New Battery

The Oily Bits S1 Specific Topics
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Yesterday my car developed problems with starting.Bit of a strange story really. It fired up no problem in the morning as I was setting off to watch the qualifying sessions at Oulton Park. After 15 miles on Mway (I only live 1 mile from the junction I took to get on the M61), I hit standing/crawling traffic where the M60 joins the M6. Stuck in this hold up for about 15mins with the engine temp rising to 100c - not comfortable for me or the car. At this point I have the choice of sticking in the jam or turning off & doubling back through Warrington to then go to Oulton. I chose the latter & after about 7 more miles I get caught up in Warrington’s traffic, where the engine temp goes up to 95c. My radar detector then starts to give me the signal “Low Voltage”, which is a new one on me! There are no warning lights flashing in the car’s dash display. I turn the detector off & pull into a petrol station to fill up. Car will not restart as there is not enough power in the battery to turn the engine over. Fortunately another punter gives me push start!Arrive at Oulton, & park on a slope - just in case! Watch the qualifying for 3.5 happy hours, return to car, which starts first time - phew! On way home, radar detector again tells me “Low Voltage” - but I arrive home okay.This morning, engine turns over a couple of times rather slowly, but does not fire up before the battery is dead! I leave for 10 mins & then turn on the ignition, but do not try to crank the engine. Usual dash display which then clears to leave Parking brake, oil & battery lights on - i.e totally normal with the key in that position.So, I figure (rightly or wrongly!) that the alternator is okay, so must be a duff battery!Have a bacon butty & trapse off to Halfords for a calcium 063 battery as recommended by Steve Green on this bbs, many moons ago. Shell out �49.99 for battery incl. 4 year guarantee,& then spend next 1.25 hours fitting the damn thing!Sorry for the ramble, but I do have a question! The original battery had what I presume is a “vapour escape” valve near the positive terminal, to which was fitted a clear plastic pipe - itself exiting outside the compartment. The new battery does not have this valve - should I be concerned???Hopefully, Messers Gibbons, Davies or Green will know the technicalities [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/wink.gif[/image]PS Do I win the numpty prize for taking so long to swap batteries??? [This message has been edited by Pesky (edited 18 August 2002).]

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No the breather pipe is not needed on that type of battery, you will be ok.Glad to see you bonding with your car Mr Pesky, i have heard of your problem before, did you check the specific gravity of the acid in your old battery cells before replacing it ?Sorry no prize, i win the numpty prize, see my “i am a pratt” thread on Exige Talk… [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]

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Cheers PhilNot my idea of bonding - give me a sponge rather than a spanner anyday - I’m a total mechanical/do-it yourself prize buffoon [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/frown.gif[/image]No I didn’t check the sg of the acid for 2 reasons1. It didn’t cross my mind! 2. Wouldn’t have known what to do it anyway!Just been out for 20 mile run in car - seems okay now, except…the damn plastic pipes from the washer bottle to the bottle itself disengaged whilst I was pratting about fitting the new battery. I can’t figure out how to re-connect them, cos I can’t reach the bottle whilst the filler section is in place. The latter has to be in place as it fastens (one way only) to the raditor surround. I had to remove the radiator surround to swap the batteries - aircon car!!!I’ve given up - the car is in next week for the toelinks to be fitted, so I’ll let the experts sort out the washer bottle problem, even though it might be a front clam off job!!!Phil, can’t you please move to Bolton so you will be able to help me out??? [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image][This message has been edited by Pesky (edited 18 August 2002).]

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You can get to the washer bottle by removing/loosening the front wheel arch liner [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]hmmmm if you can get me job up there with the same wages as down here i’ll move [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image] [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]

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PeskySorry to be the negative one (no pun intended)But this sounds rather similar to how mt probs with the altermator started. have you checked the output voltage when the engine is runningJohnC

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Hi JohnI took view that as the battery light in dash display was not illuminated with the engine running, that the alternator is okay. Will get it checked out this week though!How are you finding the A048s?See you in Anglesey in Sept [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]

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quote:Originally posted by Phil Davies:You can get to the washer bottle by removing/loosening the front wheel arch liner [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]Nice one - cheers [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image] quote:hmmmm if you can get me job up there with the same wages as down here i’ll move [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image] [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image] No wages whatsover, but you get the huuuuuuge bonus of leaving all that nappy changing behind you [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/wink.gif[/image] (Sorry, Trudy!)

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OY PESKY!!!I’ve never had battery problems - but then again I’ve got Pirelli tyres!!! Tone [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image] [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image] [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image] [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image] [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image][This message has been edited by Tone (edited 18 August 2002).]

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RobI have not had the tyres fitted yet still got tread on the 39’sWhen my alternator went the red telltale light only came on at high revs whent hecar was under pressurebut lower down it just gave enough voltage to put the light out I would get a meter on it and check the voltageJohnC

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Hi JohnForgot to say that I was aware of the alternator problem which you & Mike Turner have suffered - dash light at high revs, however no such thing with my car.Will still get the charge level checked this week, though - ta.

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Its not just the voltage you need check but the current, thats more important, a failed diode my still give the correct 14volts but no current to charge the battery.I have heard that a seperate regulator will be available soon (if not already) which should put a stop to the failing alternator syndrome.

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ChapsPesky’s right! (as per usual!!)If you think your alternators gone, the battery will discharge itself in about an hour. Rev the car to the limiter, the battery warning light will flicker on. As the revs drop, the light goes out. But as the battery get weaker and weaker, the battery light comes on at lower revs untilit finally gives up.Make sure you have the silverduct piping from the offside vent directed onto the alternator - its the only way to keep it going!!

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With reguard to the ducting of air to the alternator,I had a look at Gaven Kershaw’s Motor sport elise (Race Exige) car today at Bedford,he has a funnel behind the offside air intake that catches all the air flowing through the intake,this is piped directly onto the alternator.The pipe is located directly ontop of the alternator,it looked like it was actualy touching it,this is max cooling for it,but he still cookes alternator’s,he is currently using one of an Evo 7. [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif[/image]

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P.S.The cost of building a new race Exige to the same spec as Gaven’s is �60,000!!!

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Had the alternator output checked today. All was well…but battery was only receiving a small/intermittant charge…ho hum!Further investigation revealed that one of the nuts, fastening the lead from the alternator, had worked itself loose & the resultant “arcing” had welded it to the shaft. This was causing an intermittant charge to the battery. A bit of careful “mechanicing” enabled the nut to be fully unscrewed & replaced.Hey presto - battery now receiving full charge. [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]However, it seems I’ve probably replaced my battery before really needing to. [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/frown.gif[/image] In saying that, the old one tended to go flat after 7 days or so if the car was not used, so perhaps it would have been due for the scrapheap sooner rather than later. Thanks to all those who have helped - especially Phil & the washer bottle access tip [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image] [This message has been edited by Pesky (edited 19 August 2002).]

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Peskmeister!You are the Manic Mechanic! Well done for fixing it.

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quote:Originally posted by Pesky:spend next 1.25 hours fitting the damn thing!PS Do I win the numpty prize for taking so long to swap batteries??? [This message has been edited by Pesky (edited 18 August 2002).]Definitely not - took me longer than that…but then I did make a trip to a friends for a Torx tip and had several beers…the lawnmower was waiting for me if I finished any quicker!