Wouldn't Start

[WorAl]

Ok went to take the car out this morning and it turned but wouldn't fire.

Process to give you an idea:

• I opened the car door - the window seemed to struggle to go down.
• put the ingnition on and cancelled the imobiliser.
• pressed the start button and it turned - seemed to fire on one cylinder, then stopped.
• turned off car, then tried again. - the starter clicked but didnt turn (the car often does this so didn't phase me) - when setting the ingnition, the fuel pump this time struggled to prime and the fans were struggling to power up too.
• So pressed the button again and the starter started clicking like mad, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick etc pretty fast - let go and tried again with same results.
• however this seemed to do something to the radio and it reset all the stations to default?
• Presumed it was flat battery. I have a spare battery fully charged, so connected +ve to +ive and -ve to the exhaust, it turned over again but then sparked at exhaust and terminals on spare battery.
• Tried it again but same thing happened and the lead welded itself to the exhaust.

What is the problem?

is it just flat battery (windows fuel pump, fans etc) not being able to turn the starter so just need to recharge battery?

or is it a buggered starter? if it is, what do I do about it?

Speed six cerb by the way, not sure this makes a difference?

Please say its the former.

[skoff]

Are you sure you got the battery terminals the right way round?

The not starting symptoms & radio problem is pretty classic flat battery stuff. The 'spark' is something I'd expect to happen if you got the terminals the wrong way round, though I am no mechanic.

Sombody more qualified will be along soon I'm sure.

[WorAl]

yes, i'm pretty sure the terminals were the right way round wouldn't have tried it if I wasn't sure. Like I said, it turned the first attempt, then just sparked. so terminals were right way round for definate.

ETA thought it would have been a flat battery, just wanted confirmation.

Does the starter clicking but not turning thing happen to anyone else by the way, can sometimes take 5 or 6 goes to get it to turn engine over.

Edited by WorAl on Friday 4th December 12:26

[JensenA]

Sounds like a flat battery to me. Your spare battery may have discharged itself. I'd get the battery charged up before you start panicking, and keep your fingers crossed.

[Tanguero]

The battery on your car sounds like it is breaking down internaly. Partly shorting your booster battery. Try putting the spare on the car directly rather than in parallel to the existing one.

[WorAl]

JensenA said:

Your spare battery may have discharged itself.

How would that happen?

Tanguero said:

The battery on your car sounds like it is breaking down internaly. Partly shorting your booster battery. Try putting the spare on the car directly rather than in parallel to the existing one.

I bloody hope not, only bought it 6 months ago or so. will try it in place tonight.

[high52kojak]

Definately sounds like the battery is flat, this cold weather is no good for them, especially on TVRs.
Yep put the spare one directly onto the car ( fully charged) and I am sure all will be good.

[WorAl]

ok sounds like its just a flat battery then, thank fook.

only problem with putting the spare on is that, its the wrong size and wrong connections for the car (+ve/-ve wrong way) so doesnt fit very well at all.

[Byker28i]

Flat battery, and the flat battery will be pulling the juice from the good one, plus then you're also trying to pull starting amps from it.

Got any Jump leads?

[high52kojak]

I wouldn't fit that battery then, I'd get a proper fitting one, at least then you have the positive showing through the hole to allow for jump starting. Mine was £60 from a local auto factors

[Gazzab]

Why dont you put the battery on charge?
I bought an accumate thing recently and the car blasts into life more readily now.

[WorAl]

Have jump leads, thats what I was using to connect spare battery to car.

Will take it off car tonight and recharge it, just didnt have time this morning so tried to jump it, was just making sure the symptoms werent anything starter realted/more cost etc etc.

[Gazzab]

You can charge it in situ.

[WorAl]

Don't have an extension lead long enough to get to garage from the house

[Tanguero]

WorAl said:

JensenA said:

Your spare battery may have discharged itself.

How would that happen?

Tanguero said:

The battery on your car sounds like it is breaking down internaly. Partly shorting your booster battery. Try putting the spare on the car directly rather than in parallel to the existing one.

I bloody hope not, only bought it 6 months ago or so. will try it in place tonight.

Normal lead/acid batteries, even new ones don't like being fully discharged at all. Unless they are specificaly designed as "deep discharge" batteries (like the Optima ones), totaly flattening a battery then trying to charge it can destroy it. Of course if your is a deep discharge type - ignore this :-)