02 1.2 SXI Corsa battery reversal.

Hi all,

Daughters Ex (and good lad) has just passed his test and has got himself a Corsa from a dealer as per title (his Mum helped with funds, Dad not about etc).

He's not started driving it yet but I've just found out he flattened the battery with the interior light and a 12V cleaner.

An Uncle helped him get the battery off and he charged it indoors for

12 hours on an auto charger.

I had offered to lend him a hand putting it back on (and suggested he get a basic tool set and HBOL) but 'a neighbour' offers to help and between them manage to get the battery on back_to_front. ;-(

Apparently they didn't fully connect it up backwards, luckily the sparks put them off!

He did start it after they fitted the battery correctly but it wouldn't turn over later that day.

It could be that it's just got a s**te battery (I'll test it tomorrow) but what is the chance of them damaging something and if so what please? I guess the EMU is ok (as it started / ran) but I wasn't sure about alternator regulator / diodes etc?

Cheers,

T i m

Reply to
T i m
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You can damage most things, but if it started he probably just blew some fuses.

Reply to
Duncan Wood

Needs to measure the current drain from battery with everything off. If it has a high drain current then disconnect alternator, if drain current reduces the alternator charging circuit has blown.

Reply to
Peter Hill

my bet would be merely that the battery is knackered. first step get battery tested and replaced if needed, fit and check charging, check how much current is trying to get out of battery when it is all off.

Reply to
Mrcheerful

get him a Haynes manual too

Reply to
Alf

Thanks for all the tips guys. I hope to be having a look and all of it (I have DMMs & other testers at the ready).

I am also going to take the tin of red touch_up_paint I originally got for the Sierra but now use on battery terminals for people ... ;-)

Also some red insulating tape to go round the main feed cables (as they often aren't red these days I notice).

I find these can also help when do-gooders try to give them a jump start (I saw such a melted example on a Corsa the other day when Dad had tried to help Son) ;-(

Oh, and yes, the HBOL was also on the list of "must haves' to him yesterday.

T i m

p.s. I bought my first car (a seized Fiat 850) for £5 when I was 14. Using the HBOL, a Kamasa 1/2" sq dr socket set, a spattering of other spanners and plenty of trial and error I removed the engine, stripped it down, fitted new shells and Cords rings (couldn't afford a rebore, I was at school!) and had my first play car. ;-)

Reply to
T i m

Right. I hooked my portable battery pack up to his car and with nothing turned on it's drawing around 50 A.

I tried to get to the alternator but it's round the back of the (poxy stupid wankin transverse design [1]) engine and in a plastic shroud .

Following the wires back it looks like it terminates via a large rectangular plug on an ally heat-sink looking plate mounted vertically on the nearside end of the block (there are two plugs actually, could it be an ignition amplifier or similar)? However, it feels like the larger cable from the alternator joins something else behind there ... starter relay possibly?

Anyway, we are going to tow it into my mates garage on Friday and he's going to get it in the air for a closer look.

Local car spares places don't sell rectifier / regulator packs on their own so if it is the alternator it could be the breakers first then ... ?

Could be an expensive mistake for the lad. ;-(

T i m

p.s. It turns out the battery was connected in reverse for about a minute (I know, you don't have to say). After it was correctly connected he started and ran the car across the car park and that's when he noticed the battery was hot and removed it again.

[1] I'm old and used to working on the MkII Escort based Kit car, the Sierra and even my 218SD (where the alternator is right in the front). ;-)
Reply to
T i m

I had an attempt (successful) of being a do-gooder when I came across a mini-cab stalled dead at a garage, the owner had a passenger in the back freting about whether she'd now miss the flight at the airport they where headed to.

Cabbie bloke had some jump leads with him, so had already set about connecting both leads to his battery terminals on his dead car. I got mine moved in close to his vehicle and got out. It was then that he approached me with the free ends of the connected cables, holding both casually in the same hand ...

Seemed a bit confused why I'd started shouting at him. Luckily for him the claws of his cheap leads were more plastic than copper and the plastic stopped the potential for a wee burnup in his hand. In fact there was so much plastic, the claw metal inserts barely made connection with the battery terminals and things weren't happening until I got into looking closer at both vehicles.

H.M. Gov statistics department probably has a list of injuries/year on people jump-starting cars, and should maybe set about doing a public information film.

Reply to
Adrian C

You aren't a do gooder, you are an automotive guy. ;-)

I've also see showers of sparks from the 'live' lead and the car.

I know the clip type, same on my portable pack. It's actually difficult to actually connect them when you want to.

I'd only consider such if it would help people stop killing cars. I'm very happy for Mr Darwin to look after the 'people'.

T i m

Reply to
T i m

... Seems to have been the right answer (well plus possibly other things, not got that far yet).

I towed it in with mate yesterday and he got it up on the ramp today and removed the alternator cable. High current drain goes away. ;-)

He will find him another alternator on Monday and go from there (it started and ran ok with the alternator disconnected).

Cheers, T i m

Reply to
T i m

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