Help..

[Cyberhuss]

Ok here's a story..
so the car was out and about today...
everything was cool, really nice day and even a nice Red Ferrari was following behind when i went through Norwich City Center which was nice..

Anyway it was parked outside my Uncles House,
went out to start it up and the damn thing wouldn't start it came with some battery error "low voltage"?
and basically every time i turned the key round the lcd screen thingy flickered and restarted...

(and no i didn't leave the lights on one night and drain the battery)
so the car was pushed back round into his drive and got a extension cable and plugged it into the battery conditioner in the boot to recharge the battery...

so after about 3 hours ish tried again and the car started up fine... at 13.2v ish, was on the way home but went back into the city (it was dark now) to a atm to get some cash out, and noticed the car acting strangely and a weird smell? so got to the atm and the car batt volt on the lcd screen had dropped to 11.2v and dropping and the car was about to turn its self off (if foot had came off the gas pedal) and was worried that if the car turned off that it wouldn't be able to be turned back on due to the battery problem earlier and i didn't want to brake down in the middle of the city so kept the car going (just about), binned the atm, and was so worried the car was about to pack up completely,

>>> Edited by Cyberhuss on Friday 25th March 23:51

[Cyberhuss]

so had to drive all the way back home with the foot on the gas pedal revving it really high or the car would have broke down... driving all the way back a weird smell also occurred from the engine? hard to explain what it smelled like.. driving home really scared, due to the battery voltage dropping, the lights went out, indicators where not working, wipers etc everything electrical was not working except from the lcd screen still working...

so had to drive home in the dark with no lights and everyone flashing to put them on
as turned round the corner to get to my drive a warning kept coming on, with something along the lines of "Warning low voltage 9.something" was about to turn into the drive and the car just shut down completely and rolled into the drive at a angle and had to straighten and push it up the drive past the security post... OMG what a night...

The Car is always being charged up by the battery conditioner in the boot 24/7 when the car idle(not being used).

could this be problem where the battery is not charging itself up when the car is driving about?
as its out alot more now the weather is getting nicer or maybe a fuse gone? alternator? i really have no idea and advice would be appreciated as to what to do, i would call the dealer for advice but would prefer it from you lot first.

[Cyberhuss]

and also does anyone know how much 1 new spider rim would cost £££? as during all this the front left wheel scraped against a curb in the city and as damaged the edge of the rim (lightly)

[Chim450]

Sounds like posiibly an earthing problem if all the electrics are playing up. I feel a trip to the dealer will probably be necessary.

New rims are about £250 each, I know because I need a new wheel myself.

[ec1 eex]

There is another current thread on how much new spiders are.

There are places that will patch up your wheels for around the £60-70 mark. I know TVR Centre in North London offer this service. Apparently they look like new, but I haven't had mine done yet (I have a curb scratch as well)

>> Edited by ec1 eex on Saturday 26th March 01:08

[nervous]

almost certainly an earth problem, BUT if you have lost some fluids somewhere and this has got onto the alternator belt (happened to me in another car, im assuming TVRs have em?) they belt will be slipping and not returning the charge sufficiently or at the correct rate. any motor factors will be able to place a meter across the term's and tell you about the effective rate of returning charge, this should help a lot with the diagnosis.

failing that, rather than chasing the earth problem, my advice would be to make a host of new earth leads and connect em all over the place in a linked series. if nothing else the car will run much better and the lights will be brighter and the stereo better.

i live near norwich and can easily help if youd like, i have some time this weekend and am on hols next just mooching about at home next week if you need a hand mate. just drop me a line. im not a mechanic or anything but am fairly handy with a spanner. happy to help, one enthusiast to another.

let me know how you go mate,

Nerv.

>> Edited by nervous on Saturday 26th March 10:11

[Cyberhuss]

Well the rac came and had a look at it, hooked a voltage reader(?) to the jump start cables that drop down under the front left wheel arch and said that the alternator is not working / Batt not being charged.. it was reading about 11.2v, the car was also being charged up at night through the battery conditioner, he also checked the fuses and said they all appeared to be ok..

so i guess i have to wait till dealer opens which is tuesday =/

>> Edited by Cyberhuss on Saturday 26th March 12:51

[nervous]

the cables might be at fault, not the alternator. assuming its the altenator based on something thats connected to it may not be very accurate.

go to any place that sells batteries and theyll hook the same device across the altenator itself. then youll know for sure.

nerv.

[Graham66]

If you trickle charge the battery and then leave it over night, does it lose any charge?

If it does then you have a dead battery (how old is the batetry? 3 years seems to be about right for a Tuscan battery)

If the charge stays then it sounds like the alternator - check all the fuses including the big alternator one, and if no joy then hook up a meter across the alternator terminals to see what voltage it is kicking out

God luck

Graham