I had a battery died on me once the same way. The car was a daily driver
year-round (wasn't a LBC!) and one summer day, started the car to go to
work, no problem, tried to start the car after work... nothing. Checked to
see if I had left the lights on or something... Everything was off. Tried
to start again, still nothing except that some of my gauges were acting
funny. The tach was zooming all the way to the stop in a flash! Even
though the engine wasn't running.
Got the car boosted and drove it for about an hour. Turned it off and tried
to start it again... Same thing, no juice and funny gauges.
A mechanic later told me that old batteries can die suddenly and, if I
remember correctly, changes polarity or something like that. Which would
explain the funny gauges.
The only difference with your case is the age of the battery. Mine was
about 6-8 years old.
Somebody (any electrical engineers listening?) may be able to give you a
more scientific explanation. But the final result is the same: batteries
can die suddenly.
Steph
----- Original Message -----
From: Robert Van and Ann Cross <vancross@visuallink.com>
To: Triumph List <triumphs@autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, May 10, 2000 20:38
Subject: TR3A Battery? Problem
>
> Listers,
> Has this ever happened to you? You drive your car regularly and the
starter
> motor turns over without any hesitation. Then you turn it off and try to
> start the car and the battery is absolutely dead? I thought it might be a
> loose connection on the ignition switch but it wasn't. There were no
> lights, horn, brake lights, or even generator light when I turned the key.
> Granted, the battery is three years old and sits over the winter, but I've
> been running the car almost daily for the past month. I used jumper
cables
> and started the car and ran it for about one hour, but the battery was
dead
> as a doornail when as soon as I turned the car off. It registered 2 volts
> on the voltmeter. Is there something else I'm missing on this? Thanks
for
> your help.
> Bob Van
> TR3A with sudden battery death syndrome
>
|