It was only a matter of time...
Discussion
...before I locked myself out of the boot.
I suspect that the horrible sinking feeling when you get when you realise that you've shut the boot after having just disconnected the battery may be an S rite of passage.
Have managed to get it open again but now, sat reading my bible I'm not sure that my method was necessarily an "advised" one.
Could someone PM me with the accepted method so I'm properly prepared for the next time?
Thanks
Harvey
I suspect that the horrible sinking feeling when you get when you realise that you've shut the boot after having just disconnected the battery may be an S rite of passage.
Have managed to get it open again but now, sat reading my bible I'm not sure that my method was necessarily an "advised" one.
Could someone PM me with the accepted method so I'm properly prepared for the next time?
Thanks
Harvey
By far the easiest way is to power the car up from an external battery and then use the ordinary boot release. If you have a spare battery available you can do this quickly and easily by jumping 12v onto the back of the alternator.
You can also operate the boot release solenoid on its own by removing the relay that powers it, and sticking 12v onto the output terminal. This takes less current (because you're only powering the solenoid not the whole switched ignition system) so you can do it with a small dry cell battery.
There's also a mechanical release that provides an emergency way into the boot, but we tend not to talk about this in public because it's not secure. I don't suppose there are many thieves here and if you wanted to break into a car and aren't fussed about damaging it there are easier ways in, but some people don't like this sort of thing to be common knowledge and I respect that.
You can also operate the boot release solenoid on its own by removing the relay that powers it, and sticking 12v onto the output terminal. This takes less current (because you're only powering the solenoid not the whole switched ignition system) so you can do it with a small dry cell battery.
There's also a mechanical release that provides an emergency way into the boot, but we tend not to talk about this in public because it's not secure. I don't suppose there are many thieves here and if you wanted to break into a car and aren't fussed about damaging it there are easier ways in, but some people don't like this sort of thing to be common knowledge and I respect that.
Yes, the battery is in the boot- also for the S4, I think
That is what I ended up doing, using a jump-start battery pack - however I thought that the bible suggests that making a connection directly to the alternator leades is a bad idea (?) Or is that only in the case of actually jump starting the car?
GreenV8S said:
By far the easiest way is to power the car up from an external battery and then use the ordinary boot release. If you have a spare battery available you can do this quickly and easily by jumping 12v onto the back of the alternator.
That is what I ended up doing, using a jump-start battery pack - however I thought that the bible suggests that making a connection directly to the alternator leades is a bad idea (?) Or is that only in the case of actually jump starting the car?
HarveyB said:
That is what I ended up doing, using a jump-start battery pack - however I thought that the bible suggests that making a connection directly to the alternator leades is a bad idea (?) Or is that only in the case of actually jump starting the car?
You wouldn't consider trying to jump start the car that way, but it's fine for a few amps just to pop the boot.
A reasonable point although I'm not sure you've read Peter's reply properly.
The method he describes assumes that you already have access to the engine (i.e. if you're a thief, you've already gained extensive access) and have a spare 12V source to hand. As he suggests, your average chav is likely to take a more direct route.
However, I'm grateful for your concern and so may I suggest that you remove the phrase "How to...TVR" from your post? This is just the sort of thing to ensure that threads of this sort turn up on any speculative google searches.
The method he describes assumes that you already have access to the engine (i.e. if you're a thief, you've already gained extensive access) and have a spare 12V source to hand. As he suggests, your average chav is likely to take a more direct route.
However, I'm grateful for your concern and so may I suggest that you remove the phrase "How to...TVR" from your post? This is just the sort of thing to ensure that threads of this sort turn up on any speculative google searches.
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