Any car mechanics

[Fish]

So the wife walked back into the house this morning and said that her car was dead and wouldn't start, so I dropped her at work.

Once back I didn't try it, I just hooked up the leads to my car and turned hers over, and what a racket!

It sounded so lumpy, very juddery almost a heavy struggling sound, then after only a minute or 2 at most it sounded fine, nice and smooth! I unhooked the leads, let it run for 5 minutes, turned it off and restarted it, no problem, first time.

I've since left it until 1pm around 4.5hrs and turned it over and again, that very juddery, lumpy kind of running, revved it a couple of times and let it tick over and again after around a minute it then went smooth again!

I've now driven it to my wife's work and walked Max (my dog) back as its only a couple of mile, explained that it may sound rough when she starts it in 4hrs but to sit tight until it goes smooth and then drive home, but what the hell do I look for, what could it be?

 

[Pin-seeker]

As it been stood a while over Xmas?
If so it may just need a good run.

Ps I'm no mechanic,just a thought.

 

[DanFST]

you haven't been very specific. What engine and make is it?

From the sounds of it i'm going to assume its diesel?

 

[Fish]

As it been stood a while over Xmas?
If so it may just need a good run.

Ps I'm no mechanic,just a thought.

No, used daily.

 

[Pin-seeker]

In that case I'm going to have to bow out.
Sorry mate,that's the only advice I had :-/

 

[Fish]

you haven't been very specific. What engine and make is it?

Its a Nissan Micra, 1000 (988cc), 2002 (51), Petrol, had from new, just passed MOT last Monday!

 

[DanFST]

When was stye last time the battery was changed?

 

[GreiginFife]

Sounds like the battery might be the problem.
If you have a test meter then put it across and if it's less than 10v then there is an issue. Start it up and it should go to around 14.5-16v if the alternator is ok.

As above if its sat for more than 4 days unused it may just need a run to get some activity back in the cells. If it has been getting used and still doing it then new battery time I would say.

 

[SaintHacker]

Was there any smoke when it was running lumpy? Sounds to me like an under/overfueling problem while its cold.

 

[Fish]

When was stye last time the battery was changed?

Simple answer, no idea so ages ago!

Sounds like the battery might be the problem.
If you have a test meter then put it across and if it's less than 10v then there is an issue. Start it up and it should go to around 14.5-16v if the alternator is ok.

As above if its sat for more than 4 days unused it may just need a run to get some activity back in the cells. If it has been getting used and still doing it then new battery time I would say.

Used daily, not sat, even for a single day.

Why the battery, why it would it start OK, although stuttery, and then run and tick-over smooth, how does the battery impact that?

Was there any smoke when it was running lumpy? Sounds to me like an under/overfueling problem while its cold.

I noticed a little white smoke as I turned it off when I got it to her work but thought nothing of it, just thought it was cold!

 

[BTatHome]

Lumpy rattling sounding, is likely the oil being very cold and not circulating properly (possibly just older oil, as it does loose viscosity after a while) .... my diesel sounds much worse at the moment, but warms up quite quickly and sounds fine afterwards.

A dodgy battery can be effected by the cold, and same thing has happened to wife's mini, as soon as the cold arrived the car failed to start but jumped very easily and worked fine then ... Left overnight and same problem in the morning.

 

[SaintHacker]

I noticed a little white smoke as I turned it off when I got it to her work but thought nothing of it, just thought it was cold!

Thats probably just a bit of steam from the cold exhaust.
Right, the battery won't affect the running once its started. However, if she's only doing short journeys it won't get charged up much and this cold weather will just kill it, so its worth getting it checked/changed for that reason alone. But take it for a decent run at least once a week to warm everything through and give it a good charge.
Is it due a service? Again if its just had short journeys it won't have got warm enough to fully get off choke so the plugs could be fouled which could cause the bad cold running. HT leads can break down in extremes of temperature. Dampness in the distributor/coils etc etc

 

[DanFST]

I'm going to guess it's battery. If it's never been changed i'd go straight to get a new one. Because if if it doesn't fix the problem, which i think it will. Yours will die very soon!

