Engine: D5: what could be draining my power?

[VOLVOBOY]

Hi.
New batteries can be duff right from the get-go , so it could have a dodgy cell.
What`s the cranking power of this battery? Diesels need a bloody big battery .Is it the correct size?
If the jumper battery is a known good one can`t you connect that and see if it will start ( assuming that battery is the correct size also ).
To check the cranking power of the battery you should have everything possible switched on and then turn the starter key. The voltage drop should be around 1 volt. but you`re not able to do this anyway at the mo`.
If you have a fully charged battery and on turning the start key all the life is sucked from the battery , as you say , this would be a dead short and something would be smoking / on fire.
The battery and starter motor only come into play at the get-go. After that practically everything is running on the alternator . You say everything is fine once she`s fired up. So it`s got to be the battery , a bad earth lead or it`s the starter motor.

[totalguy]

Originally Posted by VOLVOBOY

Hi.
New batteries can be duff right from the get-go , so it could have a dodgy cell.
What`s the cranking power of this battery? Diesels need a bloody big battery .Is it the correct size?
If the jumper battery is a known good one can`t you connect that and see if it will start ( assuming that battery is the correct size also ).
To check the cranking power of the battery you should have everything possible switched on and then turn the starter key. The voltage drop should be around 1 volt. but you`re not able to do this anyway at the mo`.
If you have a fully charged battery and on turning the start key all the life is sucked from the battery , as you say , this would be a dead short and something would be smoking / on fire.
The battery and starter motor only come into play at the get-go. After that practically everything is running on the alternator . You say everything is fine once she`s fired up. So it`s got to be the battery , a bad earth lead or it`s the starter motor.

it is the correct battery its a bosch 019 95A 800A it is more than sufficient for the car and also we have tried another (third) battery as well but that had the same results.

voltage cranking when it does crank lowest 10.9v i was told any lower than 10 its a bad cell. the starter is either 2 or 2.2kw so i am aware as you say the battery needs to be beefy on these

the starter motor has been replaced as well brand new one same problem.

i think the dim has something to do with this someone suggested disconnecting it and trying to run the car. so i will have to get it running, charged and then disconnected and wait overnight.

im also looking for ways to test the dim and its wiring but vida does nothing but check the dials and lights all work and they do when i tell it to and vdash does the same. theres nothing i can find to test the dim or its wiring other than this.


are there any other tests i can do before cranking the vehicle the morning after its charged? so far i just unlock the car and check the volts which is around 12.26 usually but this seems to have no relevance on weather or not it will start. i used to be able to start the car on 11.5v thats according to a volt meter i plugged into the 12v socket

i agree something is zapping the power a bad earth would be likely but im not finding any and where does the dim come into all of this? if i knew more on how it all worked i would be doing tests but sadly i dont. most of the info on dim's are for the early ones with the solder problems and faulty display

[VOLVOBOY]

Hi.
Right-o. Seems you have covered all the bases.
I would now be suspecting a failing CEM . The year of your car is ripe for the infamous water ingress problem.
The only other thing I can think of is dirty/corroded/burnt contacts or solder joints. What about the starter relay?

[kennyt5]

I know nothing about your model, but a couple of years back I had the same problem on a Mercedes, spent a lot of time and money trying to sort it out. Then found the problem was in the central locking. Long shot, but may be worth checking.

[totalguy]

Originally Posted by VOLVOBOY

Hi.
Right-o. Seems you have covered all the bases.
I would now be suspecting a failing CEM . The year of your car is ripe for the infamous water ingress problem.
The only other thing I can think of is dirty/corroded/burnt contacts or solder joints. What about the starter relay?

cem has just been replaced i sent mine to volvodiagnostics its in the first post. they didnt send mine back they sent me another refurbished and there was no sign of water ingress at all. so i guess my cem was fine and that was just money down the drain.

not sure on the starter relay but i dont have one to swap it with but that wouldnt explain why it jump starts and doesnt start after left overnight or does it?

[totalguy]

Originally Posted by kennyt5

I know nothing about your model, but a couple of years back I had the same problem on a Mercedes, spent a lot of time and money trying to sort it out. Then found the problem was in the central locking. Long shot, but may be worth checking.

i dont know of any problems with locking on these cars. but im open to suggestions where to start.

but i think previously ive left the car unlocked all night to check if it did anything different

[The Landshark]

I would say that your first port of call should be to eliminate the battery from your list of possibilities. I've seen so called new batteries that have been sitting for a few months before they're sold failing when the weather gets cold.
Have you removed the battery negative overnight and tried to start it in the morning?

[totalguy]

Originally Posted by The Landshark

I would say that your first port of call should be to eliminate the battery from your list of possibilities. I've seen so called new batteries that have been sitting for a few months before they're sold failing when the weather gets cold.
Have you removed the battery negative overnight and tried to start it in the morning?

Please read my other replies. 3 batteries tried.

Yes same thing happens

[VOLVOBOY]

Hi.
So you`ve replaced everything apart from the starter relay and the ignition switch. If they check out OK then I reckon it`s high resistance in the wiring . So it`s either a corroded joint , a dry solder joint, bent pin - not contacting, or a partial break in a wire somewhere.
As far as I`m aware the CEM just sends info to the DIM - the DIM doesn`t drive anything. If there was a fault with the DIM it would be Can-Bus detected and a fault code given in VIDA, (unless the fault is in the can-bus wiring itself).
I believe (as you have VIDA) that you can live test the start sequence and if it`s all good you should see "Start Initiated".
You said in your first post that the DIM flickers. It may not necessarily mean there lies the fault but that the fault is further upstream.

[barrybritcher]

havent read anything yet so commenting blind..

crap battery, corroded alarm siren, starter on the way out drawing too much current