BX dead

ben · Post by **ben** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 11:30 am

Hi all, first post and its a numpty question.

I have a normally faithful bx diesel estate , yesterday i used it to jump start my 2cv van which flattened its battery due to a lazy fuel pump.
Then when i went to start the bx this morning the dash lights briefly came on, went off ,then all was dead.
The battery neg lead clamp seemed loose (i regularly check stuff like that and keep them in vaseline etc so its unusual) ,i went to tighten it but it would not bite and in my haste crushed the clamp ,or it broke.
Not yet had a chance to put a meter across the battery ,will do that later, but anyone any ideas what has happened, and why the neg terminal has got smaller?

thanks

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 11:46 am

It'll be your -ve connection that has stretched and got big rather than your terminal that has gone small.

Buy a new one from your local motor factors and get the battery charged up and everything will most likely be OK. If not report back.

ben · Post by **ben** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 11:58 am

Thanks will do

citronut · Post by **citronut** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 1:38 pm

i dont like the after market replacement battery terminals, as more offten than not they can cause a bad conection,

i would rather find a good second hand genuine lead with an un/streached terminal,

when these terminals are tight on the battery pole, there should be a gap inbetween the two matting surface's,

if there is no gap it will not grip,

my fix if the terminal has not split is remove the bolt, open the gap enough to get a file in to take some lead of each matting surface,

were abouts are you

regards malcolm

ben · Post by **ben** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 1:46 pm

Hi i'm in north herts, Letchworth. It has split unfortunately, have just bought a cheapo terminal, will investigate further when i get home from work ,if it's no good i will tap Chevronics up to see if they've got any decent 2nd hand ones lying around ,in fact i might do that anyway once i've ensured that's all it is.
cheers

ben · Post by **ben** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 8:00 pm

All sorted ,thanks for replies.

It wasn't the battery ,and embarrassingly it was the positive terminal ,i must have been in a daze this morning when it didn't fire and rise up like a camel. I'd bought a neg one down the road from work then had to rush up halfrauds when i got home and realised.

Had to tickle it a bit with a drill bit though to get the 2 smaller cables in with the big one .