roKWiz 898 Posted March 15, 2019 Got back where I'm staying, turned engine off. Went to restart and nothing (weak ign lights showing, no real clicking noises from starter or solenoid) Fair enough I'll check the battery. Volts 10.5V must be dead cell or old. So I'm waiting for another battery (battery removed to check, recharged but will not hold charge (back down to 10.5V) ........... but in the meantime I just gave it a little key turn (before I removed the battery) and the speedo needle keeps shooting up to 50km/h when I turn the ignition key to start. Is this normal as I've never seen it happen before. 93' van 4.1 crossy, carby, auto Tried a new starter motor I had so its not that, alternator fine. Appreciate some feedback on the speedo needle jump. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deankxf 20,231 Posted March 15, 2019 rings a bell, pretty sure i've seen that also. not sure why. but i'd check the earths and connections just in case on the battery to earth, battery to starter and charging wire. that charging wire i've had DIE or DEAD on arrival(bought cars that didn't charge) a few times.. a couple of cars i'd bought had additional wires fitted from alt to battery. so consider changing that charge wire.. just to be sure. (i never cut one open to see if it was broken, just accepted it must be stuffed.. bolt another on) 1 roKWiz reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roKWiz 898 Posted March 15, 2019 Yeah thanks deankdx, I did have a check of the wiring around the starter and battery terminals, under the dash, relays and fuses but can not place the charge wire your referring to. Alternator to battery wire ? 1 deankxf reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deankxf 20,231 Posted March 15, 2019 sorry for slow reply, yes alternator to battery. cant remember if it goes through the fusible link, if so, the issue could be due to that also(bad connection, remove and replug it several times and may come good for a while if not ok when testing.) 1 roKWiz reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Polson 10,214 Posted March 15, 2019 I've seen it happen before, the Speedo needle thing that is. Never knew what caused it.Both my XFs have a wire going straight from back of alt to battery positive to add direct charge to the battery. One of them never used to have it, and it struggled to keep the battery charged. 2 roKWiz and deankxf reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bear351c 10,260 Posted March 15, 2019 Big thick yellow wire.? I have had fusable link wire corrode inside, (go all crusty and green) from years of heat cycling and vapours from the battrey mixed with moisture. 2 roKWiz and deankxf reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SPArKy_Dave 8,828 Posted March 15, 2019 Falcon speedometers work by receiving a pulsed AC signal from the variable reluctance transducer in the side of the gearbox. (generates a small AC voltage signal of varying frequency) Car batteries act as a large capacitor to absorb AC ripple voltage from the vehicles alternator. If the battery is not functioning correctly, it can't absorb/dampen any errant AC (ripple) voltage created by the Alternator at low revolutions. This AC voltage is induced into the vehicle wiring, causing the Speedo to briefly display a reading. Failing rectifier diodes inside the alternator can also cause issues, especially on modern fuel injected vehicles with VR type Crank Angle sensors, etc. I would check there are no partially shorted diodes in the alternator - this would cause an unwanted drain on the battery. 2 macman and roKWiz reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roKWiz 898 Posted March 15, 2019 Thanks so much everyone with your information. I'll check around those yellow wires from the alternator, (they were a bit frayed looking) before I grab the battery and report back. I'm in one of those towns where the local mechanic / battery seller / Feed lot store is only open Monday to Friday. Battery looked pretty old and might have suffered from overcharging as the water levels were below the plates. My fault for not checking early. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roKWiz 898 Posted March 18, 2019 Yep battery was stuffed. Got the train into Albury on Sunday where Autobarn had a sale on Aussie Century stuff so score $50 off, lunch at the station and train-ed (15kg) it back. Fortunately the alternator is fine and charging within spec. Some wiring terminals replaced as well. Replaced the battery to Alt. earth cable as it was a bit tight. re. the speedo needle, I've learnt something new. Thanks everyone. 3 macman, deankxf and bear351c reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deankxf 20,231 Posted March 18, 2019 My gemini diesel battery died recently also(700cca truck batery), cold weather will test the battery condition. it didn't hold a charge, finished at 12.8v perfect, but sat for 2 days and back to 10V.. stuffed. currently using a $25 wrecker battery from a falcodore 500cca, does the job but i'll be looking for a better replacement soon as i can afford one. good to hear it was only the battery.. on the road again Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SPArKy_Dave 8,828 Posted March 18, 2019 8 hours ago, roKWiz said: Yep battery was stuffed. Replaced the battery to Alt. earth cable as it was a bit tight. Looks fancy! Century batteries are the only car batteries still made in Australia. It's the wrong one for an XF though - that's why the negative lead is/was tight. That looks like a 57MF Commodore battery. XK-XF Falcon, have the terminals on the opposite side (mirror image). The Century catalogue listings seem to be incorrect for x-series - they list a 57EF MF (EF/EL battery) for the entire x-series range. The closest I can find, would be a 58MF (EA Falcon battery) - which has the correct ledge for the battery clamp, plus correct terminal orientation, but not the XF style - bolt through terminals. The correct battery in Exide is 53C, and NS50 was the Century part no. Century and Exide don't seem to list a correct battery for x-series anymore! 