Worth Reading: Starting Problem...Sorted!
Discussion
After years of putting up with having to jump start the Cerbera in Cold conditions, I've now actually found and rectified the problem. Thank God!
As many of you may have read in the past, my Cerbera would not start in cold conditions without help from either a jump starter pack or if really cold a running car. In the summer no problem but as soon as it got chilly to cold the car would not start without help.
Always had the car on trickle charger and tried fitting new batteries, also new starter motor, battery negative and positive leads and cleaned all connections (including fuse box, which was like new anyway) until spotless but she still would not start when cold.
I've been all over the car looking for a solution, spoken to lots of people and tried almost everthing. Until I spoke with Dave (Plasticman) at the Herts & Beds TVRCC meet last January. He said it sounded like a bad earth to the ECU draining power from the starter motor/engine when trying to turn the engine over.
Well Dave you were right. Had the lower part of the Dash off and found the earth bolt behind and to the left of the immobiliser socket under the stereo. There is a bolt welded to a frame attached to the chassis with a nut (its all powder coated and like new), as soon as I saw it I could see the nut was loose and the 3 earths attached to it rattling around. Looks like this had always been loose, when I went to tighten it it seemed tight already but the earths were not. Removed the nut and replaced, this time making sure it was nipped up nice and tight.
The moment of truth was here, the car was cold and would never have started before, I pressed the button and she turned over and started! Praise the Lord my problem has been solved.
I know it sounds quite stupid but everytime I wanted to go out in the car I'd have to jump it from my other car, now I don't have to and this is going to make it a whole lot more fun and easier to use!
As many of you may have read in the past, my Cerbera would not start in cold conditions without help from either a jump starter pack or if really cold a running car. In the summer no problem but as soon as it got chilly to cold the car would not start without help.
Always had the car on trickle charger and tried fitting new batteries, also new starter motor, battery negative and positive leads and cleaned all connections (including fuse box, which was like new anyway) until spotless but she still would not start when cold.
I've been all over the car looking for a solution, spoken to lots of people and tried almost everthing. Until I spoke with Dave (Plasticman) at the Herts & Beds TVRCC meet last January. He said it sounded like a bad earth to the ECU draining power from the starter motor/engine when trying to turn the engine over.
Well Dave you were right. Had the lower part of the Dash off and found the earth bolt behind and to the left of the immobiliser socket under the stereo. There is a bolt welded to a frame attached to the chassis with a nut (its all powder coated and like new), as soon as I saw it I could see the nut was loose and the 3 earths attached to it rattling around. Looks like this had always been loose, when I went to tighten it it seemed tight already but the earths were not. Removed the nut and replaced, this time making sure it was nipped up nice and tight.
The moment of truth was here, the car was cold and would never have started before, I pressed the button and she turned over and started! Praise the Lord my problem has been solved.
I know it sounds quite stupid but everytime I wanted to go out in the car I'd have to jump it from my other car, now I don't have to and this is going to make it a whole lot more fun and easier to use!
Not at lot of point making this a FAQ with all due respect.
The ECU is an electronic device sitting in a fiberglass car. It drains a very small wattage. Its not draining power away from the starter motor.
If the ECU is unearthed the ECU will simply not be on the same voltage level as the rest of the car, will not understand its signals or be able to send any out that the various components of the car can make sense of.
If this is an FAQ then its the same FAQ for any fiberglass car, that is the earths cannot be assumed and have to be regularly checked, unlike a metal car.
The ECU is an electronic device sitting in a fiberglass car. It drains a very small wattage. Its not draining power away from the starter motor.
If the ECU is unearthed the ECU will simply not be on the same voltage level as the rest of the car, will not understand its signals or be able to send any out that the various components of the car can make sense of.
If this is an FAQ then its the same FAQ for any fiberglass car, that is the earths cannot be assumed and have to be regularly checked, unlike a metal car.
Julian64 said:
Not at lot of point making this a FAQ with all due respect.
The ECU is an electronic device sitting in a fiberglass car. It drains a very small wattage. Its not draining power away from the starter motor.
If the ECU is unearthed the ECU will simply not be on the same voltage level as the rest of the car, will not understand its signals or be able to send any out that the various components of the car can make sense of.
If this is an FAQ then its the same FAQ for any fiberglass car, that is the earths cannot be assumed and have to be regularly checked, unlike a metal car.
The ECU is an electronic device sitting in a fiberglass car. It drains a very small wattage. Its not draining power away from the starter motor.
If the ECU is unearthed the ECU will simply not be on the same voltage level as the rest of the car, will not understand its signals or be able to send any out that the various components of the car can make sense of.
If this is an FAQ then its the same FAQ for any fiberglass car, that is the earths cannot be assumed and have to be regularly checked, unlike a metal car.
You pompous git - you need to drink a bot more of the old red stuff
, okay outvoted, I can feel the hard stare of disapproval comming through the screen of my PC. The ECU may not be 'draining' the battery when starting, but it does need a minimum voltage to work. In cold conditions when the battery is marginal, cranking the engine will reduce the power to the ECU anyway. A bad earth could make the difference between the ECU working and not.
I'll check this out on my car, as its been playing up in sub-zero temps this winter too.
Thanks!
I'll check this out on my car, as its been playing up in sub-zero temps this winter too.
Thanks!
gr4eme said:
What difference would the outside temp make to this problem - I can understand a faulty/loose earth but I dont understand the temparature issue works during summer not during winter
Dont get me wrong im glad you have fixed your issue
I don't know the details, but batteries give reduced output at lower temperatures. A battery might be rated as '590 CCA' for example. CCA = cold cranking amps, i.e. the potential maximum cranking power at a certain reference temp. Basically, the lower the temp, the greater the reduction in potential power.
My battery is ok above freezing, but below that seem to be struggling to hold a decent charge for more than few days.
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