I know this ain't really the right place, but any chance any of you know how the battery in the 850 is held in place?
My parents are trying to take it out at home, and, up here at uni I can't remember how it looks.
There is a black plastic clip (kind of like a bulldog clip) that goes under the battery tray, and over the bottom lip of the battery, and they've got that off, but the battery still seems to be stuck. Anyone know if anything else holds it in place, or is it just tight fitting?
Hmmm, so did your parent's get the battery off? It's not like a 300 is it where there is a small bar along one edge which when pulled in tight to the battery hooks over the bevelled lip and secures it down when you tighten the two bolts up? That can fox people for a while as it's well hidden and they often can't see the bevel on the battery!
Also with regards to push starting or bump starting, I've never attempted it in a 300 and wouldn't, as I understand you can run the risk with a cambelt of jumping a tooth and messing up the timing and it puts unnecessary strain on the belt anyway.
And with regards to not bump starting the 850 because it has a catalyser, as understand it, it is due to the unburnt fuel getting though to the cat and when it ignites in the cat, it then damages or destroys it!
Pete
G reg 360 GLT, G reg 340 GL Variomatic, plus many more..........
Surely you'd get just the same unburned fuel if the engine didn't spark?
As to the 300, whats the difference between using the starter, which acts directly on the flywheel, and using the rear wheels, which acts through the prop, through the clutch, onto the very same flywheel? I can't see how it would strain the cam belt mate...
I've bump started Fake, never needed to with Kar, always started first fire
Well, it's only the information I've picked up and been told in the past, and I understand where you're coming from mate! With regards to the cat I believe misfires and any unburnt fuel such as if the engine didn't spark which will also find their way through and destroy it over time. So anything allowing unburnt fuel through will in time give you problems.
With the cambelt, it's just what I've been told. My theory is that the speed at which a starter motor turns isn't all that much afaik, and if your belt isn't in great shape and you suddenly subject it to movement which is the equivalent of say 600 rpm or so without the speed first being built up, normally by the starter then it could snap. My theory, probably entirely wrong about the tooth jumping is that if your on the wrong side of the belt tensioner driving the car, once again with the engine from a complete standstill, the slack could be taken up before the tension reaches the belt tensioner again and jump a tooth. As I say, probably entirely wrong. In theory as you say, it shouldn't make a difference. It's something I was told by someone who is pretty knowledgeable. Personally I don't bump start my cars ever, unless it is unavoidable, I'd rather not take the risk! Plus I've got the CVT auto, but that is a chaindriven 1.4!
I'm interested to find the truth to the myth, and the internet search I did briefly, didn't really come up with much, just the usual unfounded internet verdict, then the arguments that followed! It seems some people believe it to be true, others don't. I understand that the breakdown recovery and assistance people don't bump start cars, probably to be ultra safe and cover themselves incase that caused any damage.
I think a lot of it comes down to people being over cautious,especially in todays blame and claim culture. I've heard that some MOT places refuse to test certain vehicles if they can't prove the cambelt is within it's service schedule, as there will no doubt be a long arguement as to who is responsible should it snap.
Pete
G reg 360 GLT, G reg 340 GL Variomatic, plus many more..........
Well last I heard they gave up, and will get the friendly mechanic over sometime. I'm sure it's just a very snug fit.
The unburnt fuel thing makes sence. Hope we didn't ruin it
As for cambelt stress, never heard that one. But I guess it depends how quickly you drop the clutch, and the condition of the belt.
I've never hill started a car myself, but I had to push dads car to get it started when we came up to uni after Christmas. We did about 190 miles up the motorway with 3 quick stops, then went to Tescos. Parked for maybe 40 mins and it was as dead as a dodo. A quick push and she started and ran fine.
Parents parked on a hill to get it started the next day and had to get home without stopping. Now said battery needs a replacement.
Back in '98, I bump-started my 343 almost every day for about 3 months because the starter motor was knackered and I couldn't afford a brand new one - till I finally found one that fitted from scrap. Mind you, that was a 1.4 - no cam belt and no catalyst. The dark old days, before Ebay ...
Haynes on catalysts: "do not push or tow start the car, this will soak the catalytic converter in unburned fuel causing it to overheat when the engine starts"
Bump starting with a cat is a bad idea, as Haynes suggests. The problem is that the engine is turning fast enough to draw fuel in from a carb, but not fast enough to start. With EFI, in principle I guess if you towed it at ~30mph, then went straight to the ignition position, that would be ok....as there's no fuel squirted until you're on the ignition position...but it's rather tricky to do it like that.
Jump leads weren't an option as we were up here at uni, and the 340 was at home.
Being EFI, there wouldn't be the sucking problem, and there wasn't any power to pump any fuel in, so hopefully not much of a problem. And it started very quickly.
