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Battery and speedo

 
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romadog2004
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 7:20 pm    Post subject: Battery and speedo Reply with quote

If you dont drive your 50th much , do so as the battery drains from the allarm etc. I jumped into mine this evening and she started like an old 3.5 with oil like tar! She turned over a couple of times but very sluggishly. The idea is to let the fuel pump get up to pressure to make sure fuel gets to where its needed before she dies.I have been using her but the last time was in the dark with heater stereo and ofcourse lights on. Now that shes had a run shes fine but i will trickle charge her at the weekend to top the battery up properly as i dont fancy having to get a new alternator aswell !! Especially as the ones on ebay recently, by sods law,wont be available!!

On drive home the numbers on the digital display of the speedo started flashing from their correct form to only showing certain bits of each number. Has anyone had this problem before ??
I dont think its a bad connection as going over bumps in the road didnt seem to affect this behaviour.
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Ads90



Joined: 02 Feb 2005
Posts: 290
Location: Gloucestershire

PostPosted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 9:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mine has to go up to a week at a time without being run - and then it can sometimes be short trips, but so far it starts well (touching wood) and soon warms up... I had a 3.5 rangie a few years back which struggled to last a week not driven in the winter - I just presume the battery and alternator are working well on the 90, and were maybe a bit worn on the RR?
You could try one of those solar trickle chargers, which might help?
I had been thinking about getting one of these inside & outside temperature guages - this one comes with a battery voltage monitor - http://www1.uk.conrad.com/scripts/wgate/zcop_uk/~flN0YXRlPTEyOTQ2MjE2MjQ=?~template=PCAT_AREA_S_BROWSE&glb_user_js=Y&shop=UK&p_init_ipc=X&~cookies=1
This might give you an idea of whether it's your battery or alternator?
(Sorry - I don't know how to make links look tidy!).

And funny you should mention the flickering odometer - I had this about a month ago just after zeroing the milage at a petrol station - it flickered for the whole journy and I thought it must be broken, but after stopping and starting again it was back to normal, and hasn't happened since...
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Bush Tucker Man
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 10:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry, I can't help but butt in here Embarassed

Is the 'Def-50th' speedometer an electrical one?,or just the odometer like the one in my Heritage???

Are they ivory dials?? (like mine), I can't remember Embarassed
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Ads90



Joined: 02 Feb 2005
Posts: 290
Location: Gloucestershire

PostPosted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 11:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The 50th's speedo is a normal black analogue (albiet electronicly controlled), it's just the odometer thats digital... same as normal defenders (since late 90s?).
I take it the Heritage is the same but with a white (ivory) background then Richard?
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Allan
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 1:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mine has been doing that for almost a year now.

The LCD odometer flickers to unintelligable figures briefly and similarly doesnt seem to be related to bumps.

I haven't tracked it down absolutely but i can say the following...

Its not the ECU, which controls the odometer, as i had it changed for other reasons and it still does the same.

It seems to be less of a problem with the lights on.

I've had a look at the wiring diagram and i suspect it is the earth point that needs cleaning. I think it is located in the front wing though i need to investigate...

It's an irritation but i've not got around to sorting it out as it doesnt cause me too many problems.

If any one has a solution then please post as I would be interested to find out especially if its an easy one...

Very Happy
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Bush Tucker Man
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 9:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ads90 wrote:
The 50th's speedo is a normal black analogue (albiet electronicly controlled), it's just the odometer thats digital... same as normal defenders (since late 90s?).
I take it the Heritage is the same but with a white (ivory) background then Richard?


Yes, they're ivory with green/red digits & a chrome bezel.
I still wonder (ever since the NAS 90 & 110 came out) why LR never placed the tachometer in the logical place next to the speedometer, instead of hiding it at the end.

Sorry, Land Rover & logic Confused Confused
They're not really synonymous are they???? Laughing


Hope these links work for you all (include instrument binnacle).
LR's Only thread

Image
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Ads90



Joined: 02 Feb 2005
Posts: 290
Location: Gloucestershire

PostPosted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 9:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice dials!
They would look good in a 50th too!
Looks like the odo on those is larger than ours (maybe the later version - are they all like that now?) - the digits on the 50th's are tiny - you have to poke your nose through the wheel to read them!
They do remind me of TVR ones too.

PS - Don't think there's any reason why you can't change the order of the dials in the binnicle if you wanted? You may just have to re-arrange or extend some of the wires...
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Bush Tucker Man
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 9:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ads90 wrote:
Nice dials!
They do remind me of TVR ones too.


Yes, very reminiscent of the Griffith
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Ads90



Joined: 02 Feb 2005
Posts: 290
Location: Gloucestershire

PostPosted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 11:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

And the early Chimaeras...
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Simon Whitaker



Joined: 21 Nov 2004
Posts: 494
Location: Giggleswick, North Yorkshire

PostPosted: Wed Jan 18, 2006 9:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi

Battery
Mine did the same - only lasted a week or so - put it down to exhausted original battery - replaced it with an Optima Red - been as good as gold since.

Odo
Does the same - got a feeling its damp - mine clears once the vehicle has warmed up.

Hope this helps

Simon
#149[/u]
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romadog2004
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 18, 2006 6:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Simon,it seems as though the speedo fault is a connection problem somewhere-all the wires enter via one plug and the illumination is ok but that has a different earth wire ! I'll try the heater job as i didnt have this on before as i was trying to conserve battery usage !
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defender50th
Site Admin


Joined: 14 Nov 2004
Posts: 1520
Location: Hampshire

PostPosted: Wed Jan 18, 2006 10:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi,

If you dont drive your 50th often then its best to get a battery conditioner. Mine is always pluged into one, it monitors that battery and when it drops below 95% it will pulse the battery back to 100%. It will keep a good battery in good condition. I leave mine for weeks or months without starting and it fires first time.

You can get them here:
http://www.hamiltonclassic.co.uk/ProductInformation/BatteryCareCTEK.htm

Best regards

James
GB 002
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romadog2004
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 6:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good idea James ,but mine is outside when laid up. Easier when shes all snuggle in her own boudoir eh ?!!
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