Battery smell?
Discussion
Had a strange smell of burning plastic ( only mild) during the last few outings. Seemed to be be coming from the cabin as no smell when under bonnet.
Anyway, went to start it after a run - had 2 seconds of starter motor click then nothing. Totally no power not even the radio.
Tried to jump start it off the terminals ( no battery involved) slow crank no fuel pump buzz.
Put terminals back on then it started . Battery still showing 12.5v on the multimeter.
Could it be the battery? Puzzled by it now appearing to be ok?
Battery Bosch 9 years old. Summer use and winter trickle charge.
4.3 precast.( No 100 amp fuse)
Just thought I’d ask in case it could be something else?
Anyway, went to start it after a run - had 2 seconds of starter motor click then nothing. Totally no power not even the radio.
Tried to jump start it off the terminals ( no battery involved) slow crank no fuel pump buzz.
Put terminals back on then it started . Battery still showing 12.5v on the multimeter.
Could it be the battery? Puzzled by it now appearing to be ok?
Battery Bosch 9 years old. Summer use and winter trickle charge.
4.3 precast.( No 100 amp fuse)
Just thought I’d ask in case it could be something else?
I'd start by inspecting your battery terminals, specifically the connections between the cables and terminals, although you are unlikely to see much unless they are really bad. If you try to start a couple of times, then quickly feel the cables as they enter the terminals, if they are hot this would indicate high resistance between cable and terminal.
If any of the copper conductor of the cable is accessible, you could measure the volts drop between terminal and wire with, say, headlights on or (if your meter has a max. hold function) during cranking. If you get a drop of a volt or more, then try using a jump lead to bypass the dodgy cable and see if that fixes it. Check both battery cables; also check the main engine to chassis cable.
By coincidence, a mate with a Calibra has just this problem today - after trying a start or two, the positive cable adjacent to the battery terminal gets too hot to touch.
If any of the copper conductor of the cable is accessible, you could measure the volts drop between terminal and wire with, say, headlights on or (if your meter has a max. hold function) during cranking. If you get a drop of a volt or more, then try using a jump lead to bypass the dodgy cable and see if that fixes it. Check both battery cables; also check the main engine to chassis cable.
By coincidence, a mate with a Calibra has just this problem today - after trying a start or two, the positive cable adjacent to the battery terminal gets too hot to touch.
This could be 2 separate issues. So discount the obvious burning plastic smell and check the heatshield near your exhaust manifolds are still intact.
If you've got a knackered engine mount it allows the engine to move enough to rub the manifolds against the heatshield then burn the fibreglass beneath, which stinks like burning wiring.
Pre-cats are prone to this. They came out of the factory with the manifolds too close to the inner wing and a factory mod should have been done to create a hollow in the inner wing to cure it. But any excessive engine movement can cause the heatshield to be damaged because the inner wing is still very tight.
If everything is OK you can then go searching for a burnt wire.
If you've got a knackered engine mount it allows the engine to move enough to rub the manifolds against the heatshield then burn the fibreglass beneath, which stinks like burning wiring.
Pre-cats are prone to this. They came out of the factory with the manifolds too close to the inner wing and a factory mod should have been done to create a hollow in the inner wing to cure it. But any excessive engine movement can cause the heatshield to be damaged because the inner wing is still very tight.
If everything is OK you can then go searching for a burnt wire.
Edited by Barreti on Tuesday 6th August 12:17
Thanks for the advice.
Fitted a new battery after checking the wiring ( including the earth points under the whale tail). All are good.
It didn’t do it again since the no starting/ dead battery incident. Hoping it’s a weird battery fault due to its age?
Will check the engine mount/ heat shield to make sure but there wasn’t any smell under the bonnet, just in the cabin.
Fitted a new battery after checking the wiring ( including the earth points under the whale tail). All are good.
It didn’t do it again since the no starting/ dead battery incident. Hoping it’s a weird battery fault due to its age?
Will check the engine mount/ heat shield to make sure but there wasn’t any smell under the bonnet, just in the cabin.
I have a hunch that the smell was coming from a breaking down battery cell and later when you tried to jump start the engine the jump leads or jump battery proved to be not good enough for the task
A battery with a failing cell will often recover enough to start an engine and show as good for a while
A battery with a failing cell will often recover enough to start an engine and show as good for a while
Penelope Stopit said:
I have a hunch that the smell was coming from a breaking down battery cell and later when you tried to jump start the engine the jump leads or jump battery proved to be not good enough for the task
A battery with a failing cell will often recover enough to start an engine and show as good for a while
This ^ recently had a Fiat 500 in that occasionally would not start yet it would crank just fine transpired that that said batt had a faulty cell and would drop below the ECU's operating voltage threshold during cranking (offline) only 7.5v and guess what? whilst under the bonnet the battery was gassing away during cranking smelt even via that little vent pipe on the side A battery with a failing cell will often recover enough to start an engine and show as good for a while
, needless to say that was removed quickly and lives outside till my scrap batt man arrives Just to update:
Changed the battery for a new one. No problems since, so fingers crossed.
In fact it’s solved a couple of problems.
The drivers door solenoid would not always work , a couple of weeks before the new battery, now ok.
The car seems to run smoother ( better tick over, not stalling at junctions). Maybe the ECU was Inadvertently being reset , and losing data??
Anyway, just thought I’d update you in case anyone has similar.
Changed the battery for a new one. No problems since, so fingers crossed.
In fact it’s solved a couple of problems.
The drivers door solenoid would not always work , a couple of weeks before the new battery, now ok.
The car seems to run smoother ( better tick over, not stalling at junctions). Maybe the ECU was Inadvertently being reset , and losing data??
Anyway, just thought I’d update you in case anyone has similar.
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