Bosch battery for the Williams...

[willy3ams]

My Car battery has finally decided to die after months of charging and discharging whilst the car has been sat in the Garage.

I'm after some advice which Bosch battery to go for because there are so many recommended for the Williams

Halfords say: HSB 063 Amp Hours (Ah): 52AH Cold Cranking Amp (CCA): 520

Euro parts say: Amp Hours (Ah): 63Ah Cold Cracking Amp (CCA): 610
as their top choice

I'm not sure which to go for? Can someone advise. I am tempted to go for the higher amps as this would help with starting and powering other car accessories, ie car alarm, stereo...

[jock]

Try Tayna.co.uk I got a Varta silver 520 delivered about £30 cheaper than halfrauds! Willy size and light, they do all sorts.

[willy3ams]

Thanks. I ended up measuring the size of the battery that was already there. It turns out to be the same dimensions as the HSB063 from Halfords.
So I went on Eurocarparts and found the S5 063 for £61.15 as they are doing a 15% promo!

So I saved £35.84 online! hope it turns out okay though.
:D

[stevie_b]

I think I have the HSB063 in mine, so it should fit fine. Even with a new battery in it get yourself a trickler charger/maintainer as if you regularly leave a car a few weeks between each use even a new battery can get killed off over the winter.

[andyleep]

Thats still quite a high price for an 063!

[FATBOY]

as steve said, get a trickler/charger. ive got 2 of these little beautys on both my cars

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CTEK-Multi-XS3600-Universal-Battery-Charger-Optimiser-/280783508709?pt=UK_ConsumerElectronics_Batteries_S M&hash=item41600054e5

and works out cheaper in the long run instead of buying a new battery every year!

BTW cheapest i could find on ebay is that one!

[will.i.am.s2]

I went through all this last week, got fed up of looking so picked one up in the end from a local breakers fresh of a clio £7 happy days and more money to waste on more important things :D

[willy3ams]

Thats still quite a high price for an 063!

That's because the Battery is a Bosch S5 comes with a 5 year guarantee.
Well worth the money I have 5 yrs peace of mind, If I got a battery from a breakers for £7 I'd be worried it won't hold its charge. Batteries from cars don't like being left alone, like like voltage running though them, otherwise they just die.

I also took fatboy's advice and hooked it up to a trickle charger. Went for the 16Amp Ring chargers. They are excellent and even recovered my old battery to 90% Charge!!!

http://www.ringautomotive.co.uk/product_list.asp?cat1=7&cat2=31&cat3=249

[will.i.am.s2]

I dont blame you getting an S5 bosch and a trickle charger if your williams spends alot of time standing...mine is in use every single day and does about 600 miles a week so aslong as the battery is decent it will always charge as its got a new alternator anyway.

Ive got a list as long as a elephants trunk here with more critical issues unfortunatly for me :cry:

[willy3ams]

oh mate there there... tell us what the problems are and we might be able to help. I'm quite experienced with owning the Williams (5yrs) and most of the work I've done myself.

Cheers J

[will.i.am.s2]

Lol i wouldnt know were to start dude....its just one of them realy as im using it all the time its hard to do all the little bits before they turn into big things. The exhaust is completly knackered,rocker gasket leakes,power steering is rather noisy, doors are rotten at the bottom, rusty rear arch,cracked windscreen,rev counter has a mind of its own,coolant needs changing desperatly, knock through the steering on full lock and theres more niggles that i cant think of.....to be fair none of it effects the performance and luckily still goes like a stabbed rat when it feels like it. On the plus side will be getting the coolant done this weekend(best had) and hopefuly a decent exhaust will come along, the other bits can wait till after xmas :P

[fabulicious]

mine is in use every single day and does about 600 miles a week

Sorry to say but a williams is the wrong car for that. They can break your heart and your wallet.
Get a 1.2 or any daily car if you can and leave the williams as a project to restore or get rid of it.

[will.i.am.s2]

Yeah you are right there, i bought a williams as i thought it would be a cheap runaround to whack teh miles on, boy was i wrong :) Ive come from sraight 6, V8 and V12 old skool bmw's that can take the stick/miles but the running costs and parts prices got to much for me, a williams was a good idea at the time.

To be fair to the little clio its done 5-6k since i got it around july-ish without major issues AND most importantly it still makes me smile when everything is fine with it, something you cant put a price on.

[willy3ams]

Lol i wouldnt know were to start dude....its just one of them realy as im using it all the time its hard to do all the little bits before they turn into big things. The exhaust is completly knackered,rocker gasket leakes,power steering is rather noisy, doors are rotten at the bottom, rusty rear arch,cracked windscreen,rev counter has a mind of its own,coolant needs changing desperatly, knock through the steering on full lock and theres more niggles that i cant think of.....to be fair none of it effects the performance and luckily still goes like a stabbed rat when it feels like it. On the plus side will be getting the coolant done this weekend(best had) and hopefuly a decent exhaust will come along, the other bits can wait till after xmas :P

1. If your rocker cover leaks its most likely the screws are slightly loose. Refer to the Haynes manual for the correct torque settings as the blocks are aluminium and you can easily rip threads if you over tighten.

