XJ XJ6 / XJR6 ( X300 ) 1995-1997

Battery/ Electrical woes

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Oct 9, 2015 | 04:14 AM
  #1  
MikeColl's Avatar
Thread Starter
|
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Lancashire
Default Battery/ Electrical woes

Help needed. just bought a 1995 XJ6 4.0l with an electrical fault. (price paid reflected this.
The seller had identified an ECU water issue as the footwell ECU had been removed and the connections were oxidised. I have cleaned these up and opened the ECU which appears sound inside.
The issue is that when I connect the battery (with or without the said ECU hooked up,and with or without ignion on) there's no power to anything, indeed the battery discharges immedietly, I have also tried a known good battery with the same result. Instant discharge although the readings recover upon disconection.
Any ideas?
 

Last edited by MikeColl; Oct 10, 2015 at 01:03 AM.
Reply
Old Oct 9, 2015 | 04:30 AM
  #2  
GGG's Avatar
GGG
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 120,439
Likes: 17,006
From: Durham, UK
Default

Welcome to the forum MikeColl,

I've moved your question from General Tech Help to X300 forum. Members here with the same model will be able to help.

Please follow this link New Member Area - Intro a MUST - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum to the New Member Area - Intro a MUST forum and post some info about yourself and your vehicle for all members to see. In return you'll get a proper welcome and some useful advice about posting to the forum.

Graham
 
Reply
Old Oct 9, 2015 | 04:53 AM
  #3  
MikeColl's Avatar
Thread Starter
|
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Lancashire
Default

Cheers

Originally Posted by GGG
Welcome to the forum MikeColl,

I've moved your question from General Tech Help to X300 forum. Members here with the same model will be able to help.

Please follow this link New Member Area - Intro a MUST - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum to the New Member Area - Intro a MUST forum and post some info about yourself and your vehicle for all members to see. In return you'll get a proper welcome and some useful advice about posting to the forum.

Graham
 
Reply
Old Oct 9, 2015 | 05:48 AM
  #4  
RJ237's Avatar
Veteran Member
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 8,834
Likes: 2,924
From: Douglasville Ga.
Default

Apparently you have a short to ground. I would start by disconnecting the power lead to the alternator.
 
Reply
Old Oct 9, 2015 | 06:45 AM
  #5  
b1mcp's Avatar
Veteran Member
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,093
Likes: 1,016
From: Manchester UK
Default

Yes I agree with RJ.

And I would suggest that while investigating and checking that you use a multimeter to test for no continuity between + and - battery leads before reconnecting a battery.
 
Reply
Old Oct 9, 2015 | 01:44 PM
  #6  
sparkenzap's Avatar
Veteran Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,502
Likes: 1,068
From: atlanta ga
Default

After following the advice above, if you still have indication of a short in the power circuit, you can put a fairly high power lamp (like a headlamp) in series with the positive lead of the battery. That way, you can have current flow and not burn up anything including the battery. If a high load is there, the lamp will light. Disconnect fuses, relay, and wires until the lamp dims or goes out and you have found the offending circuit.
 
Reply
Old Oct 9, 2015 | 03:08 PM
  #7  
Tipptone's Avatar
Member
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 96
Likes: 11
From: Ireland
Default

Hey sparkenzap that's a good new one for me. Thanks!
 
Reply
Old Oct 10, 2015 | 01:04 AM
  #8  
MikeColl's Avatar
Thread Starter
|
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Lancashire
Default

Originally Posted by RJ237
Apparently you have a short to ground. I would start by disconnecting the power lead to the alternator.
Many thanks.
 
Reply
Old Oct 10, 2015 | 01:05 AM
  #9  
MikeColl's Avatar
Thread Starter
|
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Lancashire
Default

Originally Posted by b1mcp
Yes I agree with RJ.

And I would suggest that while investigating and checking that you use a multimeter to test for no continuity between + and - battery leads before reconnecting a battery.
Yes, thank you.
 
