wayne taylor Posted March 9, 2013 Report Share Posted March 9, 2013 Try not to laugh but I'm not sure about jump starting the TR! My main car is -ve earth, the Tr is +ve earth, which jump lead goes where please? Second dull Q: I bought one of those wood and polished aluminium steering wheels with associated polished ali boss. The horn button is a plastic affair which has a depressable button in the middle and a small (1cm wide) metal strip attached to its backside. In the boss recess, I have re-inserted the original spring loaded brass rod which presumably connects to the back plate inside the steering column. Is this back plate +ve earth? Does the metal strip on the back of the horn have to fit directly over the spring loaded rod inside the boss to make contact when depressed? (Presumably when you depress the horn, this makes contact with the brass spring loaded rod and 'earths' it to the ali boss thus making the cct? There doesn't seem to be a guide mark to ensure the little metal strip is sitting directly over the brass spring loaded rod. Is it down to guesswork when you press home the horn button into the ali boss? Thanks for being so patient and NOT smiling Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted March 9, 2013 Report Share Posted March 9, 2013 (edited) Good question, and in your position I'd be headscratching too ! I wouldn't even chance it, I'd disconnect the battery on the main car and then use the jumpleads - hate to think how much electronics you could fry otherwise. As for the horn, you have the principle, and the appropriate cynical approach - aftermarket steering wheels can be a bit hit and miss when it comes to trying to induce the horn to function, probably one reason why there are so many on ebay. Patience is a virtue. Cheers Alec PS - there are no idiotic questions, only idiotic answers. If you don't know, but need to know, the question is entirely reasonable, whatever it might be. The answer might be obvious to someone else, but that just means they've been there before - and you haven't. Edited March 9, 2013 by Alec Pringle Quote Link to post Share on other sites
foster461 Posted March 9, 2013 Report Share Posted March 9, 2013 For the steering wheel, the aftermarket boss horm mechanisms all seem to be made the same way with just that small strip to align with the spring rod. A popular modification is to replace that strip on the back of the center insert with a circle of thin copper plate that is just smaller than the diamer of the back of the insert. That way there is always a connection with the spring rod. I got my copper plate from the local hardware store, I think it is used for roof/gutter repairs and it was a 10 minute modification. Stan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR 2100 Posted March 9, 2013 Report Share Posted March 9, 2013 +ve to +ve and -ve to -ve Regardless of the polarity of the car. AlanR Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BrianC Posted March 9, 2013 Report Share Posted March 9, 2013 Alan, That's only part of the story if using a modern car as the 'starter'. Process varies from car to car, ranging from "don't do it" to make sure you connect the leads in a particular sequence. Check the handbook and/or Haynes manual for the 'starter' car and do not under any circumstances allow body contact (between the cars, that is!) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peejay4A Posted March 9, 2013 Report Share Posted March 9, 2013 (edited) ...What Alan said but don't let the two cars touch each other. (BrianC was typing as I was) Wayne, post a photo of the back of your steering wheel centre cap. They vary. Edited March 9, 2013 by peejay4A Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted March 9, 2013 Report Share Posted March 9, 2013 A guy I work with runs a classic Mercedes. The battery went flat. He asked me for a jump-start. Years back, before electronics got into cars I would have done this without a thought. On inspection the Merc had a massive battery. And a huge Diesel engine with mechanical injection. But I have a set of really good jump-leads and so with fear in my heart brought up my "modern" Mondeo. You got the positive to positive bit and the bit about the cars not touching. Here are a few other things. Connecting one lead is risk free. Wnen you go to connect the second one just touch it rather than clamping it. If you have made a mistake and get a big spark you can escape. There will be only a small spark or none at all when do it right. Then make a proper joint. Make absolutely sure that the leads wont come unclipped. Sometimes its better to connect one lead to the body than the battery. This depends on the shape and position of the terminals. I always start the engine on the car doing the charging, after I have connected the leads Wait about 5mins if possible before trying to start the other car. During this time the running engine is knocking charge into the dead battery. This reduces the volt drop you get in your cables. The Merc started at once by the way and the Mondeo survived. Al. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted March 9, 2013 Report Share Posted March 9, 2013 If the modern is post 2009 dont even think about it as it could be a very expensive exercise.ECU`s on anything later are very susceptible to any sort of voltage spike and at around £1500 a throw not to be recommended. Cheaper to go to the likes of Halfords etc and buy a jump pack just for those sort of occasions. Stuart.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JANA Posted March 9, 2013 Report Share Posted March 9, 2013 Good advice Stuart! Bob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ianc Posted March 9, 2013 Report Share Posted March 9, 2013 The 4-pot TRs are very easy to start on the handle (if you have a starting handle and a radiator with the hole) or to bump start. On a level road, I have bump-started both a TR2 and a TR4 on my own (and I am a small guy) - the car needs scarcely to be moving when one hops in, engages 2nd gear and drops the clutch (ignition switched on, of course)! One winter in the early 1960s, I started my TR2 every morning using the handle - as there was snow on the ground and temperature was just below zero, I had to splay my feet to get a grip on the ground! Ian Cornish Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted March 9, 2013 Report Share Posted March 9, 2013 I am with Stuart really. These modern battery packs work and last very well. And are ALMOST "risk-free". This is my favourite one. http://www.clarketooling.co.uk/cgi-bin/sh000002.pl?REFPAGE=http%3a%2f%2fwww.clarketooling.co.uk%2fcgi-bin%2fss000002.pl%3fpage%3dsearch%26SS%3dbattery%26search.x%3d5%26search.y%3d7%26PR%3d-1%26TB%3dA&WD=battery%20pack&PN=Jump_Starts.html%23a6240010#a6240010 Al. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted March 9, 2013 Report Share Posted March 9, 2013 I would love to see a - 'lesser spotted splay footed Cornish' Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MikeF Posted March 9, 2013 Report Share Posted March 9, 2013 Good question, and in your position I'd be headscratching too ! I wouldn't even chance it, I'd disconnect the battery on the main car and then use the jumpleads - hate to think how much electronics you could fry otherwise. A small word of caution: be careful about disconnecting battery on modern cars, depending on age of modern you are likely to upset the car radio and possibly the alarm/locking systems. Check to see if you have necessary pin code and/or know how to reset alarm system first! MIke Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wayne taylor Posted March 9, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2013 Thanks guys. I'll leave it, methinks! Don't want my other 'baby' damaged (BMW M3). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted March 9, 2013 Report Share Posted March 9, 2013 I would! ECU`s on them are particularly expensive and there's more than one as well. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MikeF Posted March 9, 2013 Report Share Posted March 9, 2013 I would! ECU`s on them are particularly expensive and there's more than one as well. Stuart. And you have to change the keys as they are paired to ECU! Perhaps just buy a new battery and one of those Q tek trickle charger conditioners Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ntc Posted March 9, 2013 Report Share Posted March 9, 2013 It depends on which M3 is the battery in the boot? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wayne taylor Posted March 10, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2013 yes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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