Every morning my battery is flat. It is getting very cold (-5) overnight.
Tonight after clutch starting the car and going for a 20 minute drive I turned off the car and still had no charge.

I want to get this problem sorted before I drive up to Sydney next week.

Andy.

Get the battery tested under load as a cell or two could be dying..

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i had this prob in my celica and it was a short circuit with the key barrel,

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http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=44717

Battery is fairly new, how do I test it?

How to test it ??

Take it to an Auto electrician - some batteries just collapse early - but a weak battery will just not hold a charge in cold weather. I don't know about Wagga but its already frosty here (7.35pm )

Also check that you havn't got a memory type radio wired up the wrong way and constantly sucking power.

In that case check that it is charging.

Do you have a voltmeter?

Put it across the battery while the engine is running. Rev it up, you should see the voltage go up to around 13.8v.

Alternatively, in the dark point your headlights at a wall/door... do the get brighter as you rev from idle?

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"Life is not like a box of chocolates... it's more like a jar of jalapenos. Whatever you do today, may burn your arse tomorrow."

Take it to places like Repco, Kmart Tyre & Auto, both will do a free battery check for you, and give you a print out in the condition of the charging system. Couldn't be easier or cheaper.

If the battery is fine what else could the problem be? The car has been running fine with no electrical faults for over 18 months until now.

I am in stinking Cootamundra at the moment. No major outlet like the ones mentioned. I am sure that there is an auto electrician though.

I am pretty handy with most faults on the mini, but I don't have any tools here and this one has me stumped.

How is the alternator, is the charge light coming on when you turn the key on and does it go out when the car starts, get a multi metre and check what voltage the battery is recieving when the car is runnig, do it with the the headlights runnig and the heater fan on it should be getting at least 12.5 volts at 2000 rpm and really should be about 13.5 volts, if all this checks out get the battery changed

Jon

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In fact the charge light has been coming on of late. Mainly when sitting at idle.

starter solenoind coud be on its way out

More likely a battery with a weak cell AND a diode pack in the alternator giving grief.

We know we get torrid winters and that the cars must start. As soon as the battery starts to fail, my wife shrieks "off with its head" (she does the same with non laying chooks) and i take the same approach with dying alternators.

Do me a favour though - check that you have water up to the right level in the battery and in each cell.

Stinking Coota ????? Is the Accacia Baileyania a blooming lot yet. ????

Mate! I have the same problem.

I am still working on it, but all roads lead me to the alternator (plus the terminals)
I'll explain.
1. Get your hands on a voltmeter... no way to help this without one
2. Put the voltmeter on the alternator (on the pins) (ie/ start the car, then put probes on the alternator terminals. How many volts?
3. Put the probes on the solenoid +ve (and an earth somewhere - like engine) How many volts?
4. Put the probes on the battery terminals - How many volts?

This is best done with a friend, get them to rev it each time and get idle reading and revved reading.

Also, do you still have the Lucas Fusebox? with 2 feeds and about 9 out? What I found was my fusebox connections were so crappy that I had power on one side, and hardly anything on the other. I replaced the fusebox and miraculously many things began to work.

The charging discharging problem I have still is not fixed. I took it to a sparky (to double check myself) and he said the Alternator isnt charging... oh, but now it is... oh there it goes again... hmmm (*sparky scratches head and says 'FU$%ING LUCAS) I am NOT joking... I fell over laughing.

One last test if your friend is happy to help is get the voltmeter on the battery terminals and try to kick the car over... how far does the voltage drop? I go from 12v to about 3v ... my battery might need replacing too.

Is there water (liquid) in the cells of the battery?

All things to check

Peter.

PS: If you do by a new battery get one with BIG CCA (just ask the battery place or sparky you need lotsa CCA (Cold Cranking Amps)

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Wot Jon Said /\ /\, and

How long since you checked the fanbelt Andy

They can just loosen off/stretch enough just to slip and not drive your alternator enough to charge the battery (just another thing to check and discount).

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