Panda (Classic) Charmanda(er) The Panda

[Didge3]

Well as I suspected last time I was home Char' has some electrical gremlins going on.
I got home last night and went to start her up, battery too low to crank which I thought was weird because it hasn't been that long. Jump leads and she fired up second try

I'm thinking bad earth somewhere because whilst cranking rev counter was jumping all over the shop until she started. Front wiper not doing anything, got no sidelights but headlights/main beam work fine, indicators are working as is the rear wiper. Interior light sometimes won't come on when you open the door.
I'm gunna check the hedgehogs and spray some WD40 here and there. Any other hot spots to check?

 

[AndyPanda4x4]

Well as I suspected last time I was home Char' has some electrical gremlins going on.
I got home last night and went to start her up, battery too low to crank which I thought was weird because it hasn't been that long. Jump leads and she fired up second try

I'm thinking bad earth somewhere because whilst cranking rev counter was jumping all over the shop until she started. Front wiper not doing anything, got no sidelights but headlights/main beam work fine, indicators are working as is the rear wiper. Interior light sometimes won't come on when you open the door.
I'm gunna check the hedgehogs and spray some WD40 here and there. Any other hot spots to check?

When mine started doing all the weird earth issues I found it to be the alternator that was failing - but the main of the issues was during actual driving and it was like a switch, stuff worked fine one second then all went haywire the next. Easily noticable on mine when stuff was about to go wrong and the temp gauge went right to the top, all the lights went dim, the indicators stopped working and everything else went onto slow down like the wipers and CD player (the latter was quite funny in some cases!!)

 

[Didge3]

When mine started doing all the weird earth issues I found it to be the alternator that was failing - but the main of the issues was during actual driving and it was like a switch, stuff worked fine one second then all went haywire the next. Easily noticable on mine when stuff was about to go wrong and the temp gauge went right to the top, all the lights went dim, the indicators stopped working and everything else went onto slow down like the wipers and CD player (the latter was quite funny in some cases!!)

Oh bother... I hope its not the alternator... I'll check the voltage going into the battery with my multi-meter. Although I have a feeling I've left it 100 miles away at Uni...

 

[Numptey]

I hate to say it but you almost have a very nice looking Panda there. I think the stripes and wheels do it and the seats are just so much of an improvement. Oh dear I'm slowly going down that slippery slope

 

[blu73]

Have you been leaving the battery connected all this time he's been parked up?? :nono:

 

[Didge3]

I hate to say it but you almost have a very nice looking Panda there. I think the stripes and wheels do it and the seats are just so much of an improvement. Oh dear I'm slowly going down that slippery slope

Almost everyone falls for the trap eventually....
I think lowering Pandas is the biggest improvement you can do style wise, makes them look a bit cooler

Have you been leaving the battery connected all this time he's been parked up?? :nono:

....Maybe, but she has only ever been parked up for 3 - 4 weeks at a time before being started and run to charge the battery... Tomorrow I'll do some further investigation.

 

[Palio]

I hate to say it but you almost have a very nice looking Panda there. I think the stripes and wheels do it and the seats are just so much of an improvement. Oh dear I'm slowly going down that slippery slope

It doesn't take long does it? Your Pandaritus is incubating quite nicely now!

 

[Numptey]

Almost everyone falls for the trap eventually....
I think lowering Pandas is the biggest improvement you can do style wise, makes them look a bit cooler


....Maybe, but she has only ever been parked up for 3 - 4 weeks at a time before being started and run to charge the battery... Tomorrow I'll do some further investigation.

I am strong I can resist

I should imagine even 3-4 weeks is enough if there is a slight drain. Have you cleaned the battery as I know it's not impossible for it to drain its self, not that I'm a mechanic or anything

 

[Numptey]

It doesn't take long does it? Your Pandaritus is incubating quite nicely now!

Like a nasty does of the clap :yuck:

 

[onemanmade]

I hate to say it but you almost have a very nice looking Panda there. I think the stripes and wheels do it and the seats are just so much of an improvement. Oh dear I'm slowly going down that slippery slope

Good good, turn to the dark side

 

[Numptey]

Good good, turn to the dark side

I'm sure my Rover gave me a dirty look, something's going to fall off it now I bet

 

[onemanmade]

I'm sure my Rover gave me a dirty look, something's going to fall off it now I bet

Yep, best to sell it now and get a panda I reckon

You must be getting more tempted by them though! You keep coming back for more, and the comments are getting more and more favourable, dont worry, you will be welcomed with open arms into the fold...

One of us! One of us! One of us!

 

[Numptey]

Yep, best to sell it now and get a panda I reckon

You must be getting more tempted by them though! You keep coming back for more, and the comments are getting more and more favourable, dont worry, you will be welcomed with open arms into the fold...

One of us! One of us! One of us!

I've seen the odd one that isn't as ugly as the rest of them and I can't be seen to insult them all the time as you Panda folk are very protective of your babies

 

[blu73]

....Maybe, but she has only ever been parked up for 3 - 4 weeks at a time before being started and run to charge the battery... Tomorrow I'll do some further investigation.

Well its long enough clearly :nerner:

Perhaps its just cause i have little faith in humankind but I would actually take the battery out and leave indoors if not using a car for few weeks or more. Its alot more effort to steal a car without a battery, and someone who might try won't know there isn't a battery until they try. But batteries don't like cold either (although i concede we are just about out of the cold weather now).

Also, i got one of them battery maintainers so i would have had it on that if it were me.

 

[Didge3]

Well its long enough clearly :nerner:

Perhaps its just cause i have little faith in humankind but I would actually take the battery out and leave indoors if not using a car for few weeks or more. Its alot more effort to steal a car without a battery, and someone who might try won't know there isn't a battery until they try. But batteries don't like cold either (although i concede we are just about out of the cold weather now).

Also, i got one of them battery maintainers so i would have had it on that if it were me.

I'll bring the battery in if she's going to be sat for more than a week from now on, promise!

I've sprayed some WD40 here and there but I'm not really any good at electricals. Everything works except the front windscreen wiper (on either speed) and the sidelights. Literally everything else seems to work fine. I'm thinking the switch might be iffy for the sidelights as this isn't the first time I haven't been able to get sidelights but normally with some jiggling it works.
Front wiper could be the motor?

Other than that she still drives normally, I think the gearbox sounds a little louder than usual but I may have just forgotten how noisy it was to start with, what side of the gearbox is the level check on? I'll stick my finger in and have a wiggle.

 

[purple haze]

Haha....stick finger in......there is a gearbox oil filler and drain hex...crawl under from the front of the car and you will see them. Alt is easy to replace. Ask on here as there is plenty of spares around although I reckon it seem like an earth..check the battery earth strap. You not got a manual yet??...or is uni still teaching you how to read??

 

[VmanC]

WD40 is an easy thing to try first but as that didn't work I'd be taking the hedgehogs off next and giving them a good wire brushing.

 

[Palio]

WD40 is an easy thing to try first but as that didn't work I'd be taking the hedgehogs off next and giving them a good wire brushing.

Milk is bad for them

That may be a different sort of hedgehog come to think of it, but probably applies to Panda's too.......

 

[homeward]

WD40 is an easy thing to try first but as that didn't work I'd be taking the hedgehogs off next and giving them a good wire brushing.

You may be needing one of these... -- an essential part of any Panda driver's toolkit....

 

[Palio]

You may be needing one of these... -- an essential part of any Panda driver's toolkit....

At the risk of going off topic (Heaven forefend!! ), what is the comb for? Do I use that on the mohair twin sunnies maybe? :idea: