On A421 broken down
Discussion
Sitting at the side of the A421 waiting for recovery. What's gone wrong?
I drove to Milton Keynes at lunchtime. No problem other than the speedo said half of the speed I was doing. Parked up. Came back to the car four hours later, car unlocked ok, put stuff in the boot, key in, would down the windows, only a click from the starter motor.
I bump started it down a hill, and drove off, but every time I slowed for a junction it felt like it was trying to stall. Five miles later it wouldn't go over 2500 revs in third. Pulled into a lay-by and it died and won't restart.
I suspect alternator? Any better ideas please?
I drove to Milton Keynes at lunchtime. No problem other than the speedo said half of the speed I was doing. Parked up. Came back to the car four hours later, car unlocked ok, put stuff in the boot, key in, would down the windows, only a click from the starter motor.
I bump started it down a hill, and drove off, but every time I slowed for a junction it felt like it was trying to stall. Five miles later it wouldn't go over 2500 revs in third. Pulled into a lay-by and it died and won't restart.
I suspect alternator? Any better ideas please?
Thanks guys, helpful. When I collected the car on purchase four weeksago the battery was flat, but the battery pack started it, and it has been no trouble since. The speedo sensor was replaced ten days ago - the speedo was either working or not, for miles at a time. So no idea why it is reading half speed.
Hope the RAC sorted the problem.
Just be aware that you can just bridge the fuse with a bit of wire to get you home. I know of at least one person who has dispensed with it altogether....But, that's your choice.
If you do retain, get a 100A 'midi' fuse which are more mechanically robust. Can get them from a good car electrical factors.
Nick
Just be aware that you can just bridge the fuse with a bit of wire to get you home. I know of at least one person who has dispensed with it altogether....But, that's your choice.
If you do retain, get a 100A 'midi' fuse which are more mechanically robust. Can get them from a good car electrical factors.
Nick
Quietlybonkers said:
Brilliant RAC guy has spent 45 minutes finding the fault with his ekec tester and has traced it to a cracked 100 amp fuse. He has a replacement, so I might be out of this layny before bed time!!! He at least knew his way around a TVR. Thanks for the advice guys.
Does the 100amp fuse just protect the strater motor ,I don`t understand why this fuse is not in the same area as the fuse board ..Does it just pull out ?
Edited by SILICONEKID340HP on Sunday 17th June 20:25
The 100 amp fuse is in the circuit imbetween the altenator and the battery, if the fuse blows yoy merrily keep on driving, the battery can't charge and the car sucks all the juice out of the battery!
Tell tale signs, lights become dimmer, everything electrical slows untill the engine won't rev and cuts completely, (speaks from experience and ended up being towed the last 8 miles home on the back of my Landy with my wife driving at 50 and I had no lights!).
Tell tale signs, lights become dimmer, everything electrical slows untill the engine won't rev and cuts completely, (speaks from experience and ended up being towed the last 8 miles home on the back of my Landy with my wife driving at 50 and I had no lights!).
haircutmike said:
The 100 amp fuse is in the circuit imbetween the altenator and the battery, if the fuse blows yoy merrily keep on driving, the battery can't charge and the car sucks all the juice out of the battery!
Tell tale signs, lights become dimmer, everything electrical slows untill the engine won't rev and cuts completely, (speaks from experience and ended up being towed the last 8 miles home on the back of my Landy with my wife driving at 50 and I had no lights!).
Is it close to the starter motor.. what the hell is it doing under the car ?Tell tale signs, lights become dimmer, everything electrical slows untill the engine won't rev and cuts completely, (speaks from experience and ended up being towed the last 8 miles home on the back of my Landy with my wife driving at 50 and I had no lights!).
Home at bloody last!
Thanks to everyone for their useful advice, especially Ewan I think it was who got it right, and whoever told me where the bloody fuse is located. The RAC guy was just like the RAC guys of old - as far as he was concerned, he was there until he had fixed the fault. Brilliant. He put his battery pack with the cables onto the battery and then got his multimeter out and tested the voltage all over the shop. Once I had passed on to him from your posts where the 100 amp fuse is located (fixed underneath the chassis near the lower rear wishbone mount), he got his jack out, asked me where to put the jack safely, and then got underneath the car, and tested the voltages under there. After much working together with the meter we finally worked out that the fuse was faulty, and he changed it. It seems to be between placed exactly where the cables fell UNDER the car. Great if the car is on a ramp in a workshop, not so great if you are on the A421.
So as someone said above (sorry, cannot see the posts while typing), you carry on running on the battery with the electricals slowly going more and more haywire. I was apparently doing 40mph at 3000 rpm in 5th.....and must have done about 40 miles in that state. When I shot after a red Ferrari 355 Spider it said I was doing 55 mph....at 4500 rpm in 5th. Honestly, Officer.
I managed to bump start it down a hill to come home, but only got about 7 miles before it died on me - just made it to a layby, cos as anyone who knows the A421 knows, its like the M1 but without hard shoulders to cry on.
here's some photos of the man at work, and the rough location of that all important fuse
Thanks to everyone for their useful advice, especially Ewan I think it was who got it right, and whoever told me where the bloody fuse is located. The RAC guy was just like the RAC guys of old - as far as he was concerned, he was there until he had fixed the fault. Brilliant. He put his battery pack with the cables onto the battery and then got his multimeter out and tested the voltage all over the shop. Once I had passed on to him from your posts where the 100 amp fuse is located (fixed underneath the chassis near the lower rear wishbone mount), he got his jack out, asked me where to put the jack safely, and then got underneath the car, and tested the voltages under there. After much working together with the meter we finally worked out that the fuse was faulty, and he changed it. It seems to be between placed exactly where the cables fell UNDER the car. Great if the car is on a ramp in a workshop, not so great if you are on the A421.
So as someone said above (sorry, cannot see the posts while typing), you carry on running on the battery with the electricals slowly going more and more haywire. I was apparently doing 40mph at 3000 rpm in 5th.....and must have done about 40 miles in that state. When I shot after a red Ferrari 355 Spider it said I was doing 55 mph....at 4500 rpm in 5th. Honestly, Officer.
I managed to bump start it down a hill to come home, but only got about 7 miles before it died on me - just made it to a layby, cos as anyone who knows the A421 knows, its like the M1 but without hard shoulders to cry on.
here's some photos of the man at work, and the rough location of that all important fuse
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