Jump Start Mondial T | FerrariChat

Jump Start Mondial T

Discussion in 'Mondial' started by 4ARI, Mar 13, 2008.

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  1. 4ARI

    4ARI Formula Junior

    Dec 15, 2005
    484
    Northern, VA.
    Full Name:
    Ron S.
    Looks like my battery is dead on my '89 Mondial T. I'd like to put it on a charger for a few hours.
    Nor sure how to do it. Any help including diagrams would be most appreciated.
    I'm told that there is a terminal in the engine compartment but I'm not sure where.
    Thanks.
    Ron
     
  2. 2000YELLOW360

    2000YELLOW360 F1 World Champ

    Jun 5, 2001
    19,800
    Full Name:
    Art
    I would go to Kragens, and buy the charger that plugs into your lighter. Has about a 2amp per hour charge, and will, if left overnight bring the batter up to the right charge.

    Art
     
  3. MondialTCab

    MondialTCab Formula 3

    Sep 5, 2001
    1,020
    Pacific Northwest
    Full Name:
    John Michael Gross
    Given all of the fusebox issues we have with Ts...I am not sure I would run power back through the cigarette lighter but that is just my feeling, nothing against Art's comment and not "official" advice.

    To jump your T, you just need to open the hood and carefully go behind the headlight bucket.

    For longer term charging, I have prewired a trickle charger to the battery with the coupler zip-tied to the took hook receptacle for easy access.

    Best of luck...
     
  4. 4ARI

    4ARI Formula Junior

    Dec 15, 2005
    484
    Northern, VA.
    Full Name:
    Ron S.
    Thanks to everyone who offered help. I took care of the problem the old fashioned way:

    I took off the tire, then the access plate, removed the battery and charged it up.
    It was fine but needed a good charge.
    Then I added a wire for easier access to the positive for easier trickle charging down the road. It starts like a champ now.
    A overall very good experience. I got to use my official Ferrari scissor jack and got to try on my space saver spare at the same time.
    Thanks for your help.
    Ron
     
    afterburner and IoannKa like this.
  5. IoannKa

    IoannKa Rookie

    Jun 12, 2024
    5
    Munich, Germany
    Full Name:
    Ioannis Kama
    Is it safe to jump start a Mondial T using a portable charger? Meanwhile it's impossible to reach the positive pole.
    In another post, someone wrote that it could be dangerous to the Motronic's ECU: https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/posts/137882072/
     
  6. Alden

    Alden F1 Rookie
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 25, 2010
    3,405
    Central Florida
    I jump started my 3.2 once and got away with it, but the general consensus is that it's never a good idea to jump start these cars. Either recharge the dead battery before starting or replace it with a new one and then start it, not worth risking frying your ECU just to get the car rolling that day!
    I don't think a rolling jump start would work either because the ECU would not be getting enough power to function properly from the dead battery, not sure about that.
    Alden
     
  7. Wingnut

    Wingnut Karting

    Feb 11, 2005
    151
    Corolla, NC
    Something on the Mondial T draws current while the car just sits, with nothing on. A fully charged battery will be dead if I don't drive my T regularly - thats why I use a trickle charger pre-wired to the battery. The charger plugs in under the hood easily and lives under the hood. It should have been a standard feature by Ferrari!!!
    .
     
  8. PeterS

    PeterS Five Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 24, 2003
    51,621
    Goodyear, AZ
    Full Name:
    PeterS
    Just keep a sticky note on the steering wheel as I do that reads 'REMOVE CHARGE CORD'. Without this, I know that one day, I'd back out of the garage with the tender plugged in and bend up the grill!
     
  9. djs308

    djs308 Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 2, 2002
    1,131
    Long Island, NY
    Full Name:
    David S.
    On mine, I leave the front bonnet slightly ajar after plugging in. So when I do get ready to drive next time, should I forget about it and start the car, the "bonnet is open" warning light will illuminate on the center panel between the seats. Now this is a 3.2. The "t" might differ.

    To date, I haven't forgotten to unplug, but there were a couple of occasions where I did forget to plug IN after a drive. Thankfully, the battery wasn't drained. No harm, no foul!
     
