GioCar21 Posted August 22, 2022 Share Posted August 22, 2022 Hello everyone, We have just brought our first motorhome. We love the MH, but since we got it have only managed 2 nights away in 2 months. It has an intermittent starting fault. Turns over, but doesn't fire up. Once it starts it runs fine, but is unpredictable. We have taken it back to the dealers, and they in turn have also had Ford commercial look at it, but both unable to find a fault. It has always started for them, but on numerous occasions while we have had it back on our drive, it has refused to start. Green Flag came out and got it going using easy start, saying issue with glow plugs, but Ford say they are fine. The only difference between when we have it and when its been back to dealers, is we plug it in to EHU. I've also noticed the leisure battery is not holding charge, but doubt there is a connection between this and intermittent failure to start. We are really fed up with this as had numerous plans/trips which we have had to cancel. Regrettably, we are now asking to proceed with rejecting the MH, although we would rather it worked and was reliable. Anyone else had anything similar, and know the time scale? TIA Gio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted August 22, 2022 Share Posted August 22, 2022 Hi Gio and welcome to the forum, When your MH refuses to start exactly what does or does not happen? ie Does the engine refuse to crank, or does it crank but fail to fire, etc,...??? Have you scanned for error codes? Even a basic OBD reader may give a clue. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GioCar21 Posted August 22, 2022 Author Share Posted August 22, 2022 Hi Thank you, When it won't start, it turns engine over, but doesn't fire up. In it fact when we called out green flag, did the same, he sprayed easystart into air intake and it started. Once it starts, its fine. Ford and MH dealer have had it but not found anything wrong, including codes. When they have started it always started. We get it home, starts for couple of days then won't start. No warning lights, nothing else apart from its connected to mains when at home, and I think leisure battery not holding charge, but can't imagine this is relevant. So frustrating, as its a lovely motorhome, and we are desperate to make most of it having just retired, but left in limbo at moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddy Posted August 22, 2022 Share Posted August 22, 2022 Has any aftermarket alarm/ immobiliser/ Tracker been fitted that is linked to the leisure battery which could be causing the problem , ,( if you think it is not holding a charge ). Also when on EHU does the starter battery get charged at the same time as the leisure battery or , if it does not , is it possible that it is loosing just enough charge to not spin the motor over fast enough for it to fire up when cold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GioCar21 Posted August 22, 2022 Author Share Posted August 22, 2022 Hi, the MH has a tracker, but spoke to them and didn't think it was an issue. Excuse my ignorance, but is there a separate starter battery, as well as leisure and a van battery? If so, how do the these batteries interact? I find it odd that it starts ok when it has been at the dealers and garage, but as soon as I get it home, after 2-3 days it wont start, as in fire up, but will turn the engine over. The leisure battery is definitely not holding charge, as last time i plugged in to the mains, it stayed in the red. I mentioned all this to the dealer but again they didn't think it was relevant. Would love to find a solution to this, as don't want to return MH, but equally an unreliable MH is not fit for purpose. Gio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddy Posted August 22, 2022 Share Posted August 22, 2022 Starter battery and van battery are the same thing , but are you sure that when at home on EHU the batteries ( van and leisure) are being kept charged up by the Motorhomes built in battery charger, as they should be, because ,if not , the batteries will lose some of their power through normal very slight but constant discharge due to the electronics being in stand-by mode. and this may be enough to cause the non starting after a few days of non-use.(made worse if the batteries are not in good condition) This may also account for why it starts at the dealers as having been running the batteries would be fully charged for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GioCar21 Posted August 22, 2022 Author Share Posted August 22, 2022 Thanks for that. I will ask if they have checked state of batteries and charging. Gio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted August 22, 2022 Share Posted August 22, 2022 I have no specific knowledge but maybe it's time for a bit of isolating? Some diesel engines do need to spin quite quickly to fire up and if the starter battery is a bit lazy - a 4 year old might be - it could be the issue? If you suspect the EHU and/or leisure battery have you tried not connecting the EHU? Do you need an EHU when parked at home? Leisure batteries are a well known and notorious PIA (pain in the anterior) but it should not be able to drag the starter battery down if correctly wired. Does the wiring to and from the batteries (both) look original or are the extra loose wires added by a previous owner? Similarly with the tracker, have you tried isolating it so it draws no current? It is possible that a decent specialist auto electrician might be better able to locate the problem for you? Tell us where you are and someone might know of such an auto electrician near you because electrical problems are far from rare! