Longlostlad Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 I'm in two minds & I'd appreciate the benefit of others views... My '58 plate Roadsport is outside,on the road where it's been since I parked in on Tuesday morning. It has a light covering of snow on it & the temperature is forecast to drop significantly tonight. About 7am (ish) tomorrow, I need to set off for work & I'm not sure whether, given it'll have been stood for 48hrs in the cold, I should start the engine, sit in it & warm it through tonight - or would that be pointless? I don't want to find that it's frozen during the night... Thanks for your thoughts, Phil. If you can't fix it with a hammer, it must be an electrical problem... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 You will only flatten the battery and leave the engine full of condensation overnight. Leave it alone. May be good to have jump leads and handy tin-top if battery not 100%. Do you have any reason to think it will be frozen .... antifreeze concentration ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longlostlad Posted December 2, 2010 Author Share Posted December 2, 2010 SM25T, very kind of you to reply, thank you. I think the anti-freeze is fine & the battery is also very good (judging by how quickly the engine turns over). The tin top is right next to it on the road, if I do need to jump start it. After quite a few reads, and no reply, I was worried it was just too much of a numpty question for anyone to bother! I'm really pleased you replied, thank you again Phil. If you can't fix it with a hammer, it must be an electrical problem... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaterBram Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 Hi Phil, i've seen where you live in Holmfirth, and respect for not only leaving the 7 outside but venturing out in the snow up there. I take it your not out over the A635 tomorrow or have they managed to snow plough it. As to starting up and leaving on tickover, I've been told on here before that it can be one of the worse things you can do. Get her cleaned off, fired up and take it steady while she warms up and not just for the state of the roads. Out of interest do you tape part of the radiator to keep the engine temps up this weather. One of the problems i've picked up on the Zetec is overcooling which with some crafty hose routing and a submarine should not be a problem. Drive safe and have a good journey...... 😬 I'm jealous Q469 WET, 1990 Long Cockpit in Ali except for the red bits. Class 2 150 BHP Zetec. With a Dual Drive :-)CaterBram on Facebook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david nelson Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 I guess most of use do not need to use our 7's at this time. When it was my only car, I can not remember using it in the snow. I have been using the bus as i do not fancy riding my motorcyle at the moment. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 I blank off one third or two thirds of the nosecone opening (well, it is a wide-mouth SV !) by slipping some black closed cell foam between the inner and outer grilles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgrigsby Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 The biggest problem with a 7 in the snow is that they just don't heat up at all, I remeber travelling in Italy in horrendous blizzard, we could only manage about 5mph and everything was freezing cold. There was even snow piled up on the exhaust it was so cold 😳 However it started fine every time and kept going even in those conditions. Rob G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longlostlad Posted December 2, 2010 Author Share Posted December 2, 2010 Well, I never! I pop out to bung my muffins in the oven (no euphemisms intended) & return to a wealth of replies! Thank you all 😬 I'm really grateful to find out that warming it up is bad - thank you, I shall leave it well alone tonight! I shall take it very steady tomorrow, I'm expecting it to be icy & I'm off to Dewsbury (20miles/45mins ish), assuming the school is open. Interestingly, all through last winter, and so far this one, I've had no probs with engine temp - it's always been consistent at the 80deg mark on the gauge & never dropped significantly below that. It's the same in summer too (unless I'm stationary in traffic for a while - then the fan comes on!) Tomorrow, I s'pose I could use the tin-top, but that's so vague in terms of driving feel, I'd rather be in the seven... Thanks for all your replies, Phil. If you can't fix it with a hammer, it must be an electrical problem... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myothercarsa2cv Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 Glad I read this, was half tempted to fire her up to get the alternator spinning. My car is currently under a cover, but that's under a fair old bit of snow! John _________________________ myothercarsa2cv Bugsy: '82 2cv6 😬 Talloulah '08 1.6K Classic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longlostlad Posted December 2, 2010 Author Share Posted December 2, 2010 Glad its not just me that found in useful! I did feel a bit silly having to ask such an untechnical question, in the midst of other, more technical threads - however, people so far have been pretty kind to me - it's why I like it here! If you can't fix it with a hammer, it must be an electrical problem... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Eve Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 Phil I wouldn't be intimidated by others' technical questions. The simplest queries are often the hardest to resolve. All I can offer is don't pre-judge the problem; it may not happen. My Seven is garaged and been parked up for 2 weeks. New battery and with a battery conditioner hooked up but, because of the weather, I STILL I worry about it starting when I want it to. But no point in firing it up before I need to. As a back-up I recently bought a Halfords Power Pack 200. Hope it works when I need it... Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Eve Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 Forgot to say - the bloody immobiliser draining the battery in c.15 days (I understand) is a constant frustration. Although I hope the battery conditioner makes this worry un-necessary. I don't have a battery isolator - can anyone tell me how to disable the immobilser? Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longlostlad Posted December 2, 2010 Author Share Posted December 2, 2010 *thumbup*Thanks Steve- I am very aware of my technical numpty-ness & it is easy for me to feel a bit daft when I ask about something that puzzles me. That said, I've always been struck by how kind folk are in the club, so I don't tend to feel too intimidated, just a bit daft! If you can't fix it with a hammer, it must be an electrical problem... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 St Eve .... Disconnect battery earth lead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Eve Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 ...but doesn't that then give the problem that, on re-connection of the -ve, the immobiliser becomes out of sequence (don't know how else to express that)? Last time I disconnected the battery the immobiliser seemed out of phase on re-connection; the "unlock" button on the fob didn't work. I think (can't recall accurately) that I pressed the "lock" button - although steady flashes implied it was already locked. Rapid flashes then appeared. I waited for them to change to steady flashes, and then repeated the unlock procedure - and all was well. But with a locked garage and the steering wheel removed, it just strikes me it would be useful to bypass (disable) the immobiliser permanently. If this is rambling, ignore me. I'm sure I'll get round the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Nick Chan Posted December 2, 2010 Area Representative Share Posted December 2, 2010 St Eve, TC's SLR has an immobiliser and has a conditioner permanently attached when its not in use. The car has stood for several weeks already and had to be started up last week and the battery was fine. Before the conditioner, the battery would just about last 2 weeks before needing a jump start. With the Sigma though, I can switch off the battery master switch and leave the car for several months without starting and its fine to turn over with out assistance. I always set the immobiliser or let it immobiliser automatically before using the BMS and have never had a problem when re-starting the car again Back in a BEC! - but done alright in Class 1... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaterBram Posted December 3, 2010 Share Posted December 3, 2010 Take it careful out there, -12 @ Penistone this morning.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Eve Posted December 3, 2010 Share Posted December 3, 2010 Nick - thanks for the reassuring reply. Think I must fit a BMS sometime but, being colour-blind, electrics frighten me to death. Good job red traffic lights are always at the top... Is there an idiot's guide for fitting a BMS? I guess I could do worse than look in the Assembly Guide. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Eve Posted December 3, 2010 Share Posted December 3, 2010 Nick - thanks for the reassuring reply. Think I must fit a BMS sometime but, being colour-blind, electrics frighten me to death. Good job red traffic lights are always at the top... Is there an idiot's guide for fitting a BMS? I guess I could do worse than look in the Assembly Guide. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Deslandes Posted December 3, 2010 Share Posted December 3, 2010 BMS fitting instructions here in 7FAQs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbird Posted December 3, 2010 Share Posted December 3, 2010 aggree with above, on CSR I have the CC disconnect switch and never had an imobiliser issue, always allow it to set then remove switch. If not needing to comply with FIA regs and not going to use switch to stop engine, therefore needing to protect alternator, I think This is a good cheap quick and dirty solution. I have recently fitted one to the Quattro as it will also flatten battery in about 14 days. even better on Caterham as no central locking to have to faff with . Obviously dont fit the fused bypass wire 😬 Tim CSR 200 Aztec and Black Edited by - tbird on 3 Dec 2010 11:12:23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted December 3, 2010 Share Posted December 3, 2010 How did it go Longlostlad ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longlostlad Posted December 3, 2010 Author Share Posted December 3, 2010 Just got in after a long day . The seven was spot on,started fine,drove all the way to Dewsbury & back-no issues. I think it's a real testament to just how strong these cars are! However,having got home at the reasonable time of 4:15, I then had to drive to Shrewsbury to collect my daughter, & then drive home again. It was a wise choice to go in the tin-top... I got back,with a very sleepy 9yr old about half an hour ago-quite a slow trip & some quite challenging stages-I'm not used to traction control kicking in on my way up the A38! The seven was a star today though,even if it is covered with snow (again!) If you can't fix it with a hammer, it must be an electrical problem... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted December 4, 2010 Share Posted December 4, 2010 Well done that man ..... 10/10 for the first set, but only 6/10 for the tin top run Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB Posted December 4, 2010 Share Posted December 4, 2010 Is your the grey on that lives on Greenfield Road near the school crossing? The Mrs (future) is from Holmfirth & we've spotted it while visiting her Dad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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