Mahindra CJ340 joins Team-BHP family

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by sach.sri

one question - can you pls give more details on the "JCB lights". I wanted to check them out.
Where can i find them online - any part number of something like that. do the normal auto shops stock them, etc?

Sorry for the delayed reply, I was in between house move.

The details of the lights are very much in this thread. Look at

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-v...ml#post2032763 (Mahindra CJ340 joins Team-BHP family)

Also look at posts 1040 and 1048 in the next page of the above the link.

Originally Posted by svsantosh

One ---> Which is the MECHANICAL Stop LEVER (1) or (2)

Not too sure about this one.

Originally Posted by svsantosh

Two ---> Is the plunger below this 'A' (the top, where the current supplying wire to plunger, is visible).

Plunger is part of the solenoid switch, it will be inside it.

[svsantosh]

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

Dear Sharath - on the ammeter, your vehicle does not need an ammeter at all. The Lucas TVS SA15 alternator works best when there is no ammeter. Please get an electrician to remove it from the circuit. The best way to do this is to attach both it's wires to one of its terminals instead of cutting and coiling them together. Then put the ammeter back into the hole. It will stay there as a dummy. You do not even need a voltmeter. Please take a piece of "FINOLEX 84" size wire and shunt the output terminal of the alternator to the battery. Please route it properly so that it remains protected. You will need to solder an M6*1.0 / M8*1.25 suitable clips at either end and then use it. Obviously, do not remove the original wire which goes to the alternator. Connect this shunt as an addition. Then see the improvement in the performance of the electrical system.

Dear Dhabhar Sir, Pratheesh,

I have a few questions.

1) Would the above idea void the need for the tiny bulb on the dash board that goes out after starting the jeep? Or is it still needed? What is that bulb connected to?

2) In this system how would know when the battery is charging or not? How does one judge the +ve and -ve movements of the ammeter needle? Do we just avoid it? And Assume as long as the bulb (1) stays off, battery is charging?

3) Why is the alternator (+Ve output) wire connected to starter motor and then the starter motor provies that +ve to Battery? (I dont see any direct connection to battery from alternator, it comes/goes from/to the starter motor... why?)

4) What is a Finolex 84 in simple terms? What is the Millimeter dia of that wire?

[svsantosh]

Originally Posted by svsantosh

I had spoken to my mech who understood how to make it happen, my question is

Attachment 569092

One ---> Which is the MECHANICAL Stop LEVER (1) or (2)

I found the answer myself - it is 1. Just turn/pull the lever anti-clockwise in its center pivot and the engine will choke itself Off!! Now, just to get a cable to pull it to kill the engine

Samu - thanks for the reply in the prev post ^^ My mech now understands fully what to do now.

[Samurai]

Today I got out and tried to start the Jeep. it doesn't. Just the clicking noise, the old problem.

It has not been started in a month. The 100% moisture in the air has got to it. Removed and cleaned all battery terminals, no use. Asked my electrician to check the battery level, he says it is fine.

This is what happens when I try to crank.

‪Jeep doesn't start‬‏ - YouTube

[svsantosh]

I think it is the starter motor again? Will await your evening diagosis.

[Samurai]

Sachin suggested a plain old push start. After all, I have long slope from my office. With the help of 4 people pushing me into the slope, I was able to start it within 5 seconds. I guess it was moisture in the starter motor?? Now I have kept it on for 15 minutes. Hopefully it should dry it.

[SS-Traveller]

Your starter motor's Bendix spring is jammed/rusted.

[svsantosh]

Sharat, unless you implemented Dhabhar's electrical idea - there is something wrong in your wiring!!

The battery shows +Ve AMPS even when engine is Off. Doesnt move to -Ve when you crank, instead the fuel meter takes a big DIP to go to -Ve/Zero!!

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Your starter motor's Bendix spring is jammed/rusted.

My starter has definitely gone cuckoo. After keeping the engine on for 15 minutes, I switched off and restarted. It worked. But after 4 hours, I couldn't start, same problem is back. Tomorrow I need to visit an auto electrician I think.

I get the click, so the solenoid is working. But the motor is not running, at least not most of the time.

This is how it should work:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WQlA...eature=related

Originally Posted by svsantosh

Sharat, unless you implemented Dhabhar's electrical idea - there is something wrong in your wiring!!

The battery shows +Ve AMPS even when engine is Off. Doesnt move to -Ve when you crank, instead the fuel meter takes a big DIP to go to -Ve/Zero!!

No, my ammeter has been stuck in that position since one year.

