Intermittent Electrical cut out ??? AHHHHH!!!!

[Tim Raphael]

Hello

I am trying to help my cousin with that worst of faults, an intermittent electrical failure while driving !! I will try to explain the fault and would be grateful for any ideas or experiences of a similar fault anyone has had.

The vehicle is Dec 2000 Fiat Ducato based Adria Twin running a 2.8 TDI, LHD (France). I have seen the vehicle and there are no obvious signs of any modification from the original.

The fault is an electrical failure whilst driving which effectively kills the engine. However, you are left with, once the ignition is switched on just the two red lights, Oil and Battery still showing but no other lights at all. With these two lights on you can operate the starter motor which turns over strongly but the vehicle will not start and the other lights do not appear. It also seems that cab electrics are disabled, ie windows etc. The habitation system seems to be working as should and shows both batteries fully charged.

Then, a higher being takes over! .... and sometime later the other lights reappear and she starts!!

So, are we looking at a possible ignition switch problem, the safety override switch, a solenoid, Alternator ............... ??

Any comments will be gratefully received as we all know that a fault like this is just a nightmare.

Thank you in a

 

[pappajohn]

Inspect closely all the engine and chassis earth's.
Don't just look at them, give them a good tug and even unbolt and clean the contact area.

Many years ago Vauxhall were notorious for rotten braided earth straps.... They looked good but one finger would pull them apart.

 

[Spriddler]

Does it happen after a fairly similar period of driving............2 mins?...........20 mins? or does it happen at random periods of elapsed time?

 

[Jev88]

I am not a betting man but would put a £5 on CRAP EARTH LEADS. My Ducato 1999 had a boot lace of earth lead left that runs gearbox to inner wing (nearside UK spec) and an equally corroded cable from battery negative post to the other inner wing (off side on UK spec). The cable from battery post looked okay, but water collects around the other end where it bolts to wing. Whilst replacing the boot lace earth strap I also added a new one from negative battery post to one of the lifting eyelets on the front of the 2.5tdi engine to cover my bases.

 

[Tim Raphael]

Does it happen after a fairly similar period of driving............2 mins?...........20 mins? or does it happen at random periods of elapsed time?

There is no apparent pattern to the fault and it is very infrequent.

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[Tim Raphael]

I am not a betting man but would put a £5 on CRAP EARTH LEADS. My Ducato 1999 had a boot lace of earth lead left that runs gearbox to inner wing (nearside UK spec) and an equally corroded cable from battery negative post to the other inner wing (off side on UK spec). The cable from battery post looked okay, but water collects around the other end where it bolts to wing. Whilst replacing the boot lace earth strap I also added a new one from negative battery post to one of the lifting eyelets on the front of the 2.5tdi engine to cover my bases.

Thanks for that. I do think it points strongly to an earthing problem, it's just finding it that matters. It's one of those faults that you just want to discover what is really causing it and not what might have caused it!

 

[Spriddler]

Thanks for that. I do think it points strongly to an earthing problem, it's just finding it that matters.

I'd avoid the grovelling and searching by fitting a duplicate strap (straps) using the most accessible fixing points. You can't have too many earth straps.

 

[Jev88]

Thanks for that. I do think it points strongly to an earthing problem, it's just finding it that matters. It's one of those faults that you just want to discover what is really causing it and not what might have caused it!

Add new earth strap like i mentioned - battery terminal to engine main block (I created a strong bolt, a couple of large circumference washers and a locking poly nut). Adding extra earths won't cause any more problems. The gearbox to wing one is pretty easy to see and get to lying on your back looking up into engine bay (well it was on my 2.5tdi)

 

[Sturple]

New here, but, my guess is worn ignition switch
Might be worth replacing to eliminate it as a cause

 

[Tim Raphael]

New here, but, my guess is worn ignition switch
Might be worth replacing to eliminate it as a cause

Hi, Thanks for that thought. It seems to be boiling down to a couple of issues and this could be one of them.

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[busby]

Has it got an alarm fitted? I had a similar problem whilst in Spain some years ago.It corrected its self and we drove home with no bother..My garage at home found no fault .Drove back to Spain later in the year down to Torrox and it started playing up again..Landed up in a garage in Rhonda.They live wired the stop/start fuel sollinoid and it ran beautifully until we got home again.The alarm was shutting the engine down.Had it removed when we got home.Cured.BUSBY.

 

[mitzimad]

imbobiliser is another possibility wasnt this a common problem on 2.8s at that time

 

[ducato765E]

Hello.. I’m having the same issues with my ducato did you ever find the problem thanks in advance.

 

[Tim Raphael]

Hello.. I’m having the same issues with my ducato did you ever find the problem thanks in advance.

Hi

Yes, the problem was a bad earth from the gearbox to the chassis. At the same time all earth connection were replaced or fully serviced and the vehicle has not repeated the fault since. So, no parts required just servicing of all leads on the earth/battery etc.
Hope that helps,
Regards
Tim

 

[ducato765E]

Thanks very much I will try that and hopefully it solves the problem bit off a headache!

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[Simon Meadwell]

Same happened to me on my old Citroen relay same as ducato.
Earth strap was filthy. Took it to local auto electricians who polished it up. Refitted it never had a problem again.

 

[Googlebot]

Mate had a weird issue with his.

Looked for days and stripped down the dashboard etc.

He unplugged a connector and plugged it back in that he found deep underneath the dashboard. Voila.

Must have been a dodgy connection. A nightmare to find.