Stalling

[steveab]

I''m not having a good day today. Not only have I destroyed some spoiler thingy under the front of my Chim, but its started to stall over the last couple of days. I''d start it up from cold, drive around for a big (not too quickly < 3K rpm). Then pull up to a roundabout / junction, slip it into 1st to pull away and then the revs just die. I''ve managed to keep it going a couple of times but just keeping the revs high, but it stalled completely today, it started OK and I was on my way. The car seems fine, it had a service about a month ago, there''s plenty of oil, the fans come on at the right time, the oil pressure seems fine. The only thing I can think of is that I was doing a few short jorneys (< 2 miles). Is this a common thing or is something amis?? Steve

[paulie]

Steve So many things it could be. My Griff doers a similiar thing. Starts first time and as she heats up - just as she gets to correct temperature tries to stall. I now know when its going to happen so I pull over and sit on the gas pedal for a few minutes. David Batty in Guildford has looked at it a couple of times - fiddled with the idle speed, lamda sensors - now has confirmed that its a fault in the ECU. Thinking about rechipping to solve this probelm and get a little more mid range bhp as well!!

[steveab]

Hmm, Not keen on the idea of chipping (although I do have a contact at SuperChips....) I was hoping it was the automatic choke (I assume it has one). Since I've had a similar problem with a Vauxhall. But your right about 'feeling' when it's about to go, I've found that the tick-over on Chims (probably all Rover v8s) is fairly low anyway. It's just the 'looking a complete plank' that I don't like, especially when you've got the top down doing a bit of posing!!! Steve

[graham]

I have a similar problem on mine when driving to a stop the engine will either almost die and then pick up or stop. i thought it might be the idle control valve, but the fact it tries to pick up negates that, as confirmed by the fact i have changed it. after a week at a garge the dignois is partialy bloked injectors. is going in next week for new ones and some other work, so i'll let you know the results in a wek or 2. i carnt se how re chipping a knackered ecu would do anything. if the ecu's ****ed changing the map would still leave you with a ****ed ecu just with a different map..... just swap the ecu from a similar car fo half an hour and find out.... mind you i;m having a re-chip at the same time, but thats cos the cats are going in the bin.... YEEEHHHAAARRR

[xain]

Steve, it doesn't have an automatic choke. It's all done by the ECU/fuel injection.

[pitbull]

I ripped the spoiler thingy off the front from under my chimp 5 at the weekend, ( came into a road works ramp too fast ) it would appear that it was riveted on, but not sure what it is supposed to do??? Made a great noise as it got chewed up under the car. I stopped about ten feet down the road and a chap working on the resurfacing handed it to me and said that he had never touched a TVR before, did make me chuckle. The Pitbull

[apache]

pitbull the spoiler thingy went on mine too, I was told by Steve @TVRacing that this causes turbulance in the airflow under the car to draw out hot air. As this can only work when moving I don't think its hugely important, a cooling aid when at standstill would be more useful.He also told me that the ecu controls the mixture when cold by feedback from the temp sensor on the engine block by the distributor, if this was knackered it could cause cold tickover probs

[JOHNYBOY]

Was the idle control valve (black plastic thingy on the back of the plenum chamber) that died on my Griff about £75.00 to replace i remember..Caused loads of stalling and poor low speed/light load running.

[rossc]

Had a very similar problem with my Chimp, again I think it was the idle stepper motor. Took it apart at the weekend & found it absolutely covered in carbon. Has been running fine since cleaning it all up. Hope this helps, Ross.

[HECTOR]

Happened to me twice with my Griff 500,cured by cleaning stepper motor which was badly sooted up.32mm spanner undo's it,after unplugging it first of course!Takes about 5 mins to do.

[ryh]

HECTOR, is the stepper motor the thingy attached to the plenum chamber, at the back of the engine under the windscreen wiper gauze..?? Looks tricky to get to..

[rossc]

The stepper motor is indeed attached to the rear of the plenum chamber. It has an electrical connection one end, 32mm nut in the middle, screwed into the plenum chamber at the other end. Disconnect the electric socket, unscrew the motor. You may not need a spanner to undoe it, if you do, be careful not to crack the plastic nut/housing. Clean the end with some white spirit, clean inside with some white spirit on a cotton bud. Put some PTFE tape around the thread to make a better seal & reconnect. It is a bit fiddly to get to but can be done. Hopefully, problem solved. Hope this helps, went through this at the weekend, Ross Edited by rossc on Thursday 31st May 14:10

[steveab]

Thanks for the great response!! It seems OK for the momment, but if the problem rears it's head again, I'll investigate the stepper motor first! Cheers Steve