Matts2k87

So my 2000 model S has been sitting unused for near 6 months and i stupidly forgot to disconnect the battery. I dragged out the jumper leads, hooked it up and gave it a crank to hear a click sound and then absolutely nothing. I popped open the fuse box to find my main 100amp fuse and another 40amp fuse starting to corrode a blue colour on one side of the wire. Neither were blown, and they both only have a slight amount of corrosion.

I pick my new fuses up today but before i put them in and blow them too, i was wondering if any one could point me in the right direction of which earths i may want to check that could have caused this. Or is it possible they corroded due to no use over the past months? Also, any other suggestions to the cause or things i should be checking? Im all ears for ideas.

My shed floor is uneven, not level and covered in a layer of mud, so jacking it up to roll around under there checking every earth isn't a pleasent or easy job. I suppose what im asking is if anyone could give me a bum steer it would be much appreciated.

Matt

Car Analogy

First of all, a bum steer means bad advice. I think you want good advice, not a bum steer.

There seems to be a contradiction. You said the fuses weren't blown, but then you said you are going to replace them, and are hoping they won't blow as well. Which is it, blown or not blown?

As for the corrosion, yes, sitting on a damp, muddy area will promote corrosion.

You can just clean it off with like a scuff pad, clean both terminal and fuse ends. Apply dielectric grease so corrosion stays at bay.

F1TwoThousand

Have you replaced the valve cover lately? I went through the same thing. I killed my battery running a compression test. Then the s2k would not turn over even with a jump start! Turned out to be a dead battery and somehow in the s2k a dead battery meant not even a jumpstart would help. I got a new battery and then it turned over no problem but didnt start. Long story short turns out i did not tighten the two 10mm bolts for the camshaft position sensors on the back of the valve cover. Tightened them u0 and then it started immediately..

Car Analogy

Its unreasonable to expect jumper cables to reliably start a car with a totally dead battery. Its not at all impossible to do it, but it shouldn't just be expected.

Jumper cables are not all created equal. Even really good one add a whole lotta electrical resistance between good battery and starter. On top of that, the very small surface area that the jaws bite down with adds a whole lot more resistance. Often this is enough collective resistance that even a perfectly charged battery can't jump you if your battery is totally dead.

Usually when jump starting works its because the 'dead' battery is just mostly dead. So your jump is filling the gap to give enough total juice to start your car.

If a jump is ever unsuccessful, try letting the car run for a while with the cables connected, to get some juice into the dead battery, to try and bring it back to merely mostly dead. Then try and jump.

Also, while we're on tbe subject, its not really a good idea to leave the other car running when you try and start yours. It can add the full load of your cars electrical system, and your starter, to the other cars alternator, which can damage charging system on the other car. You can usually get away with it (especially if its F150 jumping an S), but if you don't, it can get real expensive real quick (and be very careful if its the other way round, S trying to jump F150!)