  10. gsfent

    gsfent Formula 3

    Nov 16, 2009
    1,101
    PB County, Florida
    Full Name:
    Jerry
    A prior owner added a positive post inside the front trunk on the passenger side. So if I have not driven the car for a while, I typically just hook up a battery maintainer for a day and then I am good to go. Ground is the headlight bucket bolt.

    I did jump it once with a big battery pack. It has an on/off switch, so I turned it on, waited about 30 seconds so everything had power, and the car started up immediately. Not sure I would want to use old fashioned jumper cables, but the new "smart" jumper packs are probably OK. Just give it 15-20 seconds so all the computers power up before trying to start.

    Regards,
    Jerry
     
  11. IoannKa

    IoannKa Rookie

    Jun 12, 2024
    5
    Munich, Germany
    Full Name:
    Ioannis Kama
    So, I charged the Mondial T's battery, by finding small-sized clips and managed to attach to poles.
    When not connected, it shows 13,3 volt. While charging, it was showing 14,2 volt.
    Dashboard control lights turn on, no warning lights remain, but the car doesn't start.

    When turning the key: First 2-3 secs I can hear the fuel pumps, the starter motor turns but slower than normal and slows down.
    After 4-5 secs: a rapid 'cracking' noise is heard from the front part. Just when the battery was with lower voltage.

    Is the battery unable to discharge under load? Shall I replace it? It was working fine before the winter.
    Or, since the battery has some charge, shall I try to push-start the Mondial? (2nd gear, release clutch)
     
  12. Alden

    Alden F1 Rookie
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 25, 2010
    3,405
    Central Florida
    Replace the battery.
    And check out the "WR1 relay" mod
    Alden
     
    gsfent likes this.
  13. rflan

    rflan Rookie

    Nov 3, 2021
    13
    Full Name:
    Robert Flannery
    Hey Ioaaka, mind sending a photo of how you hooked your battery charger up? Mine is pretty dead and needs a good charge. Also any idea how to manually open the fronk/trunk if the battery is too low?
     
  14. Alden

    Alden F1 Rookie
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 25, 2010
    3,405
    Central Florida
    There is a cable pull release below the dash to the left of the steering wheel, if your car is left hand drive. It might be hidden behind the carpet that goes up in front of the door.
    Alden
     
    gsfent likes this.
  15. IoannKa

    IoannKa Rookie

    Jun 12, 2024
    5
    Munich, Germany
    Full Name:
    Ioannis Kama
    Hi rflan, you have this car for some time right? A lever is not installed left-under the wheel, for pulling, to manually open the front hood? As for the trunk lever, it's behind the left back-seat.

    I found some clippers which are smaller in size and managed to squeeze them in. As the battery is placed deep inside. Red to positive and black to negative, and disconnected battery-master-switch while charging. I used a car battery charger. The charger was delivering about 30-35Watt and took ca two days to charge. As the battery is being charged, you 'll see the wattage dropping slowly. There's really not much more to describe. You can understand the state of the battery by activating the windows, especially as they move upwards.

    In the end it only worked temporarily. I drove for an hour to better charge the battery, but it was too weak. I went to an Oldtimer workshop and replaced the battery.
     
  16. bill brooks

    bill brooks F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Jul 30, 2007
    6,002
    waynesburg,pa
    Full Name:
    bill brooks
    #16 bill brooks, May 30, 2025 at 11:04 AM
    Last edited: May 30, 2025 at 11:14 AM
    before i sold my 328, i made up a "remote" battery tender lead so that i wouldn't
    have to resort to lifting out the spare tire and killing my ailing back each time i laid her up.

    i attached the leads to the respective battery terminals and routed them up to
    a nifty 2pole terminal block i found on amazon. i epoxied the terminal block to the
    fiberglass shroud forming the tire well near the radiator cavity. this would allow
    the leads to remain while driving the car. in this way, i could use my NOCO 10
    tender clamped to the block when laid up. a 30sec. operation to connect/disconnect the
    tender before a drive.
     

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