Just broke down
09-04-2004, 04:55 AM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Just broke down
Just been out for a blast, enjoying what may be the only summer we get this year.
Pulled up at a level crossing and followed the advice on the little signs "Switch off engine, stop pollution"
So I am sat at the front of the queue, engine off, stereo on (but not very loud let me add) minding my own business.
Train number 1 comes past and barrier stays down. Train number 2 comes past and barrier still down. There had, infact, been a failure with the barrier and it was staying down no matter what, but I didn't know this at the time.
So I decide enough is enough and go for the little red button, but you've guessed it already, not enough charge in the battery to turn the engine over.
Now this is damn embarassing as several MX5's, MGF's and Z3's go by (they were weaving inbetween the barriers).
Call out Britannia Rescue who arrive in 15 mins (Fair play fellas, I was in the middle of nowhere and it is Saturday afternoon).
First thing mechanic says is "That's a bloody small battery for a big engine".
Anyway all's well that ends well and car starts no problems.
Moral of story - Don't have your stereo on when the engine is off, I was only stopped for about 8 - 10 mins.
Gives me a good excuse to go and drive around for the next hour or so to charge the thing back up again though.
Pulled up at a level crossing and followed the advice on the little signs "Switch off engine, stop pollution"
So I am sat at the front of the queue, engine off, stereo on (but not very loud let me add) minding my own business.
Train number 1 comes past and barrier stays down. Train number 2 comes past and barrier still down. There had, infact, been a failure with the barrier and it was staying down no matter what, but I didn't know this at the time.
So I decide enough is enough and go for the little red button, but you've guessed it already, not enough charge in the battery to turn the engine over.
Now this is damn embarassing as several MX5's, MGF's and Z3's go by (they were weaving inbetween the barriers).
Call out Britannia Rescue who arrive in 15 mins (Fair play fellas, I was in the middle of nowhere and it is Saturday afternoon).
First thing mechanic says is "That's a bloody small battery for a big engine".
Anyway all's well that ends well and car starts no problems.
Moral of story - Don't have your stereo on when the engine is off, I was only stopped for about 8 - 10 mins.
Gives me a good excuse to go and drive around for the next hour or so to charge the thing back up again though.
09-04-2004, 05:00 AM
#2
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 14,723
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Top Tip #2: If your battery does run down due to leaving the lights/radio on for a while, wait 15 minutes with everything switched off and try again before calling out the recovery company 
It will probably fix itself.
It will probably fix itself.
09-04-2004, 05:01 AM
#3
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Englefield Green
Posts: 4,278
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Unless your running a monster ICE system ,you should get more than 10 mins out of the battery ,sounds like it could be on the way out ,might be an idea to get it checked
09-04-2004, 05:07 AM
#4
Registered User
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by MrV,Sep 4 2004, 01:01 PM
Unless your running a monster ICE system ,you should get more than 10 mins out of the battery ,sounds like it could be on the way out ,might be an idea to get it checked
Is in for a service this month, so will ask them to look at it.
Tried the leave it for 10 mins trick aswell, but that didn't work.
09-04-2004, 11:40 AM
#6
Registered User
Thread Starter
Yeah, I wasn't in a rush and it was a nice day so I took it in good humour.
The funniest thing was that the car still managed to be cool even though it had broken down.
These 2 young guys in a white van stopped and offered to help me push it to the side of the road and they kept on saying "Honda S2000, Honda S2000 !!"
They were happy just to have pushed it, nevermind have a go in it.
The funniest thing was that the car still managed to be cool even though it had broken down.
These 2 young guys in a white van stopped and offered to help me push it to the side of the road and they kept on saying "Honda S2000, Honda S2000 !!"
They were happy just to have pushed it, nevermind have a go in it.
Trending Topics
09-05-2004, 03:51 AM
#8
That has got to be a first looking cool whilst pushing a broken down car 
At least it was nothing to serious and no damage was done. I have a large ICE install and this does concern me a little.
Thought about a larger battery then decided sod it - the amount of CO2 produced leaving the engine running is a drop in the ocean compared to all the cows farting!
At least it was nothing to serious and no damage was done. I have a large ICE install and this does concern me a little. Thought about a larger battery then decided sod it - the amount of CO2 produced leaving the engine running is a drop in the ocean compared to all the cows farting!
09-05-2004, 04:05 AM
#9
Registered User
Can't remember the exact figures but to be honest there isn't much point turning your engine off unless your stationary for a LONG time. It's something daft like you use the equivalent of 20 minutes of idling petrol just to start the engine.
When the engine doesn't have any load on it you use
all fuel
When the engine doesn't have any load on it you use
all fuel