Practically Classics Forum

Rob, try these actions if you haven't already:
1) Check tightness of the earth screw and check its contact area for corrosion at the timing chain cover end of that long braided lead.
2) Check that [the lead] is still firmly soldered in place where it passes through the battery terminal, ideally drill and tap the tubular section of the battery clamp and secure the braid with machine screws, the holes for which will allow you to flow some solder through the inside of that clamp - none of that lead free crap mind, 60/40 is what's needed.
3) Check the shorter end of the braid that goes to the body earth screw which may be on one of the bonnet hinge mounts or the o/s inner wing just below and slightly in front of the battery tray.

Don't be surprised if that earth braid doesn't follow its intended route, many people will have moved the chain case end to one of the screws that connects the engine mount to the block by now and if they replace the braid, it rarely gets routed through the clamp as original so there might be all sorts of bodges there but generally, the symptom you have shows itself when that wretched long braid works itself loose at some point between engine, battery clamp and bodyshell. This doesn't mean that the battery and/or alternator isn't/aren't in some way responsible but that wretched lead is usually to blame. If your engine has its original water pump cover then that's when sod's law dictates that the alternator will be at fault as that water pump cover means that the radiator needs to come out to remove the alternator pivot bolt where the later wp cover lets you pull the bolt backwards out, no rad disturbing required!

David's spot on about the voltmeters not being especially known for their accuracy but if the meter shows suspiciously low, varying readings when everything electrical seems to be working correctly, then that too is a symptom - along with a randomly poorly charged battery - of poor earths around that long braided cable, especially if yours has an original spec battery sensing alternator instead of the machine sensing type that has by now been fitted to most.

It could be worse: Lucas stuff is eccentric but Paris-Rhone, Ducellier or Magnetti Marelli can be a proper PITA, be glad that you didn't buy a car made by Johnny Foreigner.

Toledo Man wrote:It is very easy to test the alternator. Make sure your fanbelt is tensioned correctly and take a voltage reading when the car is running. If the alternator is working then you should be getting about 14 volts. Don't trust the dashboard voltmeter. Take a reading across the battery terminals with a multimeter to get an accurate voltage reading.

When the diode pack packed up on the Rover, it would still charge at a healthy 14V, yet that charge would still deplete if left overnight.

John I'll check it out, it isn't in the best of condition in places, but AFAIK it's firmly attached where it needs to be. I'm sure it still has the inner wing clamp. I have a feeling I put rad in before alternator and it all went back no problems. I brought my other battery charger back from outlaws, but that appears to have packed up too, power LED comes on, charging one doesn't

Well it had a 0.13 drain through the radio. Pull the radio fuse and drain dropped to 0.00 so not entirely sure if it's a faulty head unit, or if the battery has died. Have swapped head unit so will see if there's any charge left in the battery tomorrow.

On the downside, why does it rain just after you've applied some paint???

Just confirm that's 130mA please, Rob. If it were a tenth of that, this would be OK for the memory on a modern radio. Have you got the switched supply going through the accessory position on the ignition barrel and the memory feed from the constant live? If so, and it still uses 130mA then that's way too much but shouldn't be enough to drain a battery overnight.

I have spoken with my friend, and she says



CONFIRMED


Not that you're paying attention now, but HU has been disconnected, and replaced with an old JVC unit, no flat battery, and car still has a fully charged battery this morning, and it was still fine this evening, so, safe to say the Sony unit has buggered up internally and draining overnight.

Err, radio... what now? So why does that young man have breasts and did he mend your car?

You asked for confirmation, so who better to confirm or bust? I did consider asking the other 2, but, well, y'know

Found out the issue of why since it's been back on the road it's not liked changing up to 3rd, the kickdown cable has a nipple fitted that sits up in the adjuster, from when the inlet manifold got removed to sort the waterpump, it had caught up on the edge of the adjuster, putting the cable under tension, and this was enough to fool the box into thinking throttle was floored and to hold onto gears, seating it properly has cured it, and it now changes up and down the box as it should and smoothly once more. Carbs balanced, and choke adjusted, she's now running spot on and rather nicely.

Spent this afternoon going back over the bonnet with some polishing pads I got from santa, and whilst it's not perfect and glass like, it has a decent enough shine and is nice and smooth, the remaining scratches appear to be in the primer as they don't seem to want to go. Just the rear wing left to do, and roof needs another coat of paint still, but that can wait till spring sometime.

And today was spent finishing* off the pass side and decided to sand and polish roof, it will need another coat or two, but it'll do till the weather warms up.

Also finally got round to refitting all the window winder handles properly after dropping door cards to put the springs on between them and the door frame. All in all, not a bad days work again.

Looks like this is coming along very nicely now, certainly looks great in the orange and it has to be satisfying to have it running nicely.