Dead Rover

I have a '69 Rover that was running fine until I parked it... When I came back the battery was dead. I was able to jump start it and it seemed to be fine after that.

1st question: Is there a trick to jump starting a Rover? Because I almost killed myself setting it up (It kept wanting to go into arch welding mode) I have jump started many car before and have never had an issue)

2nd question: I have been trying to figure out how the battery could have drained in the first place. Is it possible the ignition was in accessory position and would that have drained the battery in the space of 1 1/2 hours? The ignition is very loose and you can even take the key out once the car is started. Any troubleshooting ideas?

There are a number of things that can cause a battery to drain. The first is the battery it self. The key left on can do it too. An alternator fault is a fairly common problem that will do it too. Other less common causes can be things like a faulty switch leaving lights or accessories on.
Its easy to eliminate the battery as a problem by disconnecting it and seeing if it still drains over time or by connecting a test light between the post and the clamp when disconnected.If the light comes on you have a drain in the system but the battery is probably not the cause.

John

There's nothing unusual about jump starting a Rover. By 1969 yours should have been negative ground, not positive, so I'm assuming you had the cables hooked up correctly.

You might have a bad battery which is shorting out - thus the sparking.

Jeff Aronson
Vinalhaven, Maine