Tuscan Battery
Discussion
My first battery died after about 18 months, I think probably due to a couple of long periods off the road ie back to factory ! My dealer fitted a new one for 75 quid plus fitting and vat = 150 quid. The battery code on the invoice says E672 and MO140. I'd just phone a dealer.
BTW the first signs I had of trouble were very rough cold and hot starting. Because the battery was low when you started the car it would drain all the current out the battery which would cause the ECU to reset and take a few minutes to run normally again. One of the mechanics at my dealers spent a good few hours tuning it up setting air mixtures etc on the laptop not suspecting the battery was the cause until I arrived to pick it up the next day and it would not start from cold ! His face was a picture as he explained he had checked every possible thing under the bonnet and how well it was running. Except the battery !!!
Cheers
Whitey
BTW the first signs I had of trouble were very rough cold and hot starting. Because the battery was low when you started the car it would drain all the current out the battery which would cause the ECU to reset and take a few minutes to run normally again. One of the mechanics at my dealers spent a good few hours tuning it up setting air mixtures etc on the laptop not suspecting the battery was the cause until I arrived to pick it up the next day and it would not start from cold ! His face was a picture as he explained he had checked every possible thing under the bonnet and how well it was running. Except the battery !!!
Cheers
Whitey
Sorry - 'Mister Smug' here with my 'my battery has never had a problem' here - always have sympathy for folks with problems, but I do not see how the alarm could cause the battery to drain over the period suggested - my car has been left a few times for up to six weeks without a drain problem. I did however learn that if you don't close the boot fully, the boot light will drain it, or once I left the Valentine one on for a weekend and that nearly drained it - only just managed to crank it, and it took a week to recover fully.(had car 30 months, 27000 mls). I suppose like anything, there are good batteries and bad batteries. By the way, how do you get to the battery?
The battery is accessed via a panel at the back of the passenger side front wheel arch. I know this having left the lights on a couple of times resulting in a flat battery. I now keep the allen key to remove the cover bolts in the boot along with a heavy duty charger/starter. Jump starting from another car doesnt seem to work.
Paul
Paul
There is also a socket underneath the car under the battery box that you can plug jump leads into to save you having to open up the battery box. You can get the leads from any dealer or Leven Tech. It is also the same fitting that the AA use which makes things easy 
I'm confident my car would start after leaving it for up to 3 weeks but after that I would be worried the battery would be too low...I think this is normal for any modern TVR.
Cheers
Whitey
I'm confident my car would start after leaving it for up to 3 weeks but after that I would be worried the battery would be too low...I think this is normal for any modern TVR.
Cheers
Whitey
I'm pretty sure it's the crappy aftermarket alarm system. The company I work for here design OEM alarm systems and we have to get under 1 milliamp quescant current when armed.
The aftermarket jobs are never that good and I've seen ones with 30 to 40 milliamps a few times.
Either that or it's the TVR electrics which are permenantly fed from battery, and there are a few of them.
Just for my own sake I'll measure the quescant current this weekend.
Either way the battery's shagged so it looks like I'll be speaking to TMS to come and get it!
The aftermarket jobs are never that good and I've seen ones with 30 to 40 milliamps a few times.
Either that or it's the TVR electrics which are permenantly fed from battery, and there are a few of them.
Just for my own sake I'll measure the quescant current this weekend.
Either way the battery's shagged so it looks like I'll be speaking to TMS to come and get it!
My Tuscan was parked up (in my garage) over Christmas. When I came to start it it too was as flat as a witches tit!
Bought one of those cigarette lighter chargers as I could not get the Tus out of the garage. This just blew the fuse to the lighter! DOH!
Plan B phone the AA. They wacked his 1000 amp leads onto the battery. The car barely turned over! He then put another rempote pack on that increased the amps to 1500. Turned it over but very slowly!
At this point he admitted defeat and we put the battery on charge for 24 hours. Since then it's been ok
PS: 2nd battery for me in 2 years?
Bought one of those cigarette lighter chargers as I could not get the Tus out of the garage. This just blew the fuse to the lighter! DOH!
Plan B phone the AA. They wacked his 1000 amp leads onto the battery. The car barely turned over! He then put another rempote pack on that increased the amps to 1500. Turned it over but very slowly!
At this point he admitted defeat and we put the battery on charge for 24 hours. Since then it's been ok
PS: 2nd battery for me in 2 years?
ianf said: My Tuscan was parked up (in my garage) over Christmas. When I came to start it it too was as flat as a witches tit!
PS: 2nd battery for me in 2 years?
