked up without damage of assorted levels. Only a mechanically fuel pumped diesel could run without a battery at all and doubt that for this.


This so far strongly suggests your U-Bolts are not making a good connection but some so should make some reaction without the jump - some lights may light or a click heard when trying to start it. If you left door open and interior lights on when trying to start without the jump and lights go totally out you lost all connection at the battery. Any preset radio and or clock would reset as well and probably does.


This just smacks of bad or U-Bolt right at the battery being the problem.


Try just this much for now with battery charged and known good. Twist with pliers on the U-Bolt while tight or you think so if it turns it's at it's limit. If with a helper starting the car at the same time you squeeze and twist on those connection it's about as certain as you'll get they are no good if then it will start,


T



Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Dec 3, 2016, 6:37 AM

Post #12 of 12 (1428 views)
Re: 1987 Peugeot 205 Starting Problem Sign In


Quote
I have been able to jump start her from another vehicle and then she runs fine; I have taken her out for a 10 mile run. However, having parked back up at home, switched her off, she then won't restart, exactly the same as previously - I have been able to jump start her a second time, but she won't start independently


OK, you just proved you have a battery problem. You add more current to the battery, the car starts. You may have tried a DIFFERENT battery but if it doesn't have the required cranking amps, it's not going to work, new or not.

We are here to offer free advice from professionals that donate their time. We are not here to continue to debate our advice with you. The very first response to you was that you had a battery issue and 8 posts later you still haven't resolved the battery issue so this is where this conversation has to end.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.







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