Thanks all.
I think between you you’ve managed to convince me to have the battery checked out first.
I’m going to jump start her tomorrow anyway, mainly just to get her moving and make sure nothing else is going wrong with her as she’s just been sitting in the cold and rain - and then I’ll get her booked in at one of the other good garages round my area for a battery check. I’m on the fence with buying a smart charger just as a backup as I really just want to fix the problem.
I’ll keep you updated!
Intermittent battery drain
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Many subjects will have been discussed before. Please try the search function before starting a new thread.
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Charlieepie
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jeff
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Re: Intermittent battery drain
i agree, if you have same symptoms as the old battery then its unlikely, but not impossible that its not your battery at faultCharlieepie wrote: ↑27/01/22 17:12
Jeff, I’m hesitant to whack a new battery in it because the new one went flat after 2 weeks of installation, what are the chances of a battery THAT bad actually being fitted? It was replaced mid-December and then failed to start again Boxing Day after the first bout of rain since replacement. And It’s the same symptom as the old battery except the old battery held it’s charge for even less time!
Also looking at that thread it looks like the battery capacity there was wrong which mine isn’t? Or are you thinking I’ve had a cheap or slightly faulty battery put in which just can’t cope with the slight drain everyone’s MR2 seems to have…
It’s driving me mad, I just want to drive her :(
but as Jimi says you really need to charge it using a charger, overnight if possible to ensure the new battery is fully charged
Not Plan B again!! Why don't we just go with plan B in the first place?
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It’s more important to lose a minute in life than your life in a minute
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Charlieepie
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Re: Intermittent battery drain
So, I jump started her on Saturday, took her for a short ish drive, and then caved and bought a smart charger and charged her over the weekend. Covered the engine bay up with some rubber mats as previously mentioned…
Had an absolutely horrendous storm last night, and today… she starts!
It’s a bit early to conclude anything I know but fingers crossed 2 cheap rubber mats over my engine bay when she’s parked are the answer.
I’ll be looking into the battery next though. And I had a good look at her this morning when I left for work - no other places water would obviously be getting in.
Had an absolutely horrendous storm last night, and today… she starts!
It’s a bit early to conclude anything I know but fingers crossed 2 cheap rubber mats over my engine bay when she’s parked are the answer.
I’ll be looking into the battery next though. And I had a good look at her this morning when I left for work - no other places water would obviously be getting in.
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jimi
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Re: Intermittent battery drain
And a proper charge on the batteryCharlieepie wrote: ↑31/01/22 17:08
It’s a bit early to conclude anything I know but fingers crossed 2 cheap rubber mats over my engine bay when she’s parked are the answer.
That's a good start, a you've made progress, well done
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Charlieepie
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Re: Intermittent battery drain
Update: she’s still starting regularly even in some of the foul Cumbrian weather. Whatever the problem is, covering the engine bay seems to help.
I’m still trying to chase some kind of electrical fault though. Most of the time she’s fine, a couple of times I’ve started her to find the ABS light on. I thought it was because she’s been stood not doing much recently and one of the callipers was sticking on and assumed an actual issue with the ABS not electrics that would fix itself in the summer when she gets driven more…
Today I went to reverse back into a space in a car park and the dash went a bit haywire. ABS light flickering on and off, P/S light on (and the steering did become really heavy), battery light on. Then they all went off. Parked up, had faith and turned the engine off (I was worried she wouldn’t start up again to take me home!), and next time I started up, no lights were on and she drove fine. Had a slight judder at a traffic light but I think I’m being paranoid and it was just that I was trying to pull off in 3rd gear.
I’m now wondering if I’ve got an issue with the ECU, when I first bought the car the ABS light came on shortly after driving her away from who I bought her from but it went off and didn’t come back on for months.
Is the ECU easy enough to check out yourself or is an engine-out job?
When I bought the car I fully expected to do some work on her myself, as I’m an engineer, but not of the electrical kind… which almost all of the problems have been so far.
I’m still trying to chase some kind of electrical fault though. Most of the time she’s fine, a couple of times I’ve started her to find the ABS light on. I thought it was because she’s been stood not doing much recently and one of the callipers was sticking on and assumed an actual issue with the ABS not electrics that would fix itself in the summer when she gets driven more…
Today I went to reverse back into a space in a car park and the dash went a bit haywire. ABS light flickering on and off, P/S light on (and the steering did become really heavy), battery light on. Then they all went off. Parked up, had faith and turned the engine off (I was worried she wouldn’t start up again to take me home!), and next time I started up, no lights were on and she drove fine. Had a slight judder at a traffic light but I think I’m being paranoid and it was just that I was trying to pull off in 3rd gear.
I’m now wondering if I’ve got an issue with the ECU, when I first bought the car the ABS light came on shortly after driving her away from who I bought her from but it went off and didn’t come back on for months.
Is the ECU easy enough to check out yourself or is an engine-out job?
When I bought the car I fully expected to do some work on her myself, as I’m an engineer, but not of the electrical kind… which almost all of the problems have been so far.
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jimi
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Re: Intermittent battery drain
ECU is in the boot behind the carpet on the engine bulkhead. This thread should help you locate and inspect it https://www.mr2oc.com/threads/ecu-capac ... de.559625/
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Charlieepie
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Re: Intermittent battery drain
Thanks jimi. I have no boot liner in at the moment after my previous boot leaks (which are sorted now so I need to replace it…) so I know where it is, was just wondering what to look for!
As another update I think I’ve found the fault though. Was driving the day after I posted that, when the electrics died and I conked out in the middle of the road.
Popped the bonnet only to find the positive terminal had come disconnected from the battery, it obviously hadn’t been fixed in properly last time it was removed. I’m assuming (hoping) the random lights were the beginning of that problem. I’ll keep an eye on it.
As another update I think I’ve found the fault though. Was driving the day after I posted that, when the electrics died and I conked out in the middle of the road.
Popped the bonnet only to find the positive terminal had come disconnected from the battery, it obviously hadn’t been fixed in properly last time it was removed. I’m assuming (hoping) the random lights were the beginning of that problem. I’ll keep an eye on it.
