daihatsu campervan problems

Hi there, I have recently purchased a daihatsu hijet campervan, and have problems with it and am now at my wits end. The issue basically is - My daihatsu campervan when not used for about a week, the car wont start and i had to jump start it. I replaced the battery but a week later when i went to start it it was dead and had to be jump started again. I went back to kwick fit where i bought the battery and they replaced it for another new one. 2 days later when drivibg it the battery warning sign came on. I then went back to kwick fit and they said that the alternater was charing at 12.4 volts and it needed to be 14volts. I then took it to a local garage who put in a new timing belt and a reconditioned alternater. It was ok for a few days, but i did not use it for about a week and when i came to start it it was dead, so had to jump start it. A day later when driving it the thermostat was showing that it was overheating, I stopped the car and checked the water, it was still at the full level. I left it off for about an hour before trying to drive it home, again after about 2 mins the thermostat dial on the dashboard showed that the temp was at maximum. The following day when i tried to start it, once running stationary the car kept reeving .

Does anyone have any suggestions or can you recommend a good mechanic in west london that knows about hijets.

I am at my wits end. Fee

Hi Fee

If you do quick search of the forum you should find all the answers to your symptoms already laid out.
You have out ruled a lot of what it could be for battery so must be the bits in between, to me sounds like bad earths (cable connections). Unbolt and clean up all the connections where they connect to the body of the car for the alternator and battery. Over heating sounds like you need the HJ special intergalactic standard for bleeding the system. The revving just may be the battery not getting a charge and a bit low or possibly a cam sensor (would need more precise details to understand issue). Sort connections, do the bleed and then report back and take it from there.

Welcome, Fee. It would help to know if yours is a 1.3 or a 1.0 or even a diesel.

HJ seems to be AWOL at the moment but you can read his bleeding tips for the 1.3, plus loads of other essential info here: www.daihatsuhijet.co.uk

Battery sounds to me as if something is draining it. Are you sure everything is actually off when you think it is?

Where are you checking the water level? Engine revving on tickover is one symptom of very low coolant.

Hi my camper is a 1.0 petrol. I have made sure that everything is turned off, the only electrical thing i can think of is the cd player is tempamental sometimes is has power sometimes not. In terms of the coolant level, when i checked the water level it was still full. Unfortunately I do not know much about about cars, so keep getting fobbed off my mechanics who just see another woman driver. The last one that changed the alternater wanted £150 for parts before even looking at the problems i described. Fee

They very often like to change the battery and alternator -- lots of wonga to be made.

Aside from making sure the battery is of sufficient capacity I would check the fan belt. It must be properly tight and check it for dampness. I came across one where the fan belt had liquefied underneath and slipped which defeated a garage for a month or more. Really, if I were to change the alternator I would change the fan belt as a matter of course as it is comparative peanuts. In fact, I would probably start with the fan belt for that reason.

Hi. The mechanic did change the fan belt when he changed the alternater but i had to take it back to him 2 days later as it kept screaming when i accelerated. He then told me that he changed the belt for a slightly narrower one. This one seemed ok and did not scream.

Fee do you have somebody to look at these issues for you?

Unfortunately no, am trying to find someone that can help

Are you checking coolant in the expansion tank? If so, remove the front panel to expose the radiator (2 orange turnbuckles in footwells to release) and see if there's coolant under the rad cap there (WHEN ENGINE COLD)

If none, slowly open the rad cap under passenger seat (again, when cold) - water should start to flow out so do it up again. If it doesn't, you'll need to do a complete fill to check if you have leaks or head gasket problems.

Thanks, I will try that tomorrow morning

fee1974 wrote:Hi. The mechanic  did change the fan belt when he changed the alternater  but i had to take it back to him 2 days later as it kept screaming when i accelerated. He then told me that he changed the belt for a slightly  narrower one. This one seemed  ok and did not scream.

Wrong belt, or correct belt incorrectly fitted. Either way, mechanic's fault.