Reply
Old Oct 10, 2015 | 01:06 AM
  #10  
MikeColl's Avatar
Thread Starter
|
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Lancashire
Default

Originally Posted by sparkenzap
After following the advice above, if you still have indication of a short in the power circuit, you can put a fairly high power lamp (like a headlamp) in series with the positive lead of the battery. That way, you can have current flow and not burn up anything including the battery. If a high load is there, the lamp will light. Disconnect fuses, relay, and wires until the lamp dims or goes out and you have found the offending circuit.
Yes, thanks.
 
Reply
Old Oct 10, 2015 | 06:07 AM
  #11  
rads's Avatar
Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 99
Likes: 27
Default

Instant discharge? If your battery is any good an "instant discharge" is going to melt something, hopefully a fuse first! If no fuse failure I suggest the battery is dead, or, not "instant discharge". What do you measure which leads you to your observation of "instant discharge"? a voltmeter on the battery terminals?
 
Reply
Old Oct 10, 2015 | 11:15 AM
  #12  
MikeColl's Avatar
Thread Starter
|
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Lancashire
Default Discharge

Hi, this is what I use. it check condition at rest and under load My battery if fine disconnected but flattens the momenr I connect the car lead. Also me "booster pack" does the same.
 
Attached Thumbnails Battery/ Electrical woes-%24t2ec16z-ee9s2uipfcbrzfb2tiyw%7E%7E60_12.jpg  
Reply
Old Oct 10, 2015 | 12:29 PM
  #13  
RJ237's Avatar
Veteran Member
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 8,834
Likes: 2,924
From: Douglasville Ga.
Default

That is probably a battery with a bad cell. A good battery can not possibly discharge to dead when connected without first melting the cables.
 
Reply
Old Oct 10, 2015 | 02:33 PM
  #14  
Don B's Avatar
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 20,496
Likes: 15,275
From: Crossroads of America
Default

Hi Mike,

Welcome to the Jaguar Forums!

You've already received excellent advice from some of our experts. I would add that, if you don't already have it, you can download the 1995 XJ Electrical Guide here:

http://www.jagrepair.com/images/Auto.../jagxj1995.pdf

The guide contains all the wiring schematics, component location diagrams, etc., which should help narrow down areas where battery power shorts might occur.

Cheers,

Don
 
Reply
Old Oct 11, 2015 | 03:07 AM
  #15  
MikeColl's Avatar
Thread Starter
|
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Lancashire
Default

Originally Posted by Don B
Hi Mike,

Welcome to the Jaguar Forums!

You've already received excellent advice from some of our experts. I would add that, if you don't already have it, you can download the 1995 XJ Electrical Guide here:

http://www.jagrepair.com/images/Auto.../jagxj1995.pdf

The guide contains all the wiring schematics, component location diagrams, etc., which should help narrow down areas where battery power shorts might occur.

Cheers,

Don
Thank you thats a big help, I'm used to the electrics on motercycles (have a couple) and some older cars (Land Rovers etc) but wow, these Jaguars take wiring to a new dimension. Will post pics today (of the car) in "introduce yourself).

Thanks all for your help. Still scrathing my beard. Still no power being fed to ant electrical curcuits on the vehicle. Suspect a main fuse so the wiring diagram will help a lot.
 
Reply
Old Oct 11, 2015 | 10:24 AM
  #16  
cool's Avatar
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 293
Likes: 52
Default

Originally Posted by RJ237
That is probably a battery with a bad cell. A good battery can not possibly discharge to dead when connected without first melting the cables.
Correct
 
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Malihide
XJ XJ6 / XJR6 ( X300 )
67
Apr 2, 2016 04:05 PM
leep123
XJS ( X27 )
6
Sep 26, 2015 04:53 PM
Pilotman11
XJ XJ8 / XJR ( X308 )
16
Sep 18, 2015 11:35 PM
Boeingtravel95
XJ XJ6 / XJR6 ( X300 )
17
Sep 14, 2015 05:01 PM
thefixer
XK8 / XKR ( X100 )
6
Sep 11, 2015 09:17 PM

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:10 PM.