 

[GreiginFife]

Simple answer, no idea so ages ago!



Used daily, not sat, even for a single day.

Why the battery, why it would it start OK, although stuttery, and then run and tick-over smooth, how does the battery impact that?



I noticed a little white smoke as I turned it off when I got it to her work but thought nothing of it, just thought it was cold!

The battery powers the starter mechanism. So if there is low charge then the car will struggle to start and run with less than 12v. As the alternator brings the charge level up the engine struggles less. The reality is that the battery does not last for ever, so will need replaced at some point. If its never been replaced then you have got a good life from it.
White smoke from a battery problem is also common in my experience as the burn mixture isn't quite being combusted properly.

 

[sawtooth]

I'd say battery as well especially if it hasnt been changed for a long time.

 

[Fish]

Lumpy rattling sounding, is likely the oil being very cold and not circulating properly (possibly just older oil, as it does loose viscosity after a while) .... my diesel sounds much worse at the moment, but warms up quite quickly and sounds fine afterwards.

A dodgy battery can be effected by the cold, and same thing has happened to wife's mini, as soon as the cold arrived the car failed to start but jumped very easily and worked fine then ... Left overnight and same problem in the morning.

I checked the oil as I thought this at first as it gave me the impression of no or little oil, hence the juddery to smooth after a short time. Time for an oil change (service) I think.

Thats probably just a bit of steam from the cold exhaust.
Right, the battery won't affect the running once its started. However, if she's only doing short journeys it won't get charged up much and this cold weather will just kill it, so its worth getting it checked/changed for that reason alone. But take it for a decent run at least once a week to warm everything through and give it a good charge.
Is it due a service? Again if its just had short journeys it won't have got warm enough to fully get off choke so the plugs could be fouled which could cause the bad cold running. HT leads can break down in extremes of temperature. Dampness in the distributor/coils etc etc

Daily (5) very short distances, work is a mile away then sits all day until she comes back, then it goes about 1 mile to Sainsbury's and another mile to her mums on a Saturday, its only done 34k miles from new

I don't think its ever been serviced, it fly's through it MOT every year and just passed again on Monday so I don't go looking for problems if everything is OK, but as I state above, think I'll get it serviced for her, plugs, oil, filters etc.

I'm going to guess it's battery. If it's never been changed i'd go straight to get a new one. Because if if it doesn't fix the problem, which i think it will. Yours will die very soon!

I don't want to guess, if I changed the battery, which aren't cheap, and the problem persistd, I'd be pretty peeved.

The battery powers the starter mechanism. So if there is low charge then the car will struggle to start and run with less than 12v. As the alternator brings the charge level up the engine struggles less. The reality is that the battery does not last for ever, so will need replaced at some point. If its never been replaced then you have got a good life from it.
White smoke from a battery problem is also common in my experience as the burn mixture isn't quite being combusted properly.

Hmm, I need to keep it going for her until our mechanic who has his garage (business) next to her work comes back next Monday, I'll get it serviced where no doubt he'll check the battery also.

 

[Fish]

Thanks everyone, I'll get it booked in and report back the findings :thup:

 

[chrisd]

I have worked forever (up to recently) In plant hire and the first spell of really cold weather would see off any dodgy battery. I used to change several batteries this side of new year!

 

[SocketRocket]

Sounds like an electrical problem. It maybe that there is damp getting into the HT system that is Ok when the car has warmed up.

 

[SaintHacker]

Daily (5) very short distances, work is a mile away then sits all day until she comes back, then it goes about 1 mile to Sainsbury's and another mile to her mums on a Saturday, its only done 34k miles from new

I don't think its ever been serviced, it fly's through it MOT every year and just passed again on Monday so I don't go looking for problems if everything is OK, but as I state above, think I'll get it serviced for her, plugs, oil, filters etc.

That'll almost certainly be your problem. Get it done then take it out for a good blast, and then give it another one regularly!