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        General >> Problems >> Needles went to max when engine started!!
        
(Message started by: km449 on Dec 1^st, 2004, 2:10pm)

Title: Needles went to max when engine started!!
Post by km449 on Dec 1^st, 2004, 2:10pm

Have had my 97 2.3 Ultima Estate for 12 months now.

When I started it this morning the speedo and rev counter needles momentarily flicked as far round to right as they could go, and the trip computer reset itself (back to metric -grrr!)

Car started and drove fine, and has started without this happening since. It's the only time it's ever happened.

Is there something I should know? Is this a sign of pending doom (and expense?)

:-/

Title: Re: Needles went to max when engine started!!
Post by kd2scorps on Dec 1^st, 2004, 2:34pm

Hi,
I have heard about this before, and in fact it has happened to my 97 2.3 Scorp a couple of nights ago.
It is a sign that your battery is not as charged up as it could be. My battery is the original, and perhaps after 102000 miles and 7 years, it may need to be changed sometime in the near future. I checked the voltage on the battery with the car at rest, (engine stopped), and it was around 11.8 volts, then again when the car was running, (and the alternator would be charging the battery). This time it read 13.85 volts. This difference in voltage is normal, but I would prefer to see the voltage at rest closer to 12.5 volts.
By the way, i was able to check the voltage in one of the cigarette lighter sockets, rather than having to remove the battery cover under the bonnet. Mind that you don't touch both the bottom and sides of the cigarette lighter socket with the same probe from your voltage tester, or you will low a fuse.

Hope this was of some help.
Kev.

Title: Re: Needles went to max when engine started!!
Post by Dave Boulton on Dec 1^st, 2004, 4:10pm

And... you can test the voltage just using the instrument reset feature on the dash, have a look at http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/instreset.htm.

Basically, with the ignition on, just press and hold the trip odometer reset button for 10 seconds, release after the bleep, the press the button until you see "batt" in the display.

HTH,
Dave

Title: Re: Needles went to max when engine started!!
Post by JohnJ on Dec 1^st, 2004, 4:29pm

That is a sure sign of upcomming battery failure, you will go out some morning and there will be nothing only a click.

When you start the car with this problem, the battery voltage drops below the thresh hold for the dash instrumnets to work and they just reset and loose all memory.

JJ

Title: Re: Needles went to max when engine started!!
Post by km449 on Dec 1^st, 2004, 5:07pm

Thanks to you all for your speedy replies. Relieved that it's "only the battery"!!!
A new battery was supposedly fitted a few months before we bought the car, so it would only be about 14 months old but there's no receipt to verify that.
The car has been doing a lot of short trips recently and of course the seat heaters and hrw have been on more due to the colder weather.
I've got a 500 mile round trip scheduled for the middle of the month but from what you've said it seems that with all the signs pointing to an imminent battery failure I ought to invest in a new one now! Local garage has quoted £56.40 with a 2 year gtee which seems reasonable!?

Title: Re: Needles went to max when engine started!!
Post by simonmd on Dec 1^st, 2004, 8:05pm

Yes, just the battery getting too low. The price is fair but you may be able to get a bit cheaper at an indipendant motor factors. The last one I bought cost £36. However, Halfords will charge you £80+!

Don't forget to make sure you have your radio code handy when you do it though.

Title: Re: Needles went to max when engine started!!
Post by music_master on Dec 1^st, 2004, 8:39pm

hi km try halfords first m8 a bought 1 for my 2.5td 60 quid plus and got a four year warranty with it i.ve never looked back ;D

Title: Re: Needles went to max when engine started!!
Post by Dave_h on Dec 1^st, 2004, 11:19pm

definetly battery same problem for about 5 months went out on day in the summer and it didnt want to play anymore

Title: Re: Needles went to max when engine started!!
Post by Eddie on Dec 2^nd, 2004, 6:13am

Have you checked the electrolyte levels,maybe it needs topping up.

eddie

Title: Re: Needles went to max when engine started!!
Post by john.n on Dec 2^nd, 2004, 9:37am

In my experience cheap batteries are a false economy. As the Scorp has loads of electric gizmos get the highest amp/hour rating you can afford, es pecially with winter comong. ;) john.n

Title: Re: Needles went to max when engine started!!
Post by Baz on Dec 2^nd, 2004, 12:26pm

I just get some spare ones from my mates scrappy. Every time he gets a decent one in, I get the phonecall. Last one was exactly the right ampage and still had the receipt in the car from 2 months previous when the last owner bought it!!

Title: Re: Needles went to max when engine started!!
Post by Geoff_W on Dec 2^nd, 2004, 10:56pm

Evening folks,

Quite a few people are going to see flicking needles in the next few days. (Mk3 warning of impending battery failure was radio loosing memory and abs warning flickering on)

When it happens at this time of year, during a cold snap it is usually a sign that you may have a dead cell or at least one below par.

Thing about the scorp is that it needs surprisingly little power most of the time to start, usually get engine turning and catching within 2 or 3 seconds.

During most of the year this is really no problem but battery efficiency drops proportinate to temperature and oil thickens up and engine needs more grunt to getting it spinning when we get frost.

Huge amount of batteries get sold during first real cold snap simply cos they die.

Only problem is that this is sometimes misdiagnosed :-/ might not be battery but could be your charging circuit. Like Dave Boulton says (wotcher Dave 8))Try checking the voltage thrown out by using the speedo reset/diagnostics button to see output.

Once upon a time there was a tablet that you could drop in an underperforming cell that sometimes shifted buildups and helped for a while. Think they were called bataids (Older and wiser members will correct me on this one)

Have a look at
http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/instreset.htm

Good luck

Title: Re: Needles went to max when engine started!!
Post by Steve_S on Dec 7^th, 2004, 2:07am

Personaly I would not worry about it of its only done it the once, just means the battery was a little low, probably all the short trips. Just keep a close eye on it

Title: Re: Needles went to max when engine started!!
Post by johnv on Dec 12^th, 2004, 7:53am

I paid £76. for a geniune Ford Battery 60amp per hr. The correct one as when the car leaves the factory. You need if buying another make, to make sure that the height is not taller than the ford, otherwise the plastic cover will not go on nicely and the strap will not go over the top.
Does anyone know much about those solar charging panels, you plug into you cigar ligher. They are only trickel chargers rated at about 1.8 amp. Of course they would not work at night but in the day they are said to work, in daylight, not being depended on sun.

Title: Re: Needles went to max when engine started!!
Post by JohnJ on Dec 12^th, 2004, 11:08am

Thats a novel Idea!!

Left your lights on over night? dont worry I'll stick the solar panal on the roof and start in a hour ;D.

Brilliant Idea to keep the battery in top form as we know theres nothing better for a battry but a constant charge. ;)

Title: Re: Needles went to max when engine started!!
Post by johnv on Dec 12^th, 2004, 8:32pm

no those solar battery chargers are not that powerful. they are meant to replace the drain on battery when the car is not used often. because you got a drain all the time like the clock, burgular alarm etc draining away all the time.
I got one the other day on Ebay. I put it inside the car on the dash, where it catches the light. something must be happening, because there is a red led that is on in the day time and not when it is dark.