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted August 22, 2022 Share Posted August 22, 2022 Gio, Some models of Ford Transit have TWO starter/chassis batteries plus the leisure battery, although I'm not certain on exact details. Do you know where your leisure and starter/chassis battery(ies) are? iirc the starter/chassis battery should be under the passenger seat? If so are there one or two batteries there? If two and you are certain that neither is the leisure battery then the system you have uses one to power the engine electronics and the other to solely power the starter. Check the voltage of the (or both) starter batteries with a voltmeter and then monitor the voltage when you try to start. You may be suffering from low battery voltage causing slow cranking and hence insufficient fuel rail pressure for the engine to start. Also is the (are the plural) starter/chassis batteries original or have they been replaced? If original they could be past there sell by date! I would recommend buying genuine Ford batteries as Ford has used some strange chemistries for there batteries over the years and set the charging voltages accordingly. Final thought is that you could be suffering from low fuel rail pressure caused by either a failing high pressure fuel pump, faulty fuel injectors (apparently a fairly common fault on Transits) or an air leak into the pick up side of the fuel system. A Ford specific scanner should be able to monitor fuel rail pressure as you crank. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeamRienza Posted August 22, 2022 Share Posted August 22, 2022 My ford Transit based Motorhome (although 2007) had two batteries under the drivers seat. Standard practice in the minibuses that I also drove at that time. The concept was that the engine battery was supplemented by the second battery when subject to heavy loading. The second battery also doubled as the habitation battery in my then Autosleeper on a transit chassis. It may be the case as already suggested that the engine cannot get enough power to turn over effectively, this may be evidenced by you stating that the leisure battery is flat, unless you have fitted a specific habitation battery elsewhere in the van. Perhaps the ‘leisure’ battery is beginning to fail intermittently causing problematic starting. Davy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddy Posted August 22, 2022 Share Posted August 22, 2022 Gio , you should be able to check if the Motorhome inbuilt mains operated battery charger is working by looking at the Motorhome control panel battery voltage readings when it it is turned on with the Motorhome connected to the EHU. If the voltage readings are low it may be worth checking that the mains charger is switched on. (or it may not be working) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GioCar21 Posted August 22, 2022 Author Share Posted August 22, 2022 Thanks for all the replies. There is a single leisure and single battery under the passenger and driver seat. The MH is with the dealer at the moment so I will raise these points with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikefitz Posted August 22, 2022 Share Posted August 22, 2022 If it starts on easy start or similar sprayed into the intake and then continues to run, its probable that the injectors and/or fuel pump are failing. This could be a very expensive repair. It's summer so glow plugs won't be the problem. At least change the starter battery to rule out that. It's a simple test to verify that the Injectors are functioning correctly. Consider having a diesel fuel system specialist inversigate the fuel system. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted August 22, 2022 Share Posted August 22, 2022 Gio, How many miles has it covered and do you have any service history? Also is it possible to track down the previous owner to ask if they had any engine problems? They may have traded it in because of issues??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GioCar21 Posted August 22, 2022 Author Share Posted August 22, 2022 12000 miles, but we have had lockdown, so would reduce potential maximum mileage. I did wonder if the problem pre existed but no way to check with previous owners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GioCar21 Posted August 22, 2022 Author Share Posted August 22, 2022 As an after thought, the MH was serviced, FSH, and should the dealer/Ford be able to pick up the above? Told that neith able to identify a problem, but not sure how hard they look. Gio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weldted Posted August 23, 2022 Share Posted August 23, 2022 Y start requires less compression to fire than diesel. Try leave it disconnected from the ehu. After a couple of days use a donor vehicle and connect some heavy duty jump leads between them, run the donor for about ten mins at a fast tick over then see if it starts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GioCar21 Posted August 23, 2022 Author Share Posted August 23, 2022 Thanks. At moment, MH back at dealers, so when I get it back if if still misbehaving will work through above list. I live in Worcestershire, so if anyone has any suggestions for good autoelectrician, let me know, just in case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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