Ke30 Won'T Start, No Power In Car At All

[dwnz]

So went to go out for a cruise in my KE30 tonight. Car started fine, and ran for a minute or two. Flicked on the head lights, and about 10 seconds later the whole car cut out. Completely. No lights on the dash, no charge light, nothing at all.

 

So poped the bonnet, checked all the battery wiring etc, all sweet. Then I noticed the battery was rather warm. So let it cool down. Tried jump starting off a mates car, jump leads got VERY VERY hot (too hot to touch) and it sparked hugely when we chucked them on. Plus car still did nothing.

 

Took battery out, let it cool, charged it off wall charger for a bit, put it back in car, still nothing, and it got very warm again.

 

Mate reckoned the battery is had it. Which may be true, as it goes flat all the time (haven't put my new VL alternator in yet).

 

Have checked all fuses etc, all seems fine.

 

Anyone have any ideas of anything else to check?

 

Cheers,

Daniel

[greenmac80]

if tis getting hot then there must be something touching where it should be.

as in an earth and a power.

 

if nothing is obvious then disconnect the alt... and then put the battery in perhaps the alt is the problem...

 

try your mates battery?

 

as for power to the car there are 2 6mm white wires that some from the +ve side of the battery maybe they are frayed and touching metal?

[Twinky]

DO NOT TRY ANOTHER BATTERY! You need to see if it is a short in the system first.

That would be why it is getting hot. As above disconnect the alternator and see if it runs.

Would be better if you had a multimeter. A battery will only get hot when it is shorted out.

A stuffed battery won't do anything at all. I would avoid placing jumper leads on your car untill you get this sorted

otherwise you can damage electronics on the donor vehicle.

[Evan G]

check the main + wire going to the start motor, could of rubbed thru somewhere

[Old fella]

1+ what Evan said. I`ve had the main starter lead short on the exhaust. If you`ve got extractors fitted its a fairly common problem. Cheers.

[jono1986]

check the main + wire going to the start motor, could of rubbed thru somewhere

 

+2 for this, I had mine short out on the starter motor itself and it wouldn't crank, thankfully cause of dodgey earths and old battery there wasn't enough current to make the thing catch on fire. Definately sounds like you have a permant short to earth somewhere.

Edited April 14, 2011 by jono1986

[dwnz]

Sweet, cheers guys.

 

Will checkout the starter motor wires tonight. Didn't even think to check that last night.

 

And yep, have extractors - so maybe a wires bumped into those and melted or something.

 

Should be sweet if I just chuck some tape on it till tomorrow eh? Was planning on re-running all major wires this weekend when I put the VL alternator in.

[dwnz]

Sorted.

 

Starter positive wire was melted onto the exhaust. Pulled it off, re insulated it, and it's all good.

[Evan G]

woohoo! what no votes for being correct :P?

Edited April 15, 2011 by Evan G