997 GEN 2 GT3 RS starting issues - help please
Discussion
Hi, just in case there is an easy solution, and before I get the car loaded up to go back to the garage. Am I doing something wrong starting the car after 2 weeks of it being rested up, and fully locked and fully trickle charged? It had to be dead lock opened, which is normal when car completely shuts down, but after placing the key in the ignition and turning the key all hell lets loose with the electrics. Windows go down, lots of clicking, sports crono whizzes round, and all the warning lights click on and off. Needless to say, the car doesn't turn over. I would normally think this might be low battery power except that it was fully charged.
Any thoughts welcome.
Any thoughts welcome.
My 997.2 RS exhibited the same behaviour as yours a couple of years ago and turned out to be a battery no longer able to hold its charge even though the trickle charger (Porsche branded one) indicated the battery was OK.
If your car has the Porsche 'Moll' battery, it is not a maintenance free type and requires the cell electrolyte levels to be periodically checked and topped up with distilled water if necessary. You may have a cell with low electrolyte in yours and they have been known to recover when topped up although unlikely.
My layman level understanding is that some trickle chargers, even the early Porsche ones, do not switch off when the battery is fully charged. If left on one of these chargers for too long, the battery heats up and the electrolyte slowly evaporates causing the battery to eventually fail.
I've succeeded in starting mine with a booster pack just to get it running however, the battery will still probably need replacing.
Hope you get it sorted and HTH.
If your car has the Porsche 'Moll' battery, it is not a maintenance free type and requires the cell electrolyte levels to be periodically checked and topped up with distilled water if necessary. You may have a cell with low electrolyte in yours and they have been known to recover when topped up although unlikely.
My layman level understanding is that some trickle chargers, even the early Porsche ones, do not switch off when the battery is fully charged. If left on one of these chargers for too long, the battery heats up and the electrolyte slowly evaporates causing the battery to eventually fail.
I've succeeded in starting mine with a booster pack just to get it running however, the battery will still probably need replacing.
Hope you get it sorted and HTH.
I had this on my 997 - the battery side of things is a pain in the neck if you don't use it regularly. Mine died after not being used for 2 weeks. The BMW I have went 2 months without being used and fired up instantly.
Is it still an issue on the newer ones too? I'd hope they had sorted it out for the 991!!
Is it still an issue on the newer ones too? I'd hope they had sorted it out for the 991!!
Hi, thanks for the replies. I am on my 3rd Bosch battery in 10 months. After each new one, I learn and try something different that might explain the issue. I am using an industrial CTEC MXS 10 amp charger on this last one. The battery showed full charge, but is clearly knackered. I have had two different checks on battery drain and both are minimal/normal. I also learnt that you have to lock the car, and close the bonnet, but these tricks don't change the fact that something is killing the batteries when the car is left on trickle.
baypond said:
Hi, thanks for the replies. I am on my 3rd Bosch battery in 10 months. After each new one, I learn and try something different that might explain the issue. I am using an industrial CTEC MXS 10 amp charger on this last one. The battery showed full charge, but is clearly knackered. I have had two different checks on battery drain and both are minimal/normal. I also learnt that you have to lock the car, and close the bonnet, but these tricks don't change the fact that something is killing the batteries when the car is left on trickle.
Surely that must be the charger? That's the only common thing? Or a duff batch of batteries.Bert
baypond said:
Hi, thanks for the replies. I am on my 3rd Bosch battery in 10 months. After each new one, I learn and try something different that might explain the issue. I am using an industrial CTEC MXS 10 amp charger on this last one. The battery showed full charge, but is clearly knackered. I have had two different checks on battery drain and both are minimal/normal. I also learnt that you have to lock the car, and close the bonnet, but these tricks don't change the fact that something is killing the batteries when the car is left on trickle.
I have the same battery & charger on my 997.2 GT3 and it's left for > 6 months of the year on charge in my storage unit. Battery has lasted for 4 years & counting. Have you set the CTEK to its maintenance mode correctly? If so, it's likely the CTEK is faulty and as others have said, it's boiling the fluid. ChrisW. said:
Henry, why don't you like the CTek ?
Hi Chris, I hope you’re well ?I had similar problems to the OP (and others) with my 993 RS battery not holding its charge, despite being hooked up to the wonderful (and expensive) Ctek.
A new Bosch battery fared no better.
On the off chance it was the charger, I bought a cheap, nasty and simple Chinese charger from Halfords (£20 back in 2005) to replace it. Bingo !! No problems with ANY car or battery thereafter. In fact so good are the Chinese items, I now have two of them !!
They’re no frills, and they have no fancy charging “strategies”. Just a good old fashioned trickle charger that doesn’t try to do anything clever, or indeed fry your battery.
Red light : Needs charging.