[Sudarshan]

Originally Posted by Samurai

My starter has definitely gone cuckoo. After keeping the engine on for 15 minutes, I switched off and restarted. It worked. But after 4 hours, I couldn't start, same problem is back.

confusing , if starter is a problem then it shouldn't start the engine again

No, my ammeter has been stuck in that position since one year.

no problems , do you have a multimeter ? ( with a 12 v dc check ) you will be able to do some checks yourself --

the whole thing sounds like battery problems , simply replace it from another vehicle ( a 70 amp/hr will do ) & see .

Sudarshan

[Aroy]

If it is a starter problem, it may either be the Bendix, or the flywheel. If teeth are broken/worn out on either, then the starter motor will not be able to rotate due to excessive torque required to overcome jammed teeth.

If the problem is always there at cold start then it is battery, if it is intermittent then the starter system. As suggested try a cold start with another battery.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by Sudarshan

no problems , do you have a multimeter ? ( with a 12 v dc check ) you will be able to do some checks yourself --

the whole thing sounds like battery problems , simply replace it from another vehicle ( a 70 amp/hr will do ) & see .

Sudarshan

Alright, I decided to troubleshoot the battery right here. The battery was showing 11.6V when off. The alam bells went ringing. I turned on the ignition, the voltage dropped to 9V. I cranked, the voltage even hit 4V.

Ok, I do have battery issue. Yesterday it had shown 12.6V, what happened now?

Anyway, I need to find out whether the battery is just discharged or become weak. Unfortunately I don't have that device that can check the specific gravity of the acid in the cells. So I am going to get one today.

Meanwhile, the office electrician peered into the battery cells and declared that 3 of them have less distilled water. Told him to top it off.

Now we need to charge the battery and see whether it can hold the charge. Sachin suggested driving it around for 30 minutes. But electrician wondered whether we can use the charging device from the office generator which charges the 100AH battery. But he also wondered whether the 100AH charger will damage the 90AH battery.

Now, my electrician is a very practical man with zero theory knowledge. And I am mostly theory. But I know Ohm's law. I theorized that battery is nothing but a big capacitor. And it has varying impedance. As the capacitor charges, the impedance keeps increases and finally reached infinity at full charge. Since both generator battery and Jeep battery are 12V batteries, same charger should be able to work well with Jeep battery.

Now, we have connected the charger to the Jeep battery and hopefully it should fully charge in an hour.

[Samurai]

After 1.5hours charging, it is still charging, the light is yet to blink on the charger to indicate full charge.

Still, I was curious. So I reconnected the battery and cranked, started at first attempt. So, the starter is fine. It is the battery then, the jury is still not out on that. Hopefully it will hold the charge.

[svsantosh]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Alright, I decided to troubleshoot the battery right here. The battery was showing 11.6V when off. The alam bells went ringing.

Glad that the voltmeter I have in place of the ammeter helps a lot. I can easily identify a weak battery and do the necessary. Please get one. Unlike the voltmeter, the ammeter works only current is drawn, doesnt show a weak/dead battery.

[Sudarshan]

Originally Posted by Samurai

==The battery was showing 11.6V when off. The alam bells went ringing. I turned on the ignition, the voltage dropped to 9V. I cranked, the voltage even hit 4V.

Bad news --- should not go below 9.5 in any case while cranking

Ok, I do have battery issue. Yesterday it had shown 12.6V, what happened now?

answer is ' surface charge ', connect multimeter , put on headlights for say 15 seconds --- check again . Must show 12.5 at least ( fully charged battery )

Sachin suggested driving it around for 30 minutes.

Not recommended ,these things don't work when the battery is so low

But electrician wondered whether we can use the charging device from the office generator which charges the 100AH battery. But he also wondered whether the 100AH charger will damage the 90AH battery.

dont see a problem here , check the charging voltage & current

Now, we have connected the charger to the Jeep battery and hopefully it should fully charge in an hour.

dont think so ( wrt full charge ) I would do it for at least 6 hrs

Originally Posted by Samurai

Still, I was curious. So I reconnected the battery and cranked, started at first attempt. So, the starter is fine. It is the battery then, the jury is still not out on that. Hopefully it will hold the charge.

next time you start check the voltage for 10 minutes at engine mid speed

check following with multi meter

1) Voltage of battery before & after surface charge ( a good battery > after surface charge gone 12 minimum )

2) voltage at cranking ( 9.5 )

3) voltage just after engine starts & then for another 10 minutes ( 12.5 minimum & 14.5 max )

Important : take off the negative wire on battery & check if any wire is not loose wrt alternater

regards

Sudarshan

Disclaimer : read the above with suffix AFAIK & IMHO