Car won't start...HELP!!

[madant69]

Just tried my Chima nd she won't start. Drove her 2 days ago and was fine....I did something silly though...I LEFT THE KEYS IN!!

Ignition was off, obviously. Imobiliser is flashing away but everything is dead. The car is a 4.0 94. Does it have some kind of protection thing built into it in case you leave the keys in?

Tried the blipper but nada. Did i break something???

Just noticed that the clock's stopped....surely the battery can't have drained in 2 1/2 days???

>>> Edited by madant69 on Friday 19th September 17:14

[sb-1]

I think i'm right in saying that if your battery has gone flat in that time,you have a serious short in the wiring loom.Only thing to do IMO if it is that is to get it recovered to the nearest specialist I would think.Have you had any problems previously with the battery?
Steve

[madant69]

only had the car 2 weeks

has started fine every time ...



>> Edited by madant69 on Friday 19th September 18:29

[sb-1]

Ant,
I had a similar problem with my Griff 500.Would start fine after overnight charge on an Accumate.Then next day would even go flat after a good run!Was checked out by specialist and found to be 2 separate shorts in the loom....needed a new loom.Prior to this I had a flat battery after leaving the lights on,called the RAC out and they jump-started it from a remote battery pack.I can only put the subsequent problem of the
short down to the surge caused by this.

Who did you buy it from ?Was it a dealer or private?

Steve

>> Edited by sb-1 on Friday 19th September 20:22

[shnozz]

my brief experience with the Chim is that the battery will go flat v quickly and best to plug in a conditioner if left for any more than a night, let alone with the keys left in. Jump start her and give her a good run, should sort it out. And good luck in jumping it the first time around!

[madant69]

ok don't want to be an idiot but...do i jump her from the battery terminals?

[shnozz]

apparently you can jump her from the starter motor too. if you can find that when the car is new to you like mine

Whilst Steve Heath will flame me for saying it, I have also been advised that jumping it from the alternator will do the trick, although not advised in the bible so i went for the battery terminals.

in the end i could get the sodding clips anywhere near the terminals and i was left with 2 options:-

1. sensibly remove the battery from its position onto the floor of the passenger side and pull it out via the mass of wires and pipes and jump it from that position.

2. Idiotically add foot long bits of metal to the jump leads and hang upside down in the footwell and touch said metal extensions on to the terminals and hold breath as friend turns ignition.

what can i say, i am an idiot.

[Penners]

I had a similar problem recently. I kept charging the battery, going out on a run and breaking down! Eventually discovered that my problems were caused by a blown alternator fuse.
It is located in a small plastic box, attached to the chassis behind the drivers front wheel. You will need to either get it up on ramps and have a look under or jack the car up, take off the front wheel and search under there. Just flip open the box and check the fuse. It is a 100 amp strip fuse that will cost you £1.30 to replace. At that price it must be worth a look.

[madant69]

Just one other thing...does anyone know if the Leven charger can be used from dead flat? The one with the lighter adapter I mean?

I think I must have left something on because the guy I bought it from would have noticed the battery going flat in under 2 days surely?

ALSO (sorry) does anyone know if anyone else does a similar charger if I am unable to get a Leven one this weekend?

[sb-1]

I used my Leven(accumate) charger from the cig lighter from flat,no problem.
Steve

[sb-1]

I managed(with great difficulty)to jump start my Chim by connecting to the Battery,you will need long leads though and a second pair of hands.

[madant69]

Would this work?

www.halfords.com/shop/item.asp?id=714816

[madant69]

voyage of discovery today

discovered that my chim has the later battery box fitted (which means i can charge the battery without taking the damn thing out )

also discovered my battery was shot, so bought and fitted a new one

and that batteries are too big for the box so you have to hacksaw any lugs off that the battery might have before a new one will go in

was also told that the biggest battery that would go in the slot was still not as big as the one recommended for tvrs???

i am now an expert in battery removal...hurrah!

[Bob the Planner]

Pleased you got it sorted. How did you find out that the newer battery box was fitted ? Do you know the differences so you can let me know if mine is the later or newer one at the next TVRCC meet.

Bob

[madant69]

sure thing bob - thanks for the 24 hour technical support line you've installed mate

[squirrelz]

shnozz said:

my brief experience with the Chim is that the battery will go flat v quickly and best to plug in a conditioner if left for any more than a night, let alone with the keys left in.

Mine was left for 2 weeks when I got married and went on honeymoon, and when I got back it started without any complaints, and no signs that the charge was low. I, on the other hand, was quite tired....

[the dodger]

Leving key in should make no difference. Batteries should NOT go flat when the car is not being used. Within a reasonable time period that is. Car batteries are stored at the factors for months and still retain their charge. However, it seems that with TVR's these rules, like many, do not apply in most cases. This may be accounted for by the type of immobiliser used, I don't know.

Mine went flat after 10 days and during that time the alarm has packed up. Cannot be armed. I could not get enough charge in via cig lighter trickle charger so had to rig up proper charger (to alternator term). Got it started but had to use immobiliser "plug" into socket below warning light. Out of garage I noticed the passenger door wasn't closed properly and this would have maintained courtesey light delay relay energised - draining the battery! That may be OK now but alarm still not functioning.

[peterc]

The factory once told me that a battery in good condition has sufficient charge to provide power to the alarm for two weeks.
So you should be able to park in the long-stay car park, go on holiday and on your return be able to start the car.