2. I found my power steering noise was due to ineffective power steering fluid, flush it out and replace it with some new stuff. Also the aux belts when cold cause noise, make sure the pulleys are all clean and dry and replace the aux belt with a new one. You will need a 8mm Hex bolt and a ratchet spanner to loosen the pulley tensioner and a 17mm spanner as far as i can remember. These are cheap fixes to do first that might do the job.

3. If the rev counter needle has a mind of its own the resistor is on its way out or the speedo cable that plugs into the gearbox is suspect. I'm not 100% sure but I had those issues and replaced the speedo assembly, refer to guides, i posted that a while ago.

4. If you have knocking on full lock its one of your driveshafts. Nearside or Offside. I use a mechanics stethoscope to determine where noises come from. very handy! :)

5. If you're doing the coolant this week, try and use the green Renault stuff. GSF might still do it or try Renault. They always put special preservatives in their coolant to preserve the heater matrix and radiator. My RT's done 251,000 now and the heater Matrix is still running well thanks to this bit of advice from some mechanics at Reno.

6. Finally if you can, go for a full stainless system. It's what i want next, but not a big boy racer exhaust no no, custom made with quality bafflers. Some specialist even claim to get the noise levels and tone the same as the original equipment. I got a quote of £350 for a full system. Something i will consider next year now. :)

Cheers
J

[fabulicious]

To be fair to the little clio its done 5-6k since i got it around july-ish without major issues AND most importantly it still makes me smile when everything is fine with it, something you cant put a price on.

thats the most important thing really I suppose.

They are little crackers to say the least but build quality and age are against you if your looking for a cheap/practical run-about.
Most of the people I know on this site who that have kept their Williams do have a daily driver or bicycle like myself :-). The other's who thought they could run them daily ended up selling them.
That's speaking after 6 years of ownership myself :wink:

[will.i.am.s2]

Thanks for that J obviously took you some time to write all that out, much appreciated.

Ive read alot about the coolant and people always say the same get the renault coolant, i will do as luckily i have a renault dealership on my doorstep, but they are sick of the sight of me by now :oops: Ive found them rather helpful to be fair which is refreshing.

Forget to sat the clunk through the steering is only when the car is turning from a standstill, ive been told its a possible ball joint? It had 2 new genuine renault driveshafts a couple of years ago luckily. Will get the rorque wrench out for the rocker gasket well im at the coolant, nmight do the PS fluid at the same time aslong as the snow holds off here :D

Ive lost patience with the exhaust its the one thing thats realy tested me, ive spent £80 on it just getting it patched upon several occasions etc since ive had it . The cosmetics i can live with and sort in spring time as it isnt to bad except the drivers door but thats a bolt on part so not to bad.

I bought this because of the money it had had spent on it over the last 4 years or so, someone in the williams F1 team owned it up until 2009, they bought it in 2004 with 32k on the clocks and stuck 70k on it in that time but spent the money were it needed spending. I expected some trouble free motoring which by reading some of the tales on here it has been considering the miles ive done it so far, must say im impressed as its only wear and tear issues ive had.

[will.i.am.s2]

fabulicious i can see the logic of having a second car, i might be better of in that 1.2 or 1.9d clio i always promised myself :D Seriously thow its a good idea to get a hack for the week as im attached to it now and would love to fix these things in my own time as its well worth doing as the engine is manic when the exhaust stays in one peice.

[willy3ams]

Thanks for that J obviously took you some time to write all that out, much appreciated.

Ive read alot about the coolant and people always say the same get the renault coolant, i will do as luckily i have a renault dealership on my doorstep, but they are sick of the sight of me by now :oops: Ive found them rather helpful to be fair which is refreshing.

Forget to sat the clunk through the steering is only when the car is turning from a standstill, ive been told its a possible ball joint? It had 2 new genuine renault driveshafts a couple of years ago luckily. Will get the rorque wrench out for the rocker gasket well im at the coolant, nmight do the PS fluid at the same time aslong as the snow holds off here :D

Ive lost patience with the exhaust its the one thing thats realy tested me, ive spent £80 on it just getting it patched upon several occasions etc since ive had it . The cosmetics i can live with and sort in spring time as it isnt to bad except the drivers door but thats a bolt on part so not to bad.

I bought this because of the money it had had spent on it over the last 4 years or so, someone in the williams F1 team owned it up until 2009, they bought it in 2004 with 32k on the clocks and stuck 70k on it in that time but spent the money were it needed spending. I expected some trouble free motoring which by reading some of the tales on here it has been considering the miles ive done it so far, must say im impressed as its only wear and tear issues ive had.

