Battery problems...I think

[doddze]

Just gone to start the car to go to Tesco and turned the ignition and just got a rapid clicking sound.... I am guessing it is the battery as I have only had the car out once for 20 minutes in the last two weeks.

Tried jump starting from the wifes Nissan but it didn't want to know...but then hers is only a 2.5litre.

I have no idea how old the battery is (came from halfords) and as it had only done about 400 iles the year before I got it I guess it could be shagged out.

With the ignition on the volt guage doesnt make it out of the red either.

So going to get a new battery tomorrow and a trickle charger...
I take it there isn't anything I need to be aware of is there??? Just a battery suitable for the Ford 3 litre and the accompanying trickle charger.

I hope that once the new one is on and i turn the key the b****y thing goes had a bit of a run of things recently.....

[spivvy]

take the old one with you as i couldn't get an exact match for the battery plate and had to adapt it slightly so it fitted and was locked in

[doddze]

the one that is in there is smaller than the plate and has a blt around it to hold it in. But I will give it ameasure just in case

[V8 Kieran]

If you wanted to try again, the Nissan is plenty powerful enough to jump yours (had to do this the other day with my 4.0l - and the battery was sha66ed, but it still started!). With her engine running, just connect up the two batteries and leave for a few minutes. The Alternator is belting 14v down the line, but the dead battery will soak up everything for a while. I've done this many times - connect up and feels like waste of space. Have a fag and come back: different story! (Still may need a new battery in any case, but at least you'll have a chance at a proper run to charge it)

[tvrgit]

If you use good quality copper jump leads with propoer connections to the croc clips, you should be able to start any car from any other car with no bother (if the good car is running)

I had to start my SAAB diesel from a metro 1.1 - easy.

Lots of jump leads are aluminium with crap crimpy connectors, couldn't jump start a gnat's pacemaker. A good check is that, if the croc clips or connectors are warm after a couple of starting attempts, then you need better jump leads!