knackered Battery - what do you recommend !!

[Jitzz]

Hi Guys,

After my long and drawn out starting issues- which I think I've cracked, I think my my battery is now not up to the job.

I've recon'd the starter and renewed the solenoid, but when trying to start I just get a click. So, put it on charge last night and she started ok, went for a spin and then to get some petrol, she wouldn't spin up at all..just a click again.

Got some jump cables on it and up she fired. So what kind do you advise. I hear the Red tops are good but don't think I can stretch to that yet....credit crunch and all that !!

My old battery was a 2 month old 072 from halfrauds !!! .... looks like it can't crank over a 4.2 v8 !!!!

Thanks for your help

Jitzz

[DonnyMac]

Hi Jitzz,
It may not be the battery if it’s only two months old and has a charge.

You may be experiencing ‘hot start problems’.

Does it start if you keep your finger on the start button for 60 seconds or so? I know this sounds weird, but try keeping your finger on the start button whilst dabbing the brake (to get the brake lights on), turn the stereo on/off and flash the headlights, wined the window down (in any order that works).

As far as I know (and could be wrong) is that part of the security features on the Cerb is that it will only start if a precise voltage is going through to the starter motor, too much or little and nothing happens – the voltage often fluctuates on a Cerb which is hot (??).

So by going through the above bizarre routine may change the voltage and suddenly kick start the car into life.

I think that engine mappers can change the voltage too, another added benefit of getting your car ‘sorted’ with a new map.

Alternatively, you could just have a knackered battery

Donny

[Demondad]

Check your earth also that was one of the problems I had. Stick a meter on the battery when you try and start to see how it copes. A brand new starter was faulty when I went through this one so try a big cable direct from battery to starter. If the battery is new I suspect the starter. Good luck

[touching cloth]

Halfords 72 battery's in principal are fine and it doesn't sound like it's the problem here to me - as you say, when charged overnight it starts the car fine. Sounds to me like you are draining the battery whilst driving and it does not have enough oomph left in it to restart when you stop. Big fuse is the obvious candidate if you have not already checked and excluded it, also check the state of the connections to each end of it, after that you might be looking at a duff alternator. I'd get a voltmeter onto the battery and see what you are getting when the engine is running (with revs at about 2000rpm) if it's much less than 14v then you have a charging problem, work back from there.

[FUBAR]

Austec put some fancy battery on mine 18 months ago and I had problems with it. With my refund money in my pocket I went down to HalfWits, purchased an 072 and its been faultless since (famous last words?), so Id say its not the battery (or a duff battery?)

[Jitzz]

Thanks for the responses guys !

To update - got it jump started and drove it to the local halfrauds where I got the battery from.

They put a meter actoss it when I tried to start it (only got the usual click) but there wasn't much of a voltage drop from 12.8v. Then got it jump started again and checked the alternator for charge - meter said it was OK.

Changed the big fuse, relays in the back, relay and 40amp fuse in the passenger footwell and ran a big earth cable direct to the starter motor body as part of the non starting saga - with no joy !!

Any suggestions greatly appreciated...Other than sell it

[S2]

I used to have hot starting problems and tried all the prescribed tricks.

New battery (072).
Upgrade the earth wires to the chassis.
Upgrade the battery/starter live wire.
Renew the 100A fuse and holder.
Take the starting circuit off the immobiliser.
Check output of alternator (OK 14v).
Sit on garage forecourts pressing any combination of buttons.
Carry additional battery in boot for jump starting (sometimes worked)

All to no avail - then I bought a very high output battery - problem solved!!

Lots of people have all sorts of solutions for why these cars refuse to start
when hot. All I know is when I put a big f***off battery on mine she hasn't squeaked since.

[WorAl]

I sometimes have the same problem as yourself, push button for ign. on then push again to start and only get a click, release the button and then try again, often happens 3 or 4 times for me, have you tried pushing the button over and over again? Like i said i often push to start 3-4 times, dont know why and dont care as long as it starts in the end.

[Nefarious]

Jitzz said:

Thanks for the responses guys !

To update - got it jump started and drove it to the local halfrauds where I got the battery from.

They put a meter actoss it when I tried to start it (only got the usual click) but there wasn't much of a voltage drop from 12.8v. Then got it jump started again and checked the alternator for charge - meter said it was OK.

Changed the big fuse, relays in the back, relay and 40amp fuse in the passenger footwell and ran a big earth cable direct to the starter motor body as part of the non starting saga - with no joy !!

