No electrics

BRM · Post by **BRM** » Thu Apr 17, 2014 6:32 pm

The car was perfectly fine when I put it away after using it last week.
I went to get it out yesterday - a few clicks from the fuel pump, a couple of clicks from the solenoid when I turned the key, then nothing. Just like the battery was completely flat.

But the battery is virtually new. It indicates 13v on the meter and the charger only produces a small trickle, so I'm sure that's ok. I remade the earth connection to the chassis when I put the battery in and this morning I thoroughly cleaned the connector under the heater box where all the heavy cables are connected.

There is power to the ignition switch but when switched on, nothing on the other side of it works. There is power to the light switch but not even a glimmer when they're switched on. It must be something affecting the whole system but I think I've checked all the basics and now my brain hurts.

Any ideas, because it doesn't make sense to me ?

And how can a car go wrong just sitting in the garage for a week ?

Brian

Post by **1954Etype** » Thu Apr 17, 2014 7:20 pm

Bad earth. Check the connection from the battery to the toeboard. Also ceck battery connections clean and tight.

BRM · Post by **BRM** » Thu Apr 17, 2014 8:13 pm

I agree that's what it sounds like, Angus, and would have been my first thought if the battery had been in there a while. But I only put the new one in a couple of months or so back and naturally made sure all connections were clean and tight. As I said I remade the battery earth connection to the body at the same time to ensure a good contact. It seems unlikely it has become corroded again in such a short time but I will take it apart again and check.

Brian

Moeregaard · Post by **Moeregaard** » Thu Apr 17, 2014 8:18 pm

If the battery connections are clean and tight, I would have a look at the starter. It's rare to have a pre-engaged starter experience a jammed pinion, but if you put the car in gear and gently rock it back and forth, it'll usually release. It's worth a try before going through the agony of removing the starter.

tinworm · Post by **tinworm** » Fri Apr 18, 2014 7:22 am

This could be the battery breaking down internally - I have had a couple over the years- each 2v cell is linked and these links can make poor contact. They cannot be repaired. Usual symptoms are you can turn on the ignition and the idiot lights will appear and the battery will have full voltage across its terminals but as you turn the key and add load like the headlamps or especially the starter the terminal voltage will drop to near zero and everything will go out .I had a battery that would light the headlamps but when trying to start the engine it would die . Jump start the car with another battery - this will test the circuit.

best of luck Barrie

christopher storey · Post by **christopher storey** » Fri Apr 18, 2014 7:29 am

To amplify Angus's point, check carefully the connection which goes through the insulator underneath the heater motor . You obviously have some connectivity, hence the 12 volts, but not sufficient to carry any load. Also , when you state that the voltage drops on applying load, you do not say whether it returns immediately you remove the load. If so, then as barrie has said , battery problems are most likely. If, on the other hand, the voltage stays down, then connectors are the most likely source

malcolm · Post by **malcolm** » Fri Apr 18, 2014 9:10 am

Unlikely though it sounds, I'd go for duff battery as well, new or not. Especially if you have checked al earths. My wife, on a modern car, had the same thing. It bwas one bad cel that played up intermittently on a new battery. It would be fine, then suddenly be dead under load. After bump starting it was fine for a while, then would go dead again. It was a honda jazz, and honda wouldn't believe me until they tested again and fouind a dud cell.

BRM · Post by **BRM** » Fri Apr 18, 2014 9:49 am

Thanks all. I'm also beginning to think that a duff battery is the only thing left to explain what's happening - or rather not happening ! If I don't get anywhere today I'll take it back in the morning and get it tested

Brian

BRM · Post by **BRM** » Fri Apr 18, 2014 2:43 pm

Well, I've finally got to the bottom of it ! Angus was right, it was a bad earth, but not the connection between the battery cable terminal and the body - that was still clean. However, having removed the cable I became suspicious of the ring terminal on the end of the cable so I prised it off - it was only clamped on - and found there was so much corrosion inside between the cable and the terminal that I couldn't actually see where it might have been making contact at all ! I had a length of spare battery cable so made up a new one with a new terminal clamped and soldered on. While the battery was out I noticed there is also a main earth point for several cables from the loom on the front of the footwell which looked a bit dirty so that had a good clean too. Having put it all back together everything burst into life. I don't think I've ever heard the starter spin so fast !

Brian

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