75ZT Community

The battery in our 75 has just given up. I probably shouldn't have left it for nearly 2 weeks unused.

It is the original battery, nearly 10 years old. I'm disappointed it didn't make it for a while longer like the one in the Transit featured in 'The Last Train'. That one was 50 years old when it started the truck.

Ford must use a better quality than Rover did.

I bought a top of the range calcium battery for mine 12 months ago and just took it back to be tested, the guy who came out with the tester said on his way out to the car "we never have any problems with these it will be something discharging the battery "
I told him it had already been tested for discharge and that the alternator was fine and when he tested it he decided it was faulty after all so i got a replacement, so 10 years is looking good Bernard !

Not only was the 50 year life of the battery on that transit pretty amazing, so was the quality of the rubber in the tyres / belts / hoses, and whatever fuel was in the tank. Just another time I shouted at the telly.

It almost spoiled the story for me, otherwise I thought it very good.

Trebor wrote:I told him it had already been tested for discharge

I thought as much

Since I do not drive Samarkand much (since I got her actually as sometimes she wouldn't be driven for a month or so), I had to change the battery 5 years after I got her (done in 2005).
After I was sent to Egypt in 2009, I get to drive her even less (2000 km per year!). I had to change the battery for the 2nd time, in 2010...

Battery on the ZT is original I believe? So now 7 years old. I've had it on trickle charge since begining of December, it's held its charge and turned over as and when required but not turned any miles of note.

Like most things in life if you get a good one - great; if a bad one!!!

Bernard wrote:The battery in our 75 has just given up. I probably shouldn't have left it for nearly 2 weeks unused.

It is the original battery, nearly 10 years old. I'm disappointed it didn't make it for a while longer like the one in the Transit featured in 'The Last Train'. That one was 50 years old when it started the truck.

Ford must use a better quality than Rover did.

I think the problem relates to all 'modern' cars consuming vast amounts of current, to a lesser extent when switched off, and the heavy demand on start up, especially on a diesel. Years ago, a car would probably start on a seriously discharged battery and if really flat, by using the starting handle. Jules recently told me how many amps are taken just by the ECUs and that's without HRW, Air-con, etc. Some cars will not start, even if the battery is showing just under 12 volts, possibly because voltage drop is associated with a vehicle being stolen and the ECU (Engine Control Unit) immobilizes the engine. A fully charged battery should show 12 to 13 volts and to confirm the Alternator is charging, you should see about 15 volts with the engine running.

I often don't use my car for a while, especially in the winter, so I stick it on charge for a few hours at the weekend. To avoid keep taking off the battery cover, I have fitted a couple of Maplin's sockets, which allow easy access for charging and battery testing (see my book The 'Companion' in the 'Know How Forum' for a full explanation and illustration).

Roverite.

My Rover 75 has the M47R diesel engine,the car was registered on the 17th April 2002,so this year on the 17th April the battery will be 11 years old and still going strong. I hope the battery makes it to the 17th,there are times when I do not use the car for long periods of time, I mean weeks, or even months, but the battery keeps on going. Hope I can get 11 years from this battery
shy talk.