Frustrating battery issues

[something_wild]

Hi guys, i have a strange one...well to me anyway. I'm hoping it's something minor that someone can clear up for me.

About a year and a half ago, i had an alarm, turbo timer (yes, unnecessary but it was a gift), and muti gauge installed in my HSG. For a while everything was sweet, then one day it wouldn't start, gauge/alarm/TT all flashing and going haywire. Turned out to be a dodgy bat terminal. All good for a while, but if i didn't have the terminal on a particular spot on the battery (sounds weird i know), the TT would not work, and get this, the idle would be thrown off (it was the same sort of feeling as if the afm was playing up). But as i said, if i fiddled around with the terminal long enough, TT would work and idle would be fine!?!?!

NOW, i picked my car up from Springy yesterday (great workshop, nothing to do with them) and it looks as though they cleaned my battery terminal as it was a bit dirty.... i personally was reluctant to clean/move it as to not throw anything off like i explained before, and EVERYTHING has gone haywire worse than before! I had the TT switching on and off randomly on my way home, the f**king ALARM SIREN GOING OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING, and to top it off, once i got it home and had no choice but to disconnect the troublesome terminal, the idle is all out of whack again, alarm is cactus, and the TT is doing all sorts of BS...on/off/no buttons working etc....and no matter how long i fiddle with the terminal, i can't get it back to normal as i used to be able to do. SO FRUSTRATING!

Car is just sitting in the garage now...i am at a loss.

Any sort of advice would be HUGELY appreciated!!

SW.

 

[Gianni]

Have u tried putting a new terminal on to see if that helps.
Ive never seen that before.

Turbo timer alarm run off constant power relays maybe Coz tt and guage are aftermarket there is an issue with wiring so check how they have wired it. They might have somehow run it off the same as the imoboliser and alarm. Check all the wiring.

Never seen that problem before but if it was happening in my car that's the first thing I'd do. Check wiring and new terminal. I'm thinking more the terminal. Like u said needs to be in the right spot. So whilst car is running the terminal might vibrate slightly killing power but jumping back in before engine stalls. Then Coz the power is out guages and imoboliser alarm keep resetting

 

[JayRome]

check the ground connection to the body of the car.... also check voltage at the battery and at the TT, who knows your Alt could be cooking everything......

where are you in melb?

 

[mannynz]

yes, check you main ground connection.

 

[something_wild]

Thanks guys, did a bit of research and turns out the batter/rough idle issue is quite common....seems once disconnected, it has to 'learn' the idle setting etc again. I never knew this, but many have discussed it on other car forums.

I regards to the terminal replacement, i will defo do this, plus get someone (i am crap electrical wise) to check wiring to see what's running off what. I'm assuming the TT is running off the same wiring as alarm, as they work together-i can remotely lock the car while it is still running then once the TT cycle is finished and car turns off, then alarm arms.

JayRome, i'm in the s.e burbs dude. If all this fails, are you pretty good with this stuff?? There is a slab of your choice if you're up for having a look some time!

 

[something_wild]

Dirty terminal....so simple/so stupid.
Any way of avoiding this, any batterys or connections I can buy so this never happens. I can't stand the rough idle issues, scares me lol

 

[milkandoj]

If its dirty with acid, clean it with bi carb soda and a brush.
If the electrolyte seeps up the terminal you can buy a paste that slows and neutralises it, it costs like a dollar to two form the car shops. Its often blue.

 

[4piknup]

its just vasoline with some colour in it

 

[bazeng]

Have you sorted it yet mate?

Reterminate the thing mate. If you want it to be flash, go to JAYCAR and purchase some pretty gold plated stuff.

 

[something_wild]

Sorted thanks guys, yep cleaned, sandpapered and that blue stuff used in good dosage in and around terminal!
Hopefully can avoid the same issue, but ideally, a whole revamp of my wiring is in order....alarm and tt like to s**t themselves at any small amount of battery drama, and it ain't pretty as explained above. Nothing worse than the tt switching itself off, then the car still running when ignition turned off! Forced stall is the only solution WORST