1 roKWiz reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deankxf 20,231 Posted March 18, 2019 2 hours ago, SPArKy_Dave said: It's the wrong one for an XF though - that's why the negative lead is/was tight. That looks like a 57MF Commodore battery. now it can take either.. i modded the petrol gemini to take either a falcon or commodore battery.. issue with some of the ford batteries is they don't have the lip on the bottom for the XF clamp. because they use a "short circuit clamp" *(metal bar running along the middle of the battery close to wires and posts) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roKWiz 898 Posted March 19, 2019 16 hours ago, SPArKy_Dave said: Looks fancy! Century batteries are the only car batteries still made in Australia. It's the wrong one for an XF though - that's why the negative lead is/was tight. That looks like a 57MF Commodore battery. XK-XF Falcon, have the terminals on the opposite side (mirror image). The Century catalogue listings seem to be incorrect for x-series - they list a 57EF MF (EF/EL battery) for the entire x-series range. The closest I can find, would be a 58MF (EA Falcon battery) - which has the correct ledge for the battery clamp, plus correct terminal orientation, but not the XF style - bolt through terminals. Yep it is a 57 MF and knew It would have the posts on the wrong side but it was the only Century that size with 560 CCA available at the time. The old battery had a really short tight negative lead anyway which I wanted to replace so decided to do it this way. I was more concerned about the inside of the bonnet hitting the Neg battery post but bought some rubber post covers as well. (not shown) I like the Aussie made Century's 2 SPArKy_Dave and deankxf reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Polson 10,214 Posted March 19, 2019 Looks fancy! Century batteries are the only car batteries still made in Australia. It's the wrong one for an XF though - that's why the negative lead is/was tight. That looks like a 57MF Commodore battery. XK-XF Falcon, have the terminals on the opposite side (mirror image). The Century catalogue listings seem to be incorrect for x-series - they list a 57EF MF (EF/EL battery) for the entire x-series range. The closest I can find, would be a 58MF (EA Falcon battery) - which has the correct ledge for the battery clamp, plus correct terminal orientation, but not the XF style - bolt through terminals. The correct battery in Exide is 53C, and NS50 was the Century part no. Century and Exide don't seem to list a correct battery for x-series anymore! [/img] False Dave. Century are the only company that make batteries in Australia, but they also make quite a few batteries for other brand names.Both SCA and Repco batteries are Century, mostly Aussie made batteries in different coloured cases with different stickers.And correct on no battery to suit X series - they no longer provide holes in any of their terminals. 2 roKWiz and SPArKy_Dave reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SPArKy_Dave 8,828 Posted March 19, 2019 1 hour ago, Mr Polson said: False Dave. Both SCA and Repco batteries are Century, mostly Aussie made batteries in different coloured cases with different stickers. And correct on no battery to suit X series - they no longer provide holes in any of their terminals. Which part is false? Yeah, they also make the current crop of Ford Motorcraft batteries too! (used to be Exide, before Marshall bought the brand, and moved production offshore) I guess they expect us to grind a flat edge, and drill the terminal holes now? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deankxf 20,231 Posted March 19, 2019 2 hours ago, SPArKy_Dave said: I guess they expect us to grind a flat edge, and drill the terminal holes now? or buy brass hose clamps with decent wire.. My spotlights had almost as good wire as the factory engine earth lead. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Polson 10,214 Posted March 19, 2019 Which part is false? Yeah, they also make the current crop of Ford Motorcraft batteries too! (used to be Exide, before Marshall bought the brand, and moved production offshore) I guess they expect us to grind a flat edge, and drill the terminal holes now? That Century batteries are the only Australian made ones. The way you worded it makes it sound like only the yellow and blue batteries that Century are Aus made, whereas many other brands also are, by Century for someone else. I asked our Century rep once, and his answer was something along the the lines of just sell the customer a terminal as well if they've still got a bolt through type connection at the battery. If you grind and/or drill it your warranty is void. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roKWiz 898 Posted March 20, 2019 Yep, the Supercheap auto's one I pulled out had, supplied by Century on the side of it. I did notice in their PDF catalogue that some of the later AGM and red top ones are made elsewhere. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SPArKy_Dave 8,828 Posted March 20, 2019 7 hours ago, Mr Polson said: I asked our Century rep once, and his answer was something along the the lines of just sell the customer a terminal as well if they've still got a bolt through type connection at the battery. Yeah, tell em that won't fly with the concours guys. 2 roKWiz and bear351c reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites