Battery+metal thing= no more electrics!
Turbo Mini Forums

OK after spending till early this morning replacing a drive flange and CV with stripped splines, I get into the carpark this morning and the engine starts running rough. It tried to stall then finally does half way through the barrier. Wont start so I push it into a space with a few onlookers giggling. I have no power and by the noise it was making when it stoppped I'm thinking I've spun a bearing. I left the car and came back to find smoke comming out of my boot! My fancy wheel brace has dislodged from its unsually safe place and touched both terminals of the battery! So I have lights, wippers, and tails lights but the solinoid for the starter wont kick, I have no indicators and I have no lights on my dash. What a great day to start the day. I am about to sell up and buy a Clio 182 or something non Mini after the string of late nights and grazed knuckles I've had. I can't see any blown fuses or melted wires but a lot of things aren't working. Please tell me I wont need a new loom! Someone ressurect my faith in Minis quick! At least there wasn't a large fire in the carpark as a result!

Shorting across the battery shouldn't have damaged the wiring loom, however there is definately something up!

I'd start by getting a continuity tester, and check the main battery cable that goes under the car for continuity along its length, and also resistance down to earth.
Also check the earth strap from the battery to the bodyshell for continuity.
After that it gets more involved, but as a starter for 10 I'd look at the solenoid and the wires going from it, as these supply the rest of the loom.

Ok, in my stupidity I have breifly touched terminals in the past but I'm talking about contact for about 10 minutes here. The water was bubbling out of the battery. Wheel brace was welded onto the terminals. I'll borrow a multimeter from work and see what the story is at lunch. Not leaving the car in the carpark overnight though, as it was there was glass all over my parking space this morning.

I assume you have put a new battery on?

Fastest 998 mini in the world? 13.05 1/4 mile 106mph

Havent changed the battery yet, I'm at work but theres a Halfords near by. I tried it there and I got a bit of a whir from the starter. Lights come on bright but dim under cranking. I'd say the batterys junk now after all that. It must have been cooking. Its just the fact that some things work and some things don't that worries me! Thanks guys!

Pop a new battery on and see what it is like then......

Haha if you see a hunchback going down the road its me with a battery on my back. Its about 10 minute walk but I'll maybe chat up some of the girls here and get a lift. Fingers crossed.

Ive had this happen. I had to replace the battery then all was OK.

If the engine was runing it may have damged the alternator you can check when you put the battery back ?

1293 Turbo mini

Well I push started it and drove it in my lunch hour to get it charged. The ignition light went out when it started so I assume so far that it is charging. The (slackish) fan belt was squealing when it started too so that sounds OK. But it turns over very slow and sometimes it doesn't have enough power to start. So I might get time to thro another battery in tonight. Thing is the indicators are no longer with me and the dash lights are out. Fuses are ok so i'll have to get the tester out tonight. All this after I just spent to early in the morning replacing my nearly new drive flanges and CVs because the splines were damaged. The wheel bearings were on the way out and there was enought slack to chew the splines. So whats next? Thanks fellas.

Right no bother, I had a look at it last night and found the indicators, dash lights and everything working. It starts OK now too and seems to hold charge OK. So I have no idea what happen or how it fixed itself! Well thats OK with me anyway. Right thanks for your help then.

often when a battery if heavely discharged the lead plate overheat and distort, this can get to the point where some of the cells plates touch and short out, each cell that shorts will lower the output of the batery 1.5v(ish).

Back in my (mispent) youth I was pissing around with a motorbike batery, managed to short it out and couldnt disconect it, when I did get it disconected the gas from the battery (hydrogen) ignited and the fucker exploded! hot acid everywhere! Luckly I had a hose pipe to hand, and no neighbours to see me stripping off.....