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General >> Problems >> Problems after changing battery
(Message started by: mazatael on May 9th, 2007, 5:00pm)

Title: Problems after changing battery
Post by mazatael on May 9th, 2007, 5:00pm
Hello!

First I should say thanks for a great site and great forum! I've been a frequent visitor since 2004.

Now onto the issue:

I've had this -97 Scorpio 2.3 for almost one year now (upgraded from a -95 Scorpio 2.0). It's been working great except for when I bought a new battery as the old one was in bad condition. I tried to change the battery by my self which may not have been a smart thing.

For some reason it wouldn't work after I switched them, and I tried a few times switching between the old and the new battery. I heard some clicking and electrical noises when I connected the battery one or two times (I didn't confuse plus and minus, but I don't rule out that I may have confused the order in which the different cables are meant to be connected). I've heard that noise before on my old Scorpio when fiddling around with the battery so I didn't think any more of it.

Here's the real issue - with either of the batteries connected and with start help from another car I can't get the motor to start. In fact, it doesn't even "click" like it should. Electronics - no problem; CD, fans and light works fine - but no engine! When I go from mode I and II to ignition everything gets absolutely quiet.

I'm really troubled by this as I really need the car. I suspect something with the electrical system (yes, all fuses checked) but everything else seems to work. How about relays? Can they break from such a thing? Can the key or car lose the memory if the battery is disconnected for long enough? If so, how do I reprogram them? I'm totally just speculating, though. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!
Jonatan Borling

Title: Re: Problems after changing battery
Post by Snoopy on May 9th, 2007, 5:10pm
Sounds like you have left the small black wire off. It  quite often happens it drops down behind the  bulh head , the part you can take off to get at the battery. .. Meke sure that you have conected it properly.see HERE (http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/battery.htm) for pictures of what I am refering to.

Title: Re: Problems after changing battery
Post by Dave2302 on May 9th, 2007, 6:06pm
[]

very easily done and causes all manner of electrical malfunctions.  ;)

Title: Re: Problems after changing battery
Post by v4-max on May 11th, 2007, 4:29pm
[] did the same thig myself

Title: Re: Problems after changing battery
Post by TiberiuS on May 11th, 2007, 6:00pm
[]

You beat me to it ;D

Same thing happened to me once ::)

Title: Re: Problems after changing battery
Post by welshbest on May 11th, 2007, 7:12pm
and me

Title: Re: Problems after changing battery
Post by mazatael on May 11th, 2007, 8:42pm
Thanks for the tip! I've checked today but couldn't find any cable. I did find one black cable which I had connected to plus (red) because I was sure it was connected to plus before. My car has had its engine changed by the previous owner so it looks kind of non-standard.

In the guide you reference I can identify three cables to plus and three to minus. In my car I can find three red cables (one of which looks like a ground cable but it is loose - I'm not sure if this cable has been connected at all before) and two black cables (one of which I think has been connected to plus before). All this must probably sound confusing, though.

I had a friend over today to give me some juice. I tried connecting the cables completely by colour, with various results. None resulted in the engine starting. I'm going to have to pull the battery out, though, to be completely sure I'm not missing a cable. I'll return in a few days with the result.

By the way, in the following image there is one black cable coming from, it looks, the windshield/car interior. I either can't find it in my car, or I don't have it at all.
http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/images/changing%20the%20battery%20010.jpg


Thanks again!
Jonatan

Title: Re: Problems after changing battery
Post by TiberiuS on May 11th, 2007, 9:01pm
Hi. Be very, very careful about swapping cables about, there's a lot of current there and you might end up damaging the car's electrics or worse, yourself ;).

If you could post a photo of the cables, someone might be able to tell you where they go. Unless the wiring has been replaced and is a bodge, it's highly unlikely you'd have a black cable attaching to the positive terminal.

Good luck :).

Regards, Bruce.

Title: Re: Problems after changing battery
Post by v4-max on May 11th, 2007, 9:55pm
[]  black should always go to earth, unless you have had some idiot  so called auto electician working on your car

Title: Re: Problems after changing battery
Post by Spannerdemon on May 11th, 2007, 11:13pm
Good advice from Bruce.

If you don't know FOR SURE what these cables are, then either send a picture so that someone can advise you, or leave well alone. You could do serious permanent damage to your electrics if you guess.

Battery and Starting voltages are HIGH VOLTAGE and can be very dangerous.  :o

At the moment, it's probably quite simple to rectify, but if you connect up wrongly, even for a few seconds, the results could work out very expensive. I just hope you haven't done this already.  :)



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