Hi all,
I seem to have killed my cinq. How i do not know, but the electrics are very very intermittant. Majority of the time it works fine, but has its off moments - ie you go to turn the key and nothing works - completely dead. This usually only lasts a short time before kicking back into life and it works as if nothing had happened. But today it did it and stayed like it, completely dead.

I managed to jump start it off my mates car battery in the end, so my suspicions lie with the battery. If it is, how comes it can go from fine to dead in such a short time? I have no electrical drain on it, and it can last days without problems, or 5 minutes before killing over again. I originally thought it was a grounding wire somewhere, but i stripped them all down today and all was fine. I fiddled with the electrical connectors etc too and they were all tightly connected. So has to be battery right?

1 abarth cinq up for sale very soon

its totaly wrecked, im running a scrappy service now, il pay £20 per car

dud battery dude?

I think it's unlikely to be the battery itself. But it's easy enough to get a battery tested.

I'd be inclined to suspect the battery connections (if it doesn't start, try tapping the connectors with a hammer).

Otherwise, I'd look at the earth connections (try running one jump lead from the -ive battery to the engine) and then inspect all the larger positive cables. Make 'em spotless, bare metal to bare metal and coat them with vasolene or silicon grease.

Do the other electrics work? How long before the headlights (on main beam) go dim?

sh*t man... sounds nasty, not the alternator given up the ghost?

Sounds like an earth or +ve connection/cable problem to me also. Do you have a multimeter avalible to you for continuity/resistance and voltage checks??


Kristian

fingers99 said:

I think it's unlikely to be the battery itself. But it's easy enough to get a battery tested.

I'd be inclined to suspect the battery connections (if it doesn't start, try tapping the connectors with a hammer).

Otherwise, I'd look at the earth connections (try running one jump lead from the -ive battery to the engine) and then inspect all the larger positive cables. Make 'em spotless, bare metal to bare metal and coat them with vasolene or silicon grease.

Do the other electrics work? How long before the headlights (on main beam) go dim?

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I originally thought it was connections, but i had taken them all apart and cleaned them all back to clean bare metal and coated with vaseline. I havent checked for broken wires though, that was todays plan. But cleaning up all the grounding points and terminals seemed to make no difference. I dont think its a loose connection as ive run through just about everything and checked it all. This is kinda confirmed when i jumped off my mates battery (as i did it battery to battery rather than + to battery and - to body like you're meant to), as if it was a loose wire it still wouldnt have worked.

The other electrics were dead. Everything goes completely dead. Interior light would come on fine to start with ignition off, but would go off completely as soon as you put key in and turned on all accessories. As soon as you put it off again the interior light would work again. Although after about 10 minutes that went really dim.

Definately not the alternator Mase, i put a brand new one on last october time when my old one seized up completely. All i can put it down to is duff battery or terminals.

Ive just been out and bought a new battery and new terminals, so will see if that cures the problem. if not i shall cry into a chilled beer and feel sorry for myself

Luke said:

The other electrics were dead. Everything goes completely dead. Interior light would come on fine to start with ignition off, but would go off completely as soon as you put key in and turned on all accessories. As soon as you put it off again the interior light would work again. Although after about 10 minutes that went really dim.

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That is definately a battery or connection problem.

Cheers

D

check the cables,wondering if you have a break in the main cable somewhere

well ive just fitted the new battery and put new terminals on the wires, and all seems well again. How long that lasts, time will tell. But at least it starts first time now with no signs of gremlins.

custard boy said:

check the cables,wondering if you have a break in the main cable somewhere

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I was wondering this, but then if there was a break in teh main cable, i wouldnt be able to start it using a friends battery by jump starting it? The battery was about 5 years old..

yeah but even slight movements may have re connected it.
hopefully 'just' a battery Luke(no numbers)

i would try starting the car then dissconect the batt then if it cuts out then its you altonator if it dosent its ok i would check the charging rate aswell using a multimeter it should be around 10 volts turn on your lights and heater and anything eles just if its over charging the batt will be no good in a week.

if you disconnect the battery you break the cars power circuit

simi said:

i would try starting the car then dissconect the batt then if it cuts out then its you altonator if it dosent its ok i would check the charging rate aswell using a multimeter it should be around 10 volts turn on your lights and heater and anything eles just if its over charging the batt will be no good in a week.

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No no and eh NO.

Never run the alternator with the battery disconnected.

Cheers

D

rallycinq said:

No no and eh NO.

Never run the alternator with the battery disconnected.

Cheers

D

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it does nothing to your alternator imagine your batterie is broke and not charging but the alternator is working it would be the same if you had you batt dissconeted but

the other way is to use a multimeter to check the charge rate

Never run the alternator with the battery disconnected.

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Or, rather, never run the engine with an alternator in place and no battery connected: sometimes you'll get away with it, just as often you'll wreck the alternator.

I'd get the charging circuit checked out with a meter, just in case. But 5 years is a hell of a life for a battery.

yeah the safe way is a multimeter but if you dont have 1 do it the other way but conect it back up after 5 seconds

simi said:

it does nothing to your alternator imagine your batterie is broke and not charging but the alternator is working it would be the same if you had you batt dissconeted but

the other way is to use a multimeter to check the charge rate

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Not the alternator thats in danger of damage. If the battery is disconnected the alternator goes full field and the resultant spikes can destroy semiconductors. That would be the ECU then.

Cheers

D

Not the alternator thats in danger of damage. If the battery is disconnected the alternator goes full field and the resultant spikes can destroy semiconductors. That would be the ECU then.

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And the diode pack in the alternator. These kind of warnings were current when only F1 cars had electnic ignition, let alone ECUs.