The big lump won't start :(

[baz7175]

What with our rather cold weather over here at the moment I thought I had better go turn the engine over to keep things moving and some charge in the battery - last run was about 3 weeks or so ago and it sleeps inside a semi enclosed garage when not out for a run (door is a lattice style one and not solid), since then it's been between +2oC and -14oC, and we're bracing for as low as -20oC in the next 2 days (had around 10 inches of snow since 3am this morning when it started falling)...

...anyhow, the big block aint for starting, there's enough juice left in the battery to get some clickety clicks and that's about it, therefore question time:-

I'm guessing with the Ro being such a temperamental bugger it's best to pull the battery from the car and put it on a charger instead of jumping it?

Prior to me ballsing the big chap up I'm just looking to know pitfalls that may have been found by any other unsuspecting individuals? For instance does the car retain knowledge of the keyfob when battery is removed and reinstated again?

Edited by baz7175 on Monday 5th January 12:58

[racebreed1]

baz7175 said:

What with our rather cold weather over here at the moment I thought I had better go turn the engine over to keep things moving and some charge in the battery - last run was about 3 weeks or so ago and it sleeps inside a semi enclosed garage when not out for a run (door is a lattice style one and not solid), since then it's been between +2oC and -14oC, and we're bracing for as low as -20oC in the next 2 days (had around 10 inches of snow since 3am this morning when it started falling)...

...anyhow, the big block aint for starting, there's enough juice left in the battery to get some clickety clicks and that's about it, therefore question time:-

I'm guessing with the Ro being such a temperamental bugger it's best to pull the battery from the car and put it on a charger instead of jumping it?

Prior to me ballsing the big chap up I'm just looking to know pitfalls that may have been found by any other unsuspecting individuals? For instance does the car retain knowledge of the keyfob when battery is removed and reinstated again?

Edited by baz7175 on Monday 5th January 12:58

i jump started someones car off mine a few months ago and it was no problems

[stevemj]

can you charge the battery in situ - sounds like there is not gas problem build up with a peforated door. Its easier than disconnecting and lugging it somewhere else etc.

S

[baz7175]

Sounds good to me, will need to try using the 1.2 lump in the Corsa to kick the big chap into life later on once I acquire a set of jump leads

It's definitely not Monaro weather over here just now

[Raggyman]

Definitely would be interesting that is for sure. I might behave a bit better if you have the snow tyres on her though..

[baz7175]

lol - I tried them on her last year and lets just say it was a better idea to go fork out for the wee Corsa you see on the left of that image instead - they just don't like snow

In saying that, there is always studded tyres as another option

[Bonnie and Clyde]

baz7175 said:

Sounds good to me, will need to try using the 1.2 lump in the Corsa to kick the big chap into life later on once I acquire a set of jump leads

It's definitely not Monaro weather over here just now

Its been snowing here to. Not as much as you have had. Could'nt get the Monaro off the drive this morning and Col wont let me put grit on the block paving. The Merc got off ok though.

[baz7175]

Always good to have the second chimp chariot to use at times like this

[Bonnie and Clyde]

baz7175 said:

Always good to have the second chimp chariot to use at times like this

Speak for yourself. I look more like a Baboon

[maxmc2]

Took me half an hour to get out the drive this morning lol

Although parallel parking was a lot easier in the snow, just turn the wheel and the car would move sideways, defo not Ro' weather out there.

Be careful all!

[C8PPO]

If it's like that in Aachen, the 'Ring should be interesting!!

[Well_Fans]

Bonnie and Clyde said:

baz7175 said:

Always good to have the second chimp chariot to use at times like this

Speak for yourself. I look more like a Baboon

you got a big purple ass then???

[Bonnie and Clyde]

Well_Fans said:

Bonnie and Clyde said:

baz7175 said:

Always good to have the second chimp chariot to use at times like this

Speak for yourself. I look more like a Baboon

you got a big purple ass then???

Depends if i've been sitting in the snow

[baz7175]

C8PPO said:

If it's like that in Aachen, the 'Ring should be interesting!!

Funny that you say that, we were watching WDR (german tv) last night and low and behold Sabine Schmitz pops up, so I wait to see them asking her to go drift some machinery in the snow - but no, instead they show her talking about the 'ring in front of a frozen section of land with kids ice skating on it...not quite what I was expecting to see...

[granada203028]

The battery benefits from being warmed up as much as being charged. Both will be achieved by bringing it indoors for a trickle charge or heat from the engine once jumped.

I had my battery disconnected for approx 3 weeks during a gearbox/clutch transplant and experienced no problems. I think the engine had gone off tune slightly though possibly needing to reself optimise. The idle speed went very low a few times for example. After a few days it was back to normal.

After a week of no use over Christmas, I did notice my car cranking slightly slower even though it is garaged here in Bristol.

[ads_green]

Yep - it quite common belief that the cold drains batteries. In fact it's the opposite - the colder a battery gets the slower it's leakage between the terminals. The problem with the cold is that it inhibits the chemical reaction that occurs so the electrical output is considerably reduced (this also explains why the cold helps keep the charge).

Some batteries for extreme climates have an onboard heating element (powered by the battery itself) to boost the charge output when cranking.

[cv8 mike]

Well mine had been sitting in Aberdeen for a week and this morning it fired up ok but stalled as soon as I moved away and wouldnt restart. It went after the 3rd attempt with a good few cranks and some throttle. Did concern me abit but stalling it didnt help.

[C8PPO]

I've stalled (or almost) mine a couple of times in the past from stone cold and it does cough & splutter a bit on the restart. I'm sure it's just some flooding/over fuelling from the cold start that causes that - had it on other cars as well.

[racebreed1]

C8PPO said:

I've stalled (or almost) mine a couple of times in the past from stone cold and it does cough & splutter a bit on the restart. I'm sure it's just some flooding/over fuelling from the cold start that causes that - had it on other cars as well.

ditto same for me idles abit funny then sorts itself out. just a fuel issue

[mr nosiris]

Thats what u call snow. Av jst been speaking to one of your old pals who's got his own performance company in hamilton. He told me you managed to tune yours up too about 400 bhp what did you do? I tried to get mine remaped a a few months ago and the garage said they were locked out of the ecu from the manufacturers. whats all that about