The clunk from the steering from standstill could be the Steering column or Steering rack. Check for any play underneath the car and also trackrod ends etc. It might be the bottom ball joint but i doubt it. They are easy to replace though and only £15 from GSF. I hope the weather stays good for you this weekend.

Its a nice feeling when the Williams is running well. It will all be worth it, keep us posted :)

[willy3ams]

Here's a few photos of my Williams. :)

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d196/jayce72/williams/DSC_0441.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d196/jayce72/williams/DSC_1206.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d196/jayce72/williams/DSC_1205.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d196/jayce72/williams/P1000692.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d196/jayce72/williams/DSC_0146.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d196/jayce72/williams/DSC_0152.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d196/jayce72/williams/P1000724.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d196/jayce72/williams/P1010245.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d196/jayce72/williams/P1010246.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d196/jayce72/williams/P1010243.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d196/jayce72/williams/P1010247.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d196/jayce72/williams/P1010248.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d196/jayce72/williams/P1010250.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d196/jayce72/williams/P1010251.jpg

[dkrevs]

WOW! Very nice car! :) First couple of photos are just :droool:

[fabulicious]

Part of the fun is fixing them. In your garage, driveway on a weekend or when you have nothing else to do. And their is so much satisfaction to be had when things are running well as J pointed out above. And you will be proud to show it off too! :)
With the club here you also have access to a wealth of knowledge and spare parts. You will also have every opportunity to go to local meets, track days if it's your thing or the annual trip to FCS to mention just a few. There is even a lad looking into a trip to Le Mans next year.
For me, yes I've made mistakes and perhaps squandered money foolishly on certain items but hey rather it went learning about something, being a part of something real, than drinking or smoking it down the pub every night.
Each to their own I guess but this car is a part of me, a part of my life at that just seems to want to stick around. :D

[MG1980]

Part of the fun is fixing them. In your garage, driveway on a weekend or when you have nothing else to do. And their is so much satisfaction to be had when things are running well as J pointed out above. And you will be proud to show it off too! :)
With the club here you also have access to a wealth of knowledge and spare parts. You will also have every opportunity to go to local meets, track days if it's your thing or the annual trip to FCS to mention just a few. There is even a lad looking into a trip to Le Mans next year.
For me, yes I've made mistakes and perhaps squandered money foolishly on certain items but hey rather it went learning about something, being a part of something real, than drinking or smoking it down the pub every night.
Each to their own I guess but this car is a part of me, a part of my life at that just seems to want to stick around. :D

Well said that man. I'm feeling some genuine love there. Cheeky off thread bump for those interested in Le Mans. I've put some costs up. Let me know if it seems reasonable for those interested!!

[willy3ams]

WOW! Very nice car! :) First couple of photos are just :droool:

Wow, thanks man!

I've spent quite a bit of time and money this year on my Baby.

- Clifford Avant-guard 5.5 with tracking device (thatcham cat 1)
- Front wheel bearings replaced
- New ABS reluctor rings
- New front fogs (re-sprayed the innard with black enamel to protect them from the salt ;)
- Extensive underbody rustproofing. Rust removal/kurust/black enamel

Hopefully when the weathers better I'll get more done.

Cheers
J

[willy3ams]

Oh forgot to mention

Cambelt / Idler pulleys all replaced
Powder coated rocker cover and cam cover

[will.i.am.s2]

Wow must say im impressed with your williams J looks a top example 8)

Liking the lime green coolant also..well worth getting just for the appearance of it if you ask me! Will be getting mine friday. Does it come ready mixed so you just buy 7 litres?

I found some energy to get under it tonight and have a look at the exhaust, turns out the place i took it last forgot to tighten the decat bolts up correctly and they worked loose, so thats one thing that ive done :)

I think it could be the steering rack as ive felt it a couple of times through the steering when pushing it a bit to far around islands etc, was looking at a manual rack conversion anyway as this williams will not be staying standard, far from it..but i may get another eventualy to satisfy my OEM needs :lol:

Must admit an good owners forum like this one makes all the difference to owning a car like this, ive been on the E30 and 5/7 series Bmw owners clubs for some years and the info ive had over the years has been priceless, no different on here either,great stuff.

Thanks for a bit of inspiration guys, it was much needed(sorry to the OP for hijacking your thread!)

[willy3ams]

Hey no problem, about the hijacking of the thread, its how conversations happen :)

Yes the coolant is ready mixed, might be worth buying a new thermostat whilst your at Reno.

Or... You could do the test of dropping it in a pan of warm water on a stove with a piece of string as you bring it to the boil. They usually are okay..

Glad you got 1 issue fixed mate!
Cheers
J