Any suggestions greatly appreciated...Other than sell it

If it does this hot or cold then it sounds like a definite earthing problem to me. Next time it does it, instead of jump starting, use the jump lead to connect the earth terminal or the battery to something solid on the engine. If it fires (or at least makes a better fist of it that usual), then solve your problem by running a heavy gauge cable direct from the battery to the starter motor housing.

[Jitzz]

Thanks guys,

I think I might take S2's advice and try a big F@*k off battery, cos it seems to be either a power problem or an earth.

Since I've already ran an earth lead to the body of the starter and it's made sod all difference, might as well try a battery.

Tried the "holding down the button" and pressing it repeatedly too...to no avail

Are there any other earth leads on the car I need to look for or replace....just for a laugh ???

Also, can anyone recommend a good battery/supplier where I don't have to sell a kidney

I know it'll be worth it in the end, might even get to a meet

Cheers

Jitzz

[Cyclone1]

Jitzz said:

try a big F@*k off battery, cos it seems to be either a power problem or an earth.

Since I've already ran an earth lead to the body of the starter and it's made sod all difference, might as well try a battery.

Replacing it with a more powerful battery may just mask the problem short term. The 072 is more than capable of cranking the Cerb, whilst at Halfwits you should have requested changing the battery for a new one and tried that first, it would have helped if they tested the battery unconnected. The bateries are under warranty for two years so it's not going to cost you anything. Only other thing that springs to mind is if your starter is on it's way out.......

Jules.

[Mr Freefall]

Jitzz said:

Hi Guys,

After my long and drawn out starting issues- which I think I've cracked, I think my my battery is now not up to the job.

I've recon'd the starter and renewed the solenoid, but when trying to start I just get a click. So, put it on charge last night and she started ok, went for a spin and then to get some petrol, she wouldn't spin up at all..just a click again.

Got some jump cables on it and up she fired. So what kind do you advise. I hear the Red tops are good but don't think I can stretch to that yet....credit crunch and all that !!

My old battery was a 2 month old 072 from halfrauds !!! .... looks like it can't crank over a 4.2 v8 !!!!

Thanks for your help

Jitzz

The 072 is only 550amps, and you will need a 630+amps, as per fitted by TVR. the 550amps can die quite quick if they lose power.

Next step REDTOP 850amps

Mr F

[Steve_T]

I have an odyssey PC1500 fitted. It spins the starter like you wouldn't believe. It is over probably way over spec, but in addition to massive cranking power it can also handle deep cycles, which is what usually kills starter batteries. IMHO it's worth a look as although I can't pretend its cheap, it should last much longer than a standard battery - anything up to 10 years!

[marcus1970]

My next battery purchase...

http://www.tayna.co.uk/Optima-Red-Top-RT-S-4.2-P41...

MB

[S2]

Steve_T said:

I have an odyssey PC1500 fitted. It spins the starter like you wouldn't believe. It is over probably way over spec, but in addition to massive cranking power it can also handle deep cycles, which is what usually kills starter batteries. IMHO it's worth a look as although I can't pretend its cheap, it should last much longer than a standard battery - anything up to 10 years!

That's the one I have - 1500amp cranking for first 5 seconds dropping to 850 after.
It was the shy side of 200 quid but worth every penny when sat at a petrol pump having
just filled up with a long queue behind looking like a big plonker in a flash car who's going nowhere.

[FarmyardPants]

That sounds like the mother of all batteries. If your engine blows, just drive home on the starter motor

It's also worth checking for drain whilst parked. My car has an aftermarket stereo and the amp was on all the time. I put a relay on it and all starter-related problems disappeared and it will start after 3 weeks' standing.

[Jitzz]

Thanks for the great advice guys !!

I've decided to get a new battery which has enough crankage to start the even the "Deathstar"

I also got in touch with Steve's engineeering (Top bloke..highly recommended !!) to get some midi fuses, which Iam fitting this weekend, spoke to him about the starting issues and he suggested fitting a seperate starter button direct to the starter from the battery. This works fine and always starts !!

It does start when its fully charged, but not when I've been on a run. Must be a wiring issue then !!

Regards

Jit

[JensenA]

My Car did exactly this last year. Started fine when cold, but after a run when it was nice and hot, all I got was the dreaded 'click'. I had to wait for it to cool down. The problem was the starter motor, replaced the motor and everything was back to normal.

[caduceus]

Whilst the resto (albeit postponed) is in effext, I think I'll changed the battery for one of those Oddesy ones. They sound like fun. As I was getting the dreaded 'tick' starting problem too.
Also, how much is a Lucas starter refurb these days?

[Old Geezer]

Just a thought.

Clean the inside of the battery terminals. I mean a good scraping!
They get a layer of corrosion (sulphate?) that stops the current and often just need a good clean.
Replacements are cheap.