TR6 Volts to Start a TR6?

[Aldwyn]

Anyone know the amount of volts it takes to start a TR6? (1976, to be specific)

I have been running my car once a week or so to make sure she stays in good shape over the summer. The alternator is bad, but, it has been just keeping a charge.

But today, the car wont start. She started to turn over today... as usually cranking for about 10 seconds before starting... but this time, in 10 seconds, the cranking started to die. Sounded just like a bad battery... so I got out the vm and checked the terminal on the battery... 12.5! I would think that would be enough to crank over the engine...

Once the car stops cranking, I try and start it again, and I get what sounds like one revolution and then nothing... or I hear the solenoid click and that is it.

If I let it sit for a moment, and try and start it again, I may get a few sluggish cranks, but, then she dies.

Now, the starter is original. I suppose the starter may not be creating enough energy to crank the engine.

So... back to my question. Is 12.5 volts enough to start up the car? Could this be the starter not the battery/alternator?

Thanks!
Aldwyn

 

[Twosheds]

Aldwyn:

Volts don't start Triumphs; current does. Your VOM measures the battery voltage by drawing an insignificant amount of current compared to the huge amount of current needed to turn the engine over. I bet that if you check the voltage while cranking the engine, the voltage will drop way low. Take your battery to a shop that has a tester that will check the battery voltage while under load. They can tell you if the battery is good or bad. Sorry, but my guess is that it's bad.

John "Volts Don't Flow!" Herrera

 

[Tinster]

Aldwyn:

Before you yank out your battery, have you
performed any routine maintenance on the
terminals?

Pull both battery cables off and with fine
sandpaper clean off all the crud on the
terminals and cable connectors (inside holes
very important) until you attain shiny metal.

Put the cables back on and tighten down.
Maybe that's your problem? Maybe not. But takes
little time to perform. It might save you the
cost of a new battery.

d

 

[gjh2007]

To follow up on Tinster's recomendation, once you get them nice & clean use some white lube to coat them to prevent corrosion. Try your local NAPA or auto parts store, even Sears, they make a nice batt terminal cleaner whire brush that goes in the cable connectors & over the bat posts.

 

[Guest]

Or pour a can of Coke Classic on the terminals, and crank.

 

[DrEntropy]

...and you talk about ME...

*sheesh* /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smirk.gif

 

[Aldwyn]

Hey guys! Thanks so far! Terminals were cleaned and greased just two months ago. You could eat off those suckers (minus the grease!) right now! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

As of last week, the battery was pushing 11.5 - 12 volts under load. I obviously cant test that right now without doing what John is recommending.

The battery LOOKS old. So perhaps it is. Gotta replace the alt anyway... maybe I will do the batter at the same time.

Thanks!
Aldwyn

 

[AltaKnight]

tr6Bill.....
Coke Classic?
Don't you know that's bad for the waistline?
And I thought that was a new flywheel up your shirt!

 

[NickMorgan]

Aldwyn,
The four-year-old battery on my TR3 was connected to a battery conditioner all last winter. It used to turn the engine over no problem for quite some time, but the car would just not start. Eventually the battery would go flat. After re-charging it several times and having the same results, I swapped over a battery from my Herald and the TR engine spun much more quickly and started almost immediately. I've had no problems since. Not being technically minded I imagine that the old battery was holding a charge, but wasn't producing enough current to both turn the engine and give a decent spark. I guess a new battery may be required for your TR6.
Nick

 

[kodanja]

like this?

 

[frans]

Hi Aldwyn ,

Don't forget to keep the water in the cells about 1cm above the plates and only use destillated water.
Regards,
Frans

'74 TR6

 

[Aldwyn]

It's a maint free battery... no cells! :-0

Looks like it's off to Sears for a battery. At least it will look cleaner, and I will feel better knowing I have one more part of the engine bay replaced!

Hopefully a new battery will cause the car to start up quicker. Cold starts take a while.

 

[Tinster]

Maybe purchase an 800 cold cranking amp battery?

D

 

[Aldwyn]

Dale,

Would they fit? I thought they were oversized...

It doesnt get to cold around here, though... it more of a cold engine thing. If it's the first start up for the day, it take 10 or so cranks before she starts. But once she's started for the day, she will turn over with one or two cranks.

- Aldwyn

 

[vettedog72]

This may cause some controversy but I really feel a powerful battery will knock the ring gear back enough to eventually cause the starter not to engage.

 

[Tinster]

Hi Aldwyn,

Here is an old photo of the Crypt Car
taken the first time it started in
almost ten months. You can see the new
battery fits perfectly.

I am a dunce when it comes to car stuff.
But I know sometimes it will take the entire
contents of the battery to start the Crypt Car.
And some days the Crypt Car would not start
at all. Maybe the battery is doing damage to
the car starter? I don't know. The Crypt Car is
still MIA, so it is a moot point.

But after the initial difficult start, the car
would start easily the rest of the day. I had a
Hillman Minx once that was difficult to start.

d

 

[Aldwyn]

Well, just put the new battery in... I bought a 585CCA Diehard.

Car started right up. In fact, it started quicker from a cold start that it has ever started before! Woot!

But, I wonder if I have created a monster... after the car starts, the starter sounds like it's still running for 2 or 3 seconds (though not grinding... just running).

So I am wondering if I will need to replace the starter while I am replacing the alternator! (starter is also origional)

Thanks for the help guys! At least when it's 70 degrees tomorrow and sunny, I will be able to take her for a little spin! Yay!

- Aldwyn

 

[swift6]

You might need to do a slight refurb of your starter. New bushings in them make a HUGE difference and is fairly easy to do. While you have it apart you can also clean it up some. The starter is much easier for an amateur to refurb than an alternator.

 

[martx-5]

This may cause some controversy but I really feel a powerful battery will knock the ring gear back enough to eventually cause the starter not to engage.

Not true. A starter will only draw as much current as it needs to operate, regardless of how much current the battery can supply. Using that way of thinking, then all you bulbs would burn out when you turned the lights on, as the battery is capable of providing way more current then the bulbs use.

If you've experienced ring gears getting pushed back off the flywheel, it's a totally different problem...Something wrong with the starter drive and/or the ring gear itself.

 

[Aldwyn]

Starter looks hard to get at.. but I didnt relize I could refurb it. I bet it'd be cheaper then a new starter! Thanks for the tip!

Took the 'ol 6 out for a drive this morning since it's so pretty out. Took her a moment to start again, and so run on by the starter this morning, so perhaps it was just due to starting it the first time with that battery?