Bettery Issues - how to Jump start MX5?

[Mr Morlock]

Lo21 the correct method is to connect earth back to car not battery- I have read this a number of time nevertheless the old method is probably ok. You can push start the car easy. Done it many times over the years.
Get your car checked by the batt supplier or auto electrician. You are looking for a root cause- batteries are designed to last min 3 yrs and likely double that. A check is no big deal- they have the equipment and the training.Let us know how you get on.

[bruce]

these cars are very light and easy to push.... you could just roll start it.

Yup, I have roll started my Suzuki by myself once. Would be easy in a 5.

[li21]

Okay tried jumping it , but this time bought some better cables and it worked.
Also I hooked the negative end to a bit of metal in the boot rather than the negative terminal on the dead battery.

All good now, but I have to drive a fair bit to get the charge up again.
First time I stopped the car, the battery still hadn't had enough charge so had to jump start it a second time.

[Mr Morlock]

Li21- you started it but you need to diagnose the fault. It died because something is not right.

[li21]

Li21- you started it but you need to diagnose the fault. It died because something is not right.

True that is... not sure where to start however.
Might have to take it to a sparky

[Benny]

Do you have an alarm on the car?
Even if it's not turned on, it can still drain the battery.

The car should be OK to be parked for around 2-3 weeks without causing problems if you have a decent battery in it, but if there is something draining the battery when the car's not going, then it could just last a few hours.

Make sure none of the interior or glovebox lights is on when you leave the car, nor the stereo and also check the number plate lights, as these can often be used as a boot light and if the boot switch is out of adjustment, it can drain the battery in a day or so.

Always best to connect the leads directly to the battery to make sure it is getting all of the juice, and push starting is also OK to do.
When push starting, turn on the ignition and put car into 2nd gear with the clutch pedal pushed in so it can roll.
When the car is moving at around 5km/h, let out the clutch and the engine should kick over fairly quickly.
As soon as it starts, push the clutch back in and give the engine a few revs so it won't die on you.

[li21]

Hey Benny,

I actually do have an alarm, but i never got the remote for it, that could be the culprit, but ive never had that problem till now.

The kick/roll start is always good, but i dont have enough road downhill, but plenty of road but thats uphill hehhe..

[JBT]

Point it the other way then

[Mr Morlock]

Li21- yes a sparky to check out your car. PS to those using jumper leads there is more to it than just connecting 4 leads- you can damage vehicles including the donor car- take care. Check the web for step by step.

[marcusus]

Point it the other way then

Push start in reverse?

[li21]

Looks like I'm going to have to get it checked out sooner that I thought. Went to start the car 2nite and it wouldnt start yet again.
Drained in a day!

Cant tell whats draining it without help of a sparky, but I noticed the light stalk was stuck on high beam while the car was off.. Mrs was driving and couldnt tell me whter the high beam light was on or not (during day) .. but I doubt it make a diff when the car is off?

The other thing I'll get checked is the alarm i guess

[bruce]

As Nike once proclaimed in the 80's,

Just Do It.

[namster]

to hijack this thread (thanks! =) )

After jump starting, i drove around for 1 continuous hour, when the car was switched off, it wouldnt start.
Is the battery gone? not the alternator, right?

[TieNN89]

to hijack this thread (thanks! =) )

After jump starting, i drove around for 1 continuous hour, when the car was switched off, it wouldnt start.
Is the battery gone? not the alternator, right?

depends

whats the voltage of the battery when the car is running

and what is it when its off

I'm pretty sure it should be around the 13 - 14V mark when its running

around 12V when off but of course i'd slowly drop from 14V or whatever it is

[Juffa]

Looks like I'm going to have to get it checked out sooner that I thought. Went to start the car 2nite and it wouldnt start yet again.
Drained in a day!

Cant tell whats draining it without help of a sparky, but I noticed the light stalk was stuck on high beam while the car was off.. Mrs was driving and couldnt tell me whter the high beam light was on or not (during day) .. but I doubt it make a diff when the car is off?

The other thing I'll get checked is the alarm i guess

As you have an NA the head lights should not be on unless they are up. However there has been a number of cases where due to wear and tear in the headlight/wiper switches that surround the steering column the headlights have been on, and the lights were not in the upright position. I noticed it first when I saw the blue high beam indicator light glowing on the dash and I didn't have the lights on. Someone else noticed when they had their car in their garage and saw the glow of the headlights on the floor of the garage in the dark. Funny enough a work around was to push the headlight stalk forward when not using the headlights. Oh, it only seemed to happen in hot weather.

Two of my original Panasonic batterys lasted over 10 years each.

J