Caddy's coming home . . . . . . . Briefly.

Roadkill · October 11, 2006, 05:10:47 AM

Fingers crossed I should be bringing the Cadillac back home tonight to finally unload all the crap she's been carrying for weeks, now.

The plan is to unload her and re-measure her ground clearances sitting at stock height so I can cast some concrete ramps into the garage.

After I've measured her she will be going back to my parents for a further week or two while I construct the shuttering and pour the concrete.

Weather permitting I'll be using one day this weekend to make the ramps, allowing a good week for them to set.

55starchief · October 11, 2006, 05:12:49 AM

why not just get a set of steel ramps made and poor a slab for them to sit on? would look better than permanent concrete ramps. Plus you could also use them away from the garage if you needed to get a little height for say an oil chnage

Roadkill · October 11, 2006, 05:18:41 AM

The drive is un-even, sloping in two directions.

If I had steel ramps made they'd be no guarantee I could get the angles right.

Hence I'd need to cut them and grind them to suit.

Adjusting shuttering to suit the slope(s) will be alot easier . . .

Roadkill · October 12, 2006, 04:53:38 AM

Well, attempted to get her going last night.

Alas, maybe the battery's knackered

- maybe the connections are shot.

Either way she turn over (a little) but wouldn't fire.

It was very damp and raining which probably didn't help.

Will try again tonight . . . . I'll nick the battery off the Chav'scort if I have too . . . .

Incursus · October 12, 2006, 05:06:30 AM

Quoting: Roadkill

Will try again tonight . . . . I'll nick the battery off the Chav'scort if I have too . . . .

Cool. does that mean I dont have to borrow the one from work?

ianjpage · October 12, 2006, 05:43:03 AM

Quoting: Roadkill

Well, attempted to get her going last night.

Alas, maybe the battery's knackered - maybe the connections are shot.

Either way she turn over (a little) but wouldn't fire.

It was very damp and raining which probably didn't help.

Will try again tonight . . . . I'll nick the battery off the Chav'scort if I have too . . . .

Hmm i take it she fired ok when moved her orig - how long it been stood since??

Roadkill · October 12, 2006, 05:50:48 AM

Quoting: Incursus

does that mean I dont have to borrow the one from work?

Dunno.

The one on the Chav'scort is weak and small.

I doubt it would last long cranking the caddy - but if you can't get the one from work I'll have to use it . . .

Roadkill · October 12, 2006, 05:52:40 AM

Quoting: ianjpage

how long it been stood since??

Her battery started playing up about 3 months ago.

At the time it was improved by coarse sanding the battery connections and terminals.

Last night that didn't help.

It's probably about 3-4 weeks since I last fired her.

ianjpage · October 12, 2006, 05:56:06 AM

Quoting: Roadkill

Her battery started playing up about 3 months ago.

At the time it was improved by coarse sanding the battery connections and terminals.

Last night that didn't help.

It's probably about 3-4 weeks since I last fired her.

Ahh so not a new prob then - as you say could be the battery is knkacered...

Roadkill · October 12, 2006, 05:58:09 AM

Quoting: ianjpage

as you say could be the battery is knkacered...

T'is Odd, as it's always been reliable and strong.

The battery tray underneath is utterly rotten, though . . . which was actually cool as it convinced me to shift it to the trunk when I begin work on her.

55starchief · October 12, 2006, 06:00:42 AM

Quoting: Roadkill

T'is Odd, as it's always been reliable and strong.

problem will be trying to get another one that size, i got one from a rangrover diesel and that would only just crank the poncho when it was running. Im gonna put a OPTIMA on when i get ready to fire that new motor but at £225 its not a cheap battery

Roadkill · October 12, 2006, 06:02:10 AM

I'm sure I'll find something . . . .

Incursus · October 12, 2006, 06:02:26 AM

Tested the battery with DMM last night and it had a good strong 12V.

Roadkill · October 12, 2006, 06:03:09 AM

Anyone got any ideas ?

Incursus · October 12, 2006, 06:03:31 AM

Quoting: 55starchief

Im gonna put a OPTIMA on when i get ready to fire that new motor but at £225 its not a cheap battery

Thats just insane

Roadkill · October 12, 2006, 06:05:30 AM

Needless to say, I'll be heading down Car Spares for a £25 battery with a 3-year guarantee.

Incursus · October 12, 2006, 06:06:10 AM

Quoting: Roadkill

Anyone got any ideas ?

Starter motor? cos we couldn't even boost start from the Mustang.

She was certainly sucking the Stang dry of power every time you tried to start!!

[insert lame, predictable, mustang v6 jibes here]

Roadkill · October 12, 2006, 06:09:37 AM

Quoting: Incursus

Starter motor?

Would be a Royal PITA if it was . . . . .

Anyway of checking this ?

Roadkill · October 12, 2006, 06:18:51 AM

Wait a minute.

It can't be the starter . . . . . There was no power getting to the leccy windows.
That says to me lack of power as when I was hooked up to the Mussie they worked . . .

Shifty · October 12, 2006, 06:24:16 AM

If the starter motor cranks the engine there is usually nothing wrong with it (the starter motor that is). Maybe you need a battery which can supply more current, after all it is a big ol engine.

Would probably be worth checking the wires to the starter for corrosion to.

Even if the DMM was reading 12V don't mean the battery is any good, you need to check the voltage of the battery when you crank the engine over, mine drops from around 13.5 to 12 when I crank the engine, then goes back up again after it has started (and thats only a 4 banger).

If it drops to much maybe it will be to low to generate a spark at the same time as cranking the engine. Just another idea.

Roadkill · October 12, 2006, 06:26:18 AM

Quoting: Shifty

If it drops to much maybe it will be to low to generate a spark at the same time as cranking the engine. Just another idea

Makes sense to me . . . . I'm gonna have another go tonight - so if you fancy lending a hand . . . . . . . .

My parents gaff is over on Bancroft Park.

ianjpage · October 12, 2006, 06:33:56 AM

Quoting: Shifty

If the starter motor cranks the engine there is usually nothing wrong with it (the starter motor that is). Maybe you need a battery which can supply more current, after all it is a big ol engine.

Would probably be worth checking the wires to the starter for corrosion to.

Even if the DMM was reading 12V don't mean the battery is any good, you need to check the voltage of the battery when you crank the engine over, mine drops from around 13.5 to 12 when I crank the engine, then goes back up again after it has started (and thats only a 4 banger).

If it drops to much maybe it will be to low to generate a spark at the same time as cranking the engine. Just another idea.

The man speak good suggestion!!

55starchief · October 12, 2006, 06:36:03 AM

Quoting: Incursus

She was certainly sucking the Stang dry of power every time you tried to start!!

what size jump leads were you using? you need jump leads as thick as the battery cable on dean's camaro to get a decent crank current for a V8

Roadkill · October 12, 2006, 06:37:34 AM

Quoting: 55starchief

what size jump leads were you using?

No, they weren't that big, to be honest.

That aside, the battery was fully re-charged just the month before . . . .

Cunning Plan · October 12, 2006, 06:38:23 AM

even if the battery is screwed it should still start by jumping from another car as the caddy will take the power straight from the car thats jumping before it even enters the battery.. sounds alot like a stickey starter, could happen too as its getting colder and hasnt moved for a while..

Quoting: Roadkill

Anyone got any ideas ?

wack starter with BFH, Take battery earth off, clean mounting, put back on... Spray mahoosive amounts of carb/intake cleaner into carb, jump from another car..