flaminia

[Richard Fridd]

hi all,as i have been researching flaminia info recently i have come across the 'special coupe'featured on page137 in the gold portfolio book.i was wondering if anyone can expand on the article.also in the same book on page 110 there is a different air filter pictured. is this type a production item does anybody know?replies gratefully recieved.best regards richard

[Richard Fridd]

if any one can help with this one i would be grateful.what can the reason be when a car starts with a battery then the battery fails and cant take a charge-could it be the charging system/alternator /voltage regulator need attention.best regards richard

[frankxhv773t]

Richard, it could just be the battery. It happened to Brian's Fulvia when we set off for goodwood. It seems modern batteries can just die like that. Brian got Fay out of the garage, starting it from cold but when we stopped at the petrol station just round the corner the battery was dead.

[SanRemo78]

Possibly an alternator problem - happened to me in Turin, just enough juice being generated to turn out the warning light but not enough to recharge the battery after a start. Running with lights and wipers killed the battery. We missed the trip to the Mirafiori plant and traipsed around Turin looking for a battery charger. Had a lovely day though and spent every evening after that with the battery in the hotel room on charge until we got home!
Guy

[fay66]

Possibly an alternator problem - happened to me in Turin, just enough juice being generated to turn out the warning light but not enough to recharge the battery after a start. Running with lights and wipers killed the battery. We missed the trip to the Mirafiori plant and traipsed around Turin looking for a battery charger. Had a lovely day though and spent every evening after that with the battery in the hotel room on charge until we got home!
Guy

I suspect the Flaminia has an Dynamo as does "Fay", so you find out pretty quick if it isn't charging!
To be fair my battery was about 9 years old so it didn't owe me anything, but until the moment it failed when I went to restart after filling up with petrol, it hadn't missed a beat in the previous 9 years including that morning when starting after  she had been standing for about 2 weeks in the garage, without any drama.

Brian
8227

[LanciAlan]

The battery-killing Flaminia that Richard refers to is currently mine but soon to be his. The symptoms are:

Generator light not extinguishing or dimming when running
There is more than 12v output from the dynamo but not 13 or 14
The regulator appears to be functioning (though values not tested)
Car will start and run on a fresh battery and will even re-start in the same (driveway) session but will be dead next time,even if disconnected immediately after use and re-charged.
Two batteries (neither new but both serviceable and well able to crank the engine indefinitely) have lost their lives in this way
If driven along distance, everything eventually dies and the the car stops and another battery bites the dust.
Dead batteries will not take a charge

I reckon dynamo and regulator need proper testing (there is a diagram of the latter in the manual) and dynamo needs overhauling. I imagine the engine is running on the battery rather than  (or as well as) the dynamo and that is frying the battery somehow.

When I bought it the previous owner did something simple to energise/excite the dynamo by brushing negative terminals or something and this made the generator light go out. Electrics then behaved fine for a few years. I hate electrics though they are simple enough once you know what how.

Any wiring wizards out there?

Alan

[the.cern]

On my Nissan (sorry) the alternator failed and killed the battery !!!!!  It (the alternator)  had been playing up, dim charge light, but other than that all seemed well, then a totally flat battery. I charged it overnight and all seemed fine when I started it the next morning, but at the next start (10 mins later) absolutely nothing !!!!

The local auto electrician took it away and rebuilt the alternator in his workshop, he had the battery on charge and drove it out onto the driveway, closed the doors and then went to start it again, nothing !!!!!!!  So a new battery and, touch wood, all fine since (20mths).
In his opinion, running the car with a slightly under-performing alternator damaged the battery terminally.

A lesson for me to remember !!

                 Andy

[LanciAlan]

Thanks Andy

Your story reinforces my belief that the unreformed 50 year old dynamo is probably acting up, whether with or without the help of the regulator. So an overhaul of that would be a good place for Richard to start. I've just remembered why I didn't do it at the time this problem first started - the dynamo is located somewhere quite surprisingly low down and inaccessible and that requires the removal of another ancillary component - possibly the starter or the rad. Bit of a job anyhow and not one I was particularly minded to do as the car has been in storage and only started periodically out of curiosity  or to move it around- though that was 3 batteries and 2 years ago.

Alan

[lancialulu]

My contribution to this is my Aprilia (ovs) was found unexpectedly to have a loose fan belt Thursday evening in my prep for the long round trip to the AGM. No problem, quick move of bonnet and front grill, find dynamo loose - it's eccentric thro the rad and tighens (or in this case got loose) the fan belt, so tighten all up put back together, and start up to find every thing fine charging at c30amps.

Return to car yesterday, dynamo/regulator not working. No charge whatsoever ever. I did some basic tests which told me I would need to take another car. A good reason why every Lancia's owner should have a spare.....

As the car is a 12 v conversion with (I believe) and aurelia dynamo and Lucas regulator this is a non standard repair scenario. More later.

Silver lining was the trip from Colchester to Cheltenham was pants and not the sort of journey you want to do in a pre war car...

Tim

[Richard Fridd]

i have now cleaned and painted the battery tray[which is in good condition]and will install a new battery[065 55Ah 46 pounds  + master switch 16 pounds both +VAT from BREENS maidstone]and new leads /terminals.will have to fabricate a clamp to secure the battery also then check charging circuit.so time spent so far-throttle mech 4hrs/fuel filter+plugs 2hrs/battery tray 1hr/seat runners 1hr.total cost to date 56.39[battery]to answer your question Alan regarding the contents of the glove box just the filter and a rear view mirror were present-no cash or diamonds that i could see!boot emptied and cleaned up- also i have not driven 'around the block' for a [pre arranged as uk law demands] MOT yet.breens are sourcing brake piston assemblies-2+eighth and 1+5 eighth i am told.there is a very slim chance these will not be reqd as the wheels are free so brakes not binding.whilst i am in the battery area i will remove and check the steering damper.if any one has special tools for the flaminia i would be grateful to borrow them to have some replicated for future use on my own car .[deposit paid]best regards richard

[LanciAlan]

I don't remember the filter at all but the extra rear view mirror came from the previous owner some time after I had bought the car. The one fitted seems to be a non-original  addition but I couldn't see how the extra one was any more original ... though it is nice and shiny. You really ought to get a digital camera to record and share your progress. You'll need to rebuild the servo and master cylinder eventually too I expect though the main braking issue seemed to me to be air in the system.

[Richard Fridd]

hi Alan,i must get a digital camera you are quite right!i was contemplating the idea this morning.please bear with me.best regards richard

[LanciAlan]

You do that. Perhaps you won't mind if I post the following pictures meanwhile of the removal from storage and delivery of your car from Wexford to Kent ....

[HF_Dave]

That must be the furthest the flaminia has travelled in many years,

[Richard Fridd]

i will remember that delivery trip with great fondness.the route through town was a memorable one!coffee in carlton house terrace on a saturday morning and the photo in the square-glad the tourists liked the car- fabulous.camera or camera phone next week once i have sorted future employment details!best regards richard