Funniest thing I've read in ages, cheers!
A battery should last longer than that if it's treated properly, I can only assume the Tuscan doesn't.
I dread leaving my Tuscan behind when I go on holiday as I know the battery will be flat after sitting in the garage for 2 weeks. I asked the factory about this at each service and the response is the same - Tuscans have more active electronics than other TVR's and are more prone to battery drainage if not driven regulary. They suggested (rightly) that I get a battery conditioner. Unfortunately I park in a communal garage with no powerpoint nearby. So it's up to the AA to get me up and running. Which reminds me, I just got back from my Christmas hols, where did I put my AA card....
ps. I never had this problem with my Chimaera
ps. I never had this problem with my Chimaera
ajvmoore said: Sorry - 'Mister Smug' here with my 'my battery has never had a problem' here - always have sympathy for folks with problems, but I do not see how the alarm could cause the battery to drain over the period suggested - my car has been left a few times for up to six weeks without a drain problem. I did however learn that if you don't close the boot fully, the boot light will drain it, or once I left the Valentine one on for a weekend and that nearly drained it - only just managed to crank it, and it took a week to recover fully.(had car 30 months, 27000 mls). I suppose like anything, there are good batteries and bad batteries. By the way, how do you get to the battery?
Hawthornes recognised the "fault". Though the boot was closed securely the switch did not cut out the boot light, consequently the battery had gone within 48 hours.
paul-wh said: The battery is accessed via a panel at the back of the passenger side front wheel arch. I know this having left the lights on a couple of times resulting in a flat battery. I now keep the allen key to remove the cover bolts in the boot along with a heavy duty charger/starter. Jump starting from another car doesnt seem to work.
Paul
Why don,t they have an audible alarm letting you know that you have left the lights on!
With some help from Simon at Leven Technology, I have made up a lead to connect the Accumate conditioner to the jump start socket beneath the car. I am now in the habit of plugging the car into charge as soon as it is back in the garage. Also, I am now in the habit to unplug it before driving OUT of the garage! I am sure Simon could bespoke engineer some more of these patch leads if anyone else is interested. I used to use the cigar lighter socket on my Chimaera but the Tuscan's lighter socket is on the centre console rather than in the door and does not have the flappy bit around the velcro to run the wire out. It just seemed that if TVR put a nice rugged socket under the car, then I might as well use it - and use it I have. Also means I can leave the cover over the car too without interference from wires.
TUS 373 said: With some help from Simon at Leven Technology, I have made up a lead to connect the Accumate conditioner to the jump start socket beneath the car
I have the same arrangement on mine & connect it up when not in use, I went for this as soon as I got the car as had a lot of problems with battery on my Chimaera going flat.So far with the Tuscan there have been no such problems 2+ years old now.Also you do not have leads trailing into the car so you can leave the alarm on all the time.
Nick
Nick Elliott said:
TUS 373 said: With some help from Simon at Leven Technology, I have made up a lead to connect the Accumate conditioner to the jump start socket beneath the car
I have the same arrangement on mine & connect it up when not in use, I went for this as soon as I got the car as had a lot of problems with battery on my Chimaera going flat.So far with the Tuscan there have been no such problems 2+ years old now.Also you do not have leads trailing into the car so you can leave the alarm on all the time.
Where can I get one of these? How much?
My Accumate conditioner came with a variety of different wires/connectors. I cannibalised the one that terminates in the 'o' connectors by simply chopping these off. Simon at Leven supplied me with the plug that fits the socket beneath the car. I then simply soldered the plug onto the wire - using the ring on my gas cooker! (a small soldering iron just doesn't cut the mustard when soldering something as big as this. The plug simply disassembles to facilitate the soldering then pops back together. Took me all of 10 minutes.
I can only suggest that you contact Simon at Leven and tell him Bryan Lister directed you to him - he should remember and maybe send you the plug or make a lead up for you. I'm sure that if enough Tuscan owners request this add for the Accumate he may offer it as a stock item (especially as many people have traded up from Chimaeras and already have the Accumate).
Otherwise, I could probably make up a batch for folk if they give me their leads and cover cost of the P+P and the plug?
I can only suggest that you contact Simon at Leven and tell him Bryan Lister directed you to him - he should remember and maybe send you the plug or make a lead up for you. I'm sure that if enough Tuscan owners request this add for the Accumate he may offer it as a stock item (especially as many people have traded up from Chimaeras and already have the Accumate).
Otherwise, I could probably make up a batch for folk if they give me their leads and cover cost of the P+P and the plug?
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