Perfect car goes sick.... battery???

[Jexsi]

My 96 V8 has never missed a beat in 5 years... until today... stopped at shop and when returning the alarm seemed not to disarm but the dash lights did come on although they were dim, engine would not turn over and strange things started  to happen.. poltergeist maybe, light pods started ticking and lights started to inch open.. various relays clicking etc.. tried jumping from another car but same results, finally tried to bump start and it started first time, got her home and garaged, tried again and same scenario... maybe it's just the battery but thought I would ask if anybody has seen this before??? I keep the car on a cheap trickle charge and wondreded if that could be killing the battery?

[Barrykearley]

Check earth straps are good. Can do that with either a multimeter and measuring for volt drop across - or by simple trial and error with a nice jump lead

[Jexsi]

Thanks Barry, totally coincidently I read a string the other day about earthing, tried the negative jump lead from battery terminal to engine block, same outcome, I have just listed the car for sale... maybe she's just pissed off with me.. ??

[Barrykearley]

@swindon_alan did a thread about these issues.....

dont even let that car know you are selling - you will get punished

[Jexsi]

Doooh..... don't even want to sell her... ( hope she's listening)

[Jexsi]

Just went back to check after reconnecting chattery charger... full Exorcist status... headlamp pods raised, relays ticking everywhere.. i took off the positive battery clamp... will start to check earth straps then battery, imagine somebody paid me £30K then got home to this... yuk

[Barrykearley]

Stick some pics up on here fast chap - £30k and I reckon you could get some swift interest 

[swindon_alan]

@Jexsi talking to other owners, V8s tend to eat batteries - if you have got five years out of one you are doing extremely well! All of your symptoms point to a now dead one; Lotus's patented twitchy headlamps, failure to start (if the voltage drops much below 12V during cranking the ECM won't have enough power to fire the engine up).

Just buy a new one but make sure it is a similar spec to an original - cranking amps is very important.

[Jexsi]

It's the red one on Eby at £30K... it's been fantastic.. just does not get used... bargain ?

[Jexsi]

Where is the earth strap??

[Vulcan Grey]

IMO NEVER Jump Start the V8 Esprit!  It can and will kill the ECU!  The ECU is getting very difficult to get, I know 3 people looking for V8 ECU's in the States!

Always disconnect the battery to charge it.  

Never disconnect or re-connect the battery while the keys are in the ignition!

[Barrykearley]

Well done chap - yes never ever jump start a v8......

ecus are pretty damn rare old things - I had a knightmare finding one

[Jexsi]

Eeeek, well I don't have a time machine so it's done, unfortunately, will heed your advice in future, I took the battery to a local shop who will test it and if it's dead I will buy another and hope that's the fix, thanks for all the speedy responses. The alarm fob is seriously worn and looks like crap, can these be changed? I have one from another previous car that looks new and identical and wondered if I could change the Internals?

 

shaun

[Bibs]

Remind, me is it Cobra? The shells are cheap as chips, cheaper even. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/301698072537?chn=ps&dispItem=1&adgroupid=42825902799&rlsatarget=pla-327950636304&abcId=1129006&adtype=pla&merchantid=113792220&poi=&googleloc=9045133&device=c&campaignid=861899693&crdt=0

[Jexsi]

Bibs, yes that's the one, magic!!! You guys are a great resource, thanks again, I assume it's safe to disconnect and change the battery when changing the internals, car won't disappear or go up in smoke/ ??

[Jexsi]

SO, battery had a shorted cell, guy reckons the trickle chargers kill the battery anyway..... so £96 later, bolted in the new battery, turned the key and... vroom vroom, started first turn, phew, looks like I dodged a bullet and got lucky... seems to be running fine, will go for a drive at the weekend to confirm but I guess if the ECU was fried it won't run at all?  Anybody else use a trickle charger? Wondered if putting it on a timer for an hour a week might be enter than on all the time?

listed the car on the classifieds on the Forum!

Shaun

[oneshot]

Yep - have mine on a charger when not in use. It has a float charge which keeps the battery topped up. Never had a problem with it.

[Escape]

A good, regulated trickle charger or a charger with float function will automatically cut in and out to keep the battery nicely charged. I guess some cheaper ones just putting out a little bit of current all the time could cause overcharging and actually shorten the life of an battery, especially one that's already been through it's paces.

The advice against jump starting always has me puzzled. Needed to do it twice on my SE, no ill effects. Looking at it purely from a logical/technical point of view, I can't really see the risk: you keep the depleted battery in the car, so that will act as a buffer. The car jumping from will be at 12V to 14V (unless you're a numpty using a 24V truck or such), which is exactly the voltage you'd expect to see when the car's own alternator is charging. Voltage drop during starting will be lower, as the other cars alternator will attempt to compensate. So where is the risk? I'm not arguing per se, just trying to look for an explanation. I can understand manufacturers advising against jump starting, because of those who don"t know what they're doing and the risk of reversing polarity etc. But properly executed, I don't see what can go wrong? 

Last but not least, @Jexsi glad you got it sorted and best of luck selling her!

Filip

[Jexsi]

I have also jump started my S2 and S4 Esprits previously, anyway the car is running again, Sod's law of course, I spent 4 hours cleaning it on Sunday, so it's my fault... ?

[ramjet]

I mentioned jump starting my Esprit one day to my mate that lived next door in WA. I initially went to ask him if he had a set of those you beaut jumper leads with a surge protector for this very sort of thing.

His answer, and he was a very clever electrical engineer (RIP now), was the leads were a bit of a firfy. You can start an ECU controlled car by turning everything on in the receiving car such as the headlights, heater fan etc and then go ahead and connect the leads and give it a whirl. The excess of electrical items being switched on will look after the ECU by reducing any sort of surge that may occur.

I took him at his word and I have done this several times now with my S4 with no ill effects whatsoever. Oh, and saved my money on not having to buy a new set of leads.  

However, if anyone reads this and then tries and DOES fry their ECU, I am not responsible. It just hasn't fried mine.