Sgt3355

Hi
I have had this car for a few years, and by and large it has been a good ‘un
I don’t use it that often, 45K miles in 7 years says it all, but I noticed today whilst I was out that the clock had zeroed itself back to 12:00. I checked the date and that had gone back to Jan 2003 (the car is a ’57 model). I tried to reset it, but it constantly reverts to 12:00
The battery is the original, so on a time basis it is near its end but the “clog up” indicator has been ¾ full for at least the last 4 years and has never changed.
It is a tad cold it being winter, but not excessively so, the glow plug warms up quickly and the car spins over readily enough
However would I be right to suspect the battery, or is there an electrical gremlin in there??
Any thoughts please

DanielFD

before changing your battery, you're going to need to get it tested correctly using a voltmeter. Unless you want to change in anyway.. dyeing batteries do weird things to our cars, so it is possible

Sgt3355

Thanks for the reply, and yes I do think the battery is in its twilight even though it spins the car well
The battery had been on charge overnight, (about 14 hours on one of these "smart" chargers), car started well, but still couldn’t alter the base date and the time. Ran it out about 10 miles to a pub for lunch, and the clock was recording the time albeit starting at 12:00
After lunch it showed the correct time, ie 14:55; turned out a sheer coincidence that it was the correct time, but it just happened to be where the clock had stopped! But once again it started no problem
Put it back on charge and the charger initially showed the residual battery capacity as minimal but quickly rose and within 2 hours showed a full charge
Battery drop test in the morning methinks, and take it from there


Richard

Sgt3355

Battery charged all night, reconnected to car and it showed a capacity of 12.4v
Turned the engine, whilst glow-plugs heating and cranking voltage dropped to 10.7v
Soon as the engine ran, back to av of 12.5; but when I dipped the pedal and revved it the voltage dropped to 11+v?
Surely the charging rate should have stayed either the same or maybe even gone up?


Richard

Rudeney

With the engine running, you should have about 14v. Since yours is low, it's either a bad alternator/voltage regulator, or a bad battery. A bad battery can have warped plates that short and cause it to act like a giant resistor. To check, start the engine, and then with it running, disconnect the negative battery lead. If the voltage goes up to around 14, then it's the battery. If not, then it's likely the alternator/regulator (or some other electrical device creating a large current draw).

Sgt3355

Cheers, a job for the morning methinks
It's a tad cold now but the battery voltage is steady at 12.4v
We will see
thanks a bunch

Richard

Sgt3355

-1c last night but battery still read 12.6 this morning
Did the above test, with enjine running reads 13.96 (ie 14)
With terninal disconnected 13.6, which I take it is close enough to 14v?
So that would indicate I assume a battery heading for the exit; even though the car starts and runs a sweet as a nut

Richard

Rudeney

This actually sounds more like a voltage regulator problem. You say you were getting 13.96v at idle, but when you disconnected the battery, it dropped to 13.6? It should not drop. If anything, it might go up a half volt or so since it doesn't need to charge the battery. Its also odd that yesterday you reported only 11v at idle. Or are today's numbers only after charging the battery?

Sgt3355

Hi Rodney

Thanks for the reply
I did notice that the numbers differed when I did posting, but the numbers are what the numbers were at each reading. So saying there was a modicum of fluctuation in the readings; so tomorrow, snow permitting, I will do the battery test again if only to simply to confirm the numbers.
I may just change the battery anyway, even though it appears to be operating just fine, whilst the starter spins quickly as it should, there is no dimming of lights extra when under full load, it has to be in near replacement on time alone; ie 7 years.
Although of course I still have the original problem of the clock and date refusing to set and defaulting to its base setting (12:00, 01/01/20003); is that linked I have no idea, I am just not that clever!
I wasn’t going to keep this car, but I like it a lot so think an investment in a workshop manual and a spot of study is called for. Maybe with my limited knowledge a defective voltage regulator could be at play
The saga goes on


Richard