Ok, in response to my previous thread this evening.. " Sudden plague of electrical problems"

I took the car to halfrauds and they tested the battery, all was "ok" and i went to start the car and it was dead. DanDan was only up the road and came and jump started the car for me so i took it over and parked it outside his shop.

20mins later tried to start it again and it was dead. Jumped it again and it died again. Then skate2create turned up to help. (Another Dan)

So, car was started driving slowly through town (no electrics on) with DanDan in front (hazzards on) and Dan behind (also hazzards on)

Went over a crossroad and the car died with blue smoke coming out the exhaust! So, jumped it again and half a mile up the road and that was it.... it dead completely so had to ditch it onto the path.

Hooked it up to DanDan's car and was slowly pulled home with Dan behind. (this made me feel sick to the bone)

Had my hazzards on and the electrics were having a fit! Hazzards were flashing faster then disco lights!

While all this was happening cars were overtaking and having a good look as DanDan was only able to drive in first gear up hill! Even the police had a good look! (Proper TOP GEAR moment)

Eventually got home and pushed the poor car onto the drive!

This has to of been one of the worst drives and things i've ever had to do!

Although DanDan coupe did a brilliant job of pulling and Dan (skate2create) did a good job of warning other traffic!

Many thanks to you both I'd be lost without!!

Pictures and videos coming in abit!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJVCUufEJ34 Video of being pulled!

for it to be going like that i would say the alternator is dead. the battery is running the car with no charge and under voltage.
I had a mr2 alt die on me and the car run for a bit progressivey loosing more and more electronics, and then making shorter and shorter hops after a jump start

the blue smoke? week spark or some unburned fuel of oil getting chucked in to the exhaust and slowly burning off?
but im no expert on these things

sorry to here you have had suck a rubbish afternoon. although the top gear style vid or a coupe pulling a coupe had me in stitches

Was a very interesting end to my day. Did not like towing you one bit, especially when you thought i was going to brake, and you pulled your handbrake and it jerked my car backwards as i was pulling you, eeek! That crack noise was LOUD! Must have been the towing eye on your car as your towing hook was bent anyway!

Thanks Dan (Create2skate) once again for bringing down the Tow rope and escorting us through Stamford and up the hill. More than the local police decided to do Suppose they had better things to do like watch us all driving at 5mph up a hill with our hazards on! haha

Matt. You should buy a 20v as you have had no end of problems with your 16v. Your engine seems shot and you need a thermo, alternator and battery before you uncover any other problems and its just not worth it. You should just sell your car with the title "needs new engine and bits" as your paintwork is pretty much brand new and stunning and would be a shame to scrap it

No problem lads.. Glad to be of assistance..
To think I could of spent the night in the pub ;-)

If I'm honest Matt, the smell emitting from your exhaust was bad.. And it was tapping like crazy

Dan

Matty, I tyhink you should either charge the battery, or fit a known good one.

Then see if the car runs ok.

Rattles and smoke can be caused by a car not firing correctly, which it will do if the battery/alternator voltage is low.

It sounds like the alternator allowing the battery to run flat to me.

My car died last year from the battery discharging. It turned out a single thin wire on the back of the alternator had broken, it stopped the alternator charging the battery. It might be worth a quick look.

Its not the big fat wire, its got a little spade connector on the end.

The clue being that you *don't* get a battery warning light in the interval between putting on the ignition and starting the engine. You *should* get that light!

Broken slip ring brush gives the same result

no alt light
no charge
steady failure of more and more of the dash systems.
finally the fuel pump quits and you stop when the battery is empty.

Doctor came round last yesterday evening... hopefully the problem will be diagnosticed by the end of this evening!

Matt, we pretty much know the problem, its just there are others too once thats fixed. Its upto you matey!

The problem isnt that its a 16v well, all i need to go is if i can get it moving with little effort i will and try and part ex it!