Who knows about car batteries?

[madasahatstand]

I'm looking for some advice. I've not been in my car for 2 weeks and while I was away my uncle told me my alarm was going off due to a flat battery. Well today is the first day I've had to look at it as I've been ill since my holiday   True enough, the battery was dead so I got some jump leads and it started first time. I took it for a drive for 20 Min's to try to charge the battery back up. Everything seemed okay so then it was crunch time. I got home, turned the car off and she wouldn't start again. Just made a brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr sound. So, my questions are; if it was the starter motor, the car wouldn't have started with the jump leads?; Could the battery just be kaput?; Could it be the alternator ?

thanks in advance for any help

Mad

[M3boy]

Hard to tell from your "brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr" noise description.

I take it the car does not turn over?

Probably the starter motor - locate it and tap it a few times (quite hard) with a spanner or some such object - then try again.

Your alternator would be at fault if the car died while you were driving - ie the alternator wasnt charging the battery

Your battery would be at fault if the car wouldnt start after it had been left for a while.

[Claw75]

Hi Mad,

I had similar problems with my car recently - turned out the battery wasn't holding it's charge.  If you can get a jump start and go to Kwik fit they will test the battery and the alternator for free.

[Dewi_cool]

    Mechanics 

[Claw75]

  Mechanics 

 

and Kinboshi on eggheads

[madasahatstand]

Hard to tell from your "brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr" noise description.

I take it the car does not turn over?

Probably the starter motor - locate it and tap it a few times (quite hard) with a spanner or some such object - then try again.

Your alternator would be at fault if the car died while you were driving - ie the alternator wasnt charging the battery

Your battery would be at fault if the car wouldnt start after it had been left for a while.

thanks for the replies guys.  

If it was the starter motor would it have jumped?  The BRRRRRRRRRRR noise is like a kind of fan noise and its a dry noise if that makes sense?

[madasahatstand]

Hard to tell from your "brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr" noise description.

I take it the car does not turn over?

Probably the starter motor - locate it and tap it a few times (quite hard) with a spanner or some such object - then try again.

Your alternator would be at fault if the car died while you were driving - ie the alternator wasnt charging the battery

Your battery would be at fault if the car wouldnt start after it had been left for a while.

sorry i should have siad this noise happens when i try to turn it over

[cia260895]

i'd say u didnt drive it for long enough to recharge a flat battery it would need a good couple of hours driving and 1 word of advice as to when you try it out after stopping park it up on a steep hill (pointing downwards)so if it doesnt start u can always bump start it........

[madasahatstand]

i'd say u didnt drive it for long enough to recharge a flat battery it would need a good couple of hours driving and 1 word of advice as to when you try it out after stopping park it up on a steep hill (pointing downwards)so if it doesnt start u can always bump start it........

Ok. so you think the battery just doesnt have enough charge then? I'm hoping so. ill maybe just leave it turning over outside for an hour and see what happens?

[gatso]

if it was just the starter motor you'd have got the same problem and same brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr noise the time that you jumpstarted it. as it started first time (and presumably without the noise) I'd go for battery problem

[madasahatstand]

if it was just the starter motor you'd have got the same problem and same brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr noise the time that you jumpstarted it. as it started first time (and presumably without the noise) I'd go for battery problem

sounds like the best problem to have in this case:)   

cheers

[cia260895]

i'd say u didnt drive it for long enough to recharge a flat battery it would need a good couple of hours driving and 1 word of advice as to when you try it out after stopping park it up on a steep hill (pointing downwards)so if it doesnt start u can always bump start it........

Ok. so you think the battery just doesnt have enough charge then? I'm hoping so. ill maybe just leave it turning over outside for an hour and see what happens?

not the best solution to leave it just on tick over as the more spped produced =higher ampage going through to the battery but if you have no other alternative i'd leave it for a good couple of hours

[Newmanseye]

Mad if its the battery needs a charge i have a charger i can lend you, just bring tthe battery in to the house puh it in and it charges ina few hrs, saves on petrol and saftey of not having car nicked

[madasahatstand]

Cheers Billy, I'll sort it tomorrow. I thought better of leaving the engine running because the church folk across the road are in service and one of those beggars would likely get off with it.....lol  They already dented my car and did a runner. Pesky christians    (no offence to any religious folk......i jest.........peace and all that....................)

[kinboshi]

If you battery has been heavily dishcarged , it might mean that no matter how much you charge it, some of the cells are just buggered, and it won't hold the charge.

If that's the case, you'll need a new battery (obviously).  If you do get a new one, check the date on the battery and go for the newest one of the kind you're after.  That'll mean you'll get the most out of it.

Of course, if there's something causing the battery to discharge, that'll need to be sorted first - otherwise you'll just end up damaging the new one.

Hopefully, the battery isn't damaged - and a good charge will sort it.