Green light : Charged.
Connect them up in November, disconnect them in March/April and start the car without any issues.
Ctek seem to have a reputation for being excellent, or utterly hopeless. IIRC, I’m not the only one who’s had issues with them. My experience with them leads me to believe they’re overpriced (all the more so when they are Porsche branded) and underperforming Porsche sanctioned tat) a bit like Moll batteries ...
The rant endeth here ...
Re CTEK, I have had three fail that been replaced FoC.
The other frustration is the connectors do not seem to be robust, the female connector from the CTEK unit and the male end that attaches to the battery need wiggling before they will make a proper connection.
Amusing at first but I find failed coupling destroys enjoyment.
The other frustration is the connectors do not seem to be robust, the female connector from the CTEK unit and the male end that attaches to the battery need wiggling before they will make a proper connection.
Amusing at first but I find failed coupling destroys enjoyment.
baypond said:
Hi, just in case there is an easy solution, and before I get the car loaded up to go back to the garage. Am I doing something wrong starting the car after 2 weeks of it being rested up, and fully locked and fully trickle charged? It had to be dead lock opened, which is normal when car completely shuts down, but after placing the key in the ignition and turning the key all hell lets loose with the electrics. Windows go down, lots of clicking, sports crono whizzes round, and all the warning lights click on and off. Needless to say, the car doesn't turn over. I would normally think this might be low battery power except that it was fully charged.
Any thoughts welcome.
Since 2010 when I got my Gen 2 GT3 new i've gone through 3 Porsche batteries. They're cr*p. I changed mine to a Bosch a couple of years ago and it has been fine. I also had an issue with a duff starter motor on mine a couple of years ago, as it wouldn't always turn over, just the solenoid click. This was changed under warranty. Car starts perfectly every time with the new starter motor and Bosch battery. I keep it topped up with a CTEK.Any thoughts welcome.
Reading your fault description, i'd say it's the battery, stick a Bosch in, cheaper than Porsche and much better. Some folks have also kept a Porsche battery to change in to protect against the Porsche warranty Police, but i never had an issue leaving the Bosch in, just played hardball with them and told them i'm not dropping another £300 odd on another Porsche battery.
Edited by cdixon on Tuesday 2nd April 11:45
cdixon said:
Since 2010 when I got my Gen 2 GT3 new i've gone through 3 Porsche batteries. They're cr*p. I changed mine to a Bosch a couple of years ago and it has been fine. I also had an issue with a duff starter motor on mine a couple of years ago, as it wouldn't always turn over, just the solenoid click. This was changed under warranty. Car starts perfectly every time with the new starter motor and Bosch battery. I keep it topped up with a CTEK.
Reading your fault description, i'd say it's the battery, stick a Bosch in, cheaper than Porsche and much better. Some folks have also kept a Porsche battery to change in to protect against the Porsche warranty Police, but i never had an issue leaving the Bosch in, just played hardball with them and told them i'm not dropping another £300 odd on another Porsche battery.
OP states he’s on his third Bosch battery. Charger fault I’d suspect. Reading your fault description, i'd say it's the battery, stick a Bosch in, cheaper than Porsche and much better. Some folks have also kept a Porsche battery to change in to protect against the Porsche warranty Police, but i never had an issue leaving the Bosch in, just played hardball with them and told them i'm not dropping another £300 odd on another Porsche battery.
Edited by cdixon on Tuesday 2nd April 11:45
Hi
I have used at least 3 different CTEK chargers. Car is off to the Indy I bought it from on Monday. Something is killing the battery. On this last charge, the battery was showing full charge when I disconnected the charger. The car wouldnt start, so I reconnected the battery on full 10 amp charge for 1 hour, but still didnt start. The next day when I checked, the charger was showing an error (red light) which on earlier batteries was due to dead battery cell.
Anyway, lets see what the garage come up with when they take a look. Thanks for all the feedback.
I have used at least 3 different CTEK chargers. Car is off to the Indy I bought it from on Monday. Something is killing the battery. On this last charge, the battery was showing full charge when I disconnected the charger. The car wouldnt start, so I reconnected the battery on full 10 amp charge for 1 hour, but still didnt start. The next day when I checked, the charger was showing an error (red light) which on earlier batteries was due to dead battery cell.
Anyway, lets see what the garage come up with when they take a look. Thanks for all the feedback.
Slippydiff said:
Discombobulate said:
Duff battery as above - or duff trickle charger.
Fit a Bosch battery (if you're not tied into a Porsche warranty) and ditch the Porsche branded Ctek battery charger too. I want to do a bit of pre-emptive DIY battery maintenance and ditch the crappy MOLL battery for a Bosch, but if it’s hard coded i’ll get a pro to do it.
Thanks!!
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