Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Dead Battery

Me again.
So, there I was using a trip to Sainsburys as an excuse to drive the Mog with the hood & sidescreens up - very impressed, very quiet, remarkably warm.

Filled up with petrol, twisted the key - CLICK - dead battery.

I had never looked to find the battery and was, erm, impressed at the faff it is to get to it.
By simply incredible good luck, an extremely nice man admiring the Mog understood the issue and just happened to have a Halfords digital jump start thing - size of a packet of Hamlet. But getting to the battery.
Eeeeek.

And of course I didn't have a screwdriver to undo the toolkit panel. Amazingly, another good samaritan appeared who DID - and that got the wooden panel under the toolkit off - only to discover that doesn't actually let you access the battery terminals.
And the screwdriver couldn't quite get at the screws in the metal access plate - not enough room behind the seat . . .

Samaritan #2 just happened to have a ratchet and phillips adapter - so eventually access was gained, the Halfords digital charger applied - nothing!
Samaritan No 1 also just happened to have a truck jump starter
And once THAT was connected, deep joy, the motor burst back into life - but stopped as soon as the charger was disconnected.
I discovered a bit more faith in humanity, because this chap then insisted I drive home with his charger connected and he'd pick it up tomorrow.


So just got back, have put the CTEK on charge, but I imagine the battery is probably screwed - it's probably the original and has therefore done OK to get to 11 years.
Thanks for reading thus far.
The exam question, please, is whether this is something I could reasonably do myself, or does it need to go into the dealer? I'm not sure if the battery can even be replaced without accessing from underneath on a ramp, and I'm certainly not sure how many Morgan Roadsters the local Battery company will have done.
Exam question 2 - is there a particular battery you'd recommend?
Exam question 3 - does depowering the Roadster cause any electronic issues?
I need a beer, in fact I need 3

1, easy to do yourself, take out the parcel tray for better visibility, the battery will fit through the access plate hole with the seat pulled fully forward, disconnect the earth first
2, can't remember the ref Richard V6 will be along soon...
3, dropping the power doesn't cause issues with the 3.7

As Jon says, I replaced my Plus 8 one (after 11 years) and it's accessible from the top if you are reasonably agile, I'm 74..

I replaced like for like @ 11 years it owed me nothing and never saw a battery charger but I use it throughout the year.

The radio memory will go as will the temporary fine mixture adjustments for the ECU but a few miles down the road and it will relearn.r

This was mine 68 quid delivered.

There was no need to faff about getting to the battery terminals to apply a jump start. Simply open the bonnet and you will see the heavy current cable connected to the starter solenoid, readily accessible. An earth connection to the chassis or engine block and you are in business.
My plus 4 has been running quite happily on a replacement Halfords 075 battery for the past 7 years.

All true advice. battery designation is 075 with right facing + terminal.
Removal.... remove parcel shelf first then access panel on bulkhead. Neg lead off and tuck away then + lead. Lift and tip battery out through access panel.

Get battery from Tayna batteries on line, next day delivery. Yuasa good make , get the highest amp hour version you can... better cold cranking.

This is the 60 amp hour battery for your car Ben which I have bookmarked for mine when needed. I particularly recommend south Korean brand Hankook having used them in all my cars and also a half dozen large capacity ones in a narrowboat. I've never been let down or had to change one yet and the price is rarely beaten.

Battery Megastore seem to be cheaper than Tanya when delivery included and they offer price matching anyway. If the battery is 11 years old it will be screwed anyway, don't waste time just replace, they are consumables.

That the engine cut as soon as you disconnected the charger could indicate a faulty alternator. Once the engine is running the alternator should provide enough charge to keep it going. I presume the cat started OK for your trip to Sainsburys. Put the battery on charge overnight and try to start the engine in the morning. If it starts OK check the battery voltage with the engine running about 1500 rpm, and again with the engine off. The battery volts with the engine running should be about 14 volts and 12 when not being charged.

Checking alternator/battery with engine running.... multi meter set to volts (20v) if it has settings directly to the battery terminals. If you get dodgy readings check alternator connections, engine earth and battery connections. Round post batteries; often when they have been disconnected a few times the clamps close up and even though you think they are tight they are not. loosen the clamp bolt and prise open the clamp lugs then refit the clamp and give it a gentle tap down to seat it on the post.... now tighten normally. Use Vasaline/petroleum jelly to maintain a corrosion free terminal!

Dear Everyone,
Many thanks for all the advice, much appreciated.
I did wonder myself about the alternator output, though I'd have thought that would have resulted in a warning light. Anyway, I left it on a CITEK trickle charge overnight and it showed green on the meter this morning - which was worrying.
On trying to start the thing, however, it just 'clicked' and out went all the lights, so I'm pretty sure it must be the battery.
I'm going to have a try at removing the existing battery this afternoon - thank you all very much for the input - I wasn't too impressed with the nature of the tiny screws holding in either the parcel shelf or the tool shelf, had anyone thought up some more efficient method? Dzus fasteners or similar?

My experience of 'todays' batteries is that they fail without warning. They can be conditioned to death for years, and I got 13 years out of my Roadster original battery, before it went pop without warning. It went from normal to dead just like that.

So don't suspect the alternator until you fit a new battery, then see what happens.