Arrrggggggghhhh

[Chris71]

Went to take the TVR out this evening. Sounded a little lumpy when it first started up, but it's been out of action for a couple of weeks, so it didn't seem significant and I just started to drive out.

It stalled just past the garage doors (to be fair, could have been driver error!) and now won't restart. My first thought was that I'd run out of petrol - I guestimate the tank level as the petrol gauge doesn't work - so I ran down to the local garage and got 5 litres of Optimax. It still wouldn't start and to cut a long story short, that's where it remains. Well - not quite literally, my arms are shaking after pushing a deceptively heavy car up a slope.

It cranks ok (very well in fact, almost wondered if I'd lost compression, but I think that's just me being paranoid), but other than that it's completely dead.

Any ideas?

To compound matters Absolutely Shocks are supposed to be working their magic on the car (Derek, if you see this I'll give you a ring tomorrow morning to discuss our options...)

edit: Er, the (18) sign was supposed to be a stop, although it may also be a subliminal reference to the sort of language that could be heard outside my garage 10 minutes ago?

Edited by Chris71 on Thursday 15th January 20:19

[Gerald-TVR]

Usual suspects I guess fuel at the injectors spark etc

[Barkychoc]

Time for some armchair mechanics eh?

Immobiliser / Fuel Pump / check yo have spark etc.
Also check it isn't flooded - whip a plug out & see if it is wet.

[tvrgit]

1. check indicators, wipers, heater fan, or anything else that usually works only when ignition is on.

2. then check lights, windows, and anything else that works whether ignition is on or off.

If answer to Q1 is "no" but Q2 is "yes", go to ignition switch connector block under the steering column, and see if one of the connectrs is burnt out. Bet it will be.

If answer to Q1 is "yes" then you have a different problem, then you need to check for fuel / spark etc.

[tubbystu]

tvrgit said:

go to ignition switch connector block under the steering column, and see if one of the connectrs is burnt out. Bet it will be.

that'll be it I bet.

[neil240970]

Fuel pump or yellow connector are the prime suspects, I reckon. I feel your pain! Could be the fuel pump relay also: check it's priming and check for the relay clicking.

[Dave_M]

I had something similar with my S2, a friend checked it and like said above it was the ingnition connector.

[CNHSS1]

another vote for that sodding yellow connector...

[Gerald-TVR]

My famous yellow connector

[Chris71]

tvrgit said:

1. check indicators, wipers, heater fan, or anything else that usually works only when ignition is on.

2. then check lights, windows, and anything else that works whether ignition is on or off.

If answer to Q1 is "no" but Q2 is "yes", go to ignition switch connector block under the steering column, and see if one of the connectrs is burnt out. Bet it will be.

If answer to Q1 is "yes" then you have a different problem, then you need to check for fuel / spark etc.

Thanks, I'll check that this evening. Was feeling a bit despondent last night, so I retreated from the cold and the dark and failed to check the other forum posts. Wish I had because it sounds like a fairly conclusive test - something to discount at least.

One of the best things about TVR ownership has to be the owners - really appreciate your advice gents and will let you you know what happens.

[Chris71]

PS Can somebody tell me what size plug spanner I need for the 2.9?

Anything else that should be on the shopping list? I'm off to Halfords at lunch...

[tvrgit]

Chris71 said:

PS Can somebody tell me what size plug spanner I need for the 2.9?

Anything else that should be on the shopping list? I'm off to Halfords at lunch...

14mm plug spanner.

I think there's only 2 main sizes, you need the smaller one.

[dougc]

I had this problem outside a mates house last summer.

Immobiliser wasn't switching off fully. The fuel pump part of it wasn't disengaging meaning it fired properly, ran on what was in the pipes and engine for a few seconds and then crapped out. Each subsequent turn of the key didn't have the accompanying fuel pump prime sound until I dicked about in the passenger footwell a bit and obviously knocked something and presto, off it went.

[Chris71]

dougc said:

I had this problem outside a mates house last summer.

Immobiliser wasn't switching off fully. The fuel pump part of it wasn't disengaging meaning it fired properly, ran on what was in the pipes and engine for a few seconds and then crapped out. Each subsequent turn of the key didn't have the accompanying fuel pump prime sound until I dicked about in the passenger footwell a bit and obviously knocked something and presto, off it went.

Hmm, could also be it. The immobiliser sometimes fails to switch off if the battery is low - rather it wasn't there to be honest, but it keeps the insurance company happy.

We do now have a solution - I'm going to try and fiddle with it this evening. The car is booked in for suspension work with Absolutely Shocks over the weekend, so the next step is to see if Derek can get it going. Failing that he's going to trailer it down in order to change the shocks and get their electrician to take a look at the same time.

So hopefully should be going in time for the Car Limits day the following weekend. Feel slightly guilty about resorting to cheque book engineering, but I don't really have the inclination to do anything in an un-heated garage in January.

[Chris71]

Well it's not the connector...

It's also priming and smells like fuel is coming through. Either way a nice man with a voltmeter is going to sort it while it's at Gaz next week. Hopefully.

[Elfit]

Hi Chris
Check that all of your fuses are ok.
I once had the car all packed up ready to make a trip up to Scotland for a funeral.
Me and the Mrs jumped in the car at 7 in the morning but the car wouldn't start. Cue " you and your beeping car" noises from the passenger seat. I did all the checks you can do in a panic in 15 minutes but as we couldn't be late for a mate's funeral we transferred all of our luggage into the "normal" car and made our way north.
On the way up I remembered that I had "tidied" the passenger footwell and had noticed that one fuse looked dodgy but had thought no more about it (I didn't have any spares at the time).
When I got back a couple of days later the first thing I did was to tweek the fuse. I then turned the key and hey presto she fired up straight away.

Moral ~ check the fuses~
I think it's the one for the ignition system ~ top left 15 amp


Cheers
Tim

[Chris71]

tvrgit said:

Chris71 said:

PS Can somebody tell me what size plug spanner I need for the 2.9?

Anything else that should be on the shopping list? I'm off to Halfords at lunch...

14mm plug spanner.

I think there's only 2 main sizes, you need the smaller one.

Don't think it's 14mm - the one I bought fouls if you try and get it onto the plug, but it also looks like it's a bit large anyway. It's a Halfords jobbie which is basically a tube formed into a hexagon at the tip.

[tvrgit]

Chris71 said:

tvrgit said:

Chris71 said:

PS Can somebody tell me what size plug spanner I need for the 2.9?

Anything else that should be on the shopping list? I'm off to Halfords at lunch...

14mm plug spanner.

I think there's only 2 main sizes, you need the smaller one.

Don't think it's 14mm - the one I bought fouls if you try and get it onto the plug, but it also looks like it's a bit large anyway. It's a Halfords jobbie which is basically a tube formed into a hexagon at the tip.

Damn, no you're right - there's 2 sizes, and ours is the smaller one as I said. I thought they were 14 mm and 17 mm but they're not - they're 10mm and 14mm - you need a 10mm. Sorry.

[Ab Shocks]

So where the F**king hell is the fusebox on the later S3, I know I had two but I only drove them.

[pies]

Ab Shocks said:

So where the F**king hell is the fusebox on the later S3, I know I had two but I only drove them.

Under and behind the glovebox,watch out for the escaping snakes