Wont start - any ideas?
Discussion
Bugger bugger bugger....
I have three cars including the TVR and unfortunately the other two are in having work. So guess what happens - the TVR wont start... Funny thing is that pulling on to my drive the MIL light came on and the engine died. Thought it could be a fuse etc, so I had a quick check of the wiring in the footwell. Anyway, a buzzing noise was there which then stopped... Attempting to start the car and you get nothing - really try and it sort of fires, but will die as soon as you stop giving it gas...
Battery is OK, no obvious fuses are blown and a quick call to Offord confirmed that there is something wrong with the fuel pump or cut off switch... Currently charging the battery again just in case, but looking for advice or recommendations on what to check next?
Any ideas?
Of course it happens at the most inappropriate time and place - had to pay for home start from AA so they would come out and have a look!!! If they fail to start it then I will have to get it recovered to somewhere - Offords really, but this is 30 miles away and I am not sure how much that will cost!
Help?!?!?!
Cheers,
Paul
I have three cars including the TVR and unfortunately the other two are in having work. So guess what happens - the TVR wont start... Funny thing is that pulling on to my drive the MIL light came on and the engine died. Thought it could be a fuse etc, so I had a quick check of the wiring in the footwell. Anyway, a buzzing noise was there which then stopped... Attempting to start the car and you get nothing - really try and it sort of fires, but will die as soon as you stop giving it gas...
Battery is OK, no obvious fuses are blown and a quick call to Offord confirmed that there is something wrong with the fuel pump or cut off switch... Currently charging the battery again just in case, but looking for advice or recommendations on what to check next?
Any ideas?
Of course it happens at the most inappropriate time and place - had to pay for home start from AA so they would come out and have a look!!! If they fail to start it then I will have to get it recovered to somewhere - Offords really, but this is 30 miles away and I am not sure how much that will cost!
Help?!?!?!
Cheers,
Paul
Yeah, the MIL light came on and the engine died so didnt need to stop it. As an update, AA has come out to take a look and they believe the ECU has died! There is a relay that is making a noise, but the engine wont turn over.
I understand that the AA mans logic was sound - fuel smell indicates that the fuel is getting through, and a test of the plug for the injectors shows that there is not much going through - ECU failure. But cant help thinking that it is an electrical fault rather than the ECU. Anyone else had such a failure....
Of course it never rains but it poors - Stopped on my drive so had to pay AA for home start (didnt have it before). Recovery from the road anywhere would have allowed me to get free recovery to a garage of choice anywhere. At home - 10 mile radius! Offords are 30 miles away!!! Bugger.... Next time I will push it out on the road and let the hill take it to the bottom....
Still, flatbed coming out to take it away in the next hour so I will be TVR less for a bit. Just hoping that it is not a major problem.... Fingers crossed.
Cheers,
Paul
I understand that the AA mans logic was sound - fuel smell indicates that the fuel is getting through, and a test of the plug for the injectors shows that there is not much going through - ECU failure. But cant help thinking that it is an electrical fault rather than the ECU. Anyone else had such a failure....
Of course it never rains but it poors - Stopped on my drive so had to pay AA for home start (didnt have it before). Recovery from the road anywhere would have allowed me to get free recovery to a garage of choice anywhere. At home - 10 mile radius! Offords are 30 miles away!!! Bugger.... Next time I will push it out on the road and let the hill take it to the bottom....
Still, flatbed coming out to take it away in the next hour so I will be TVR less for a bit. Just hoping that it is not a major problem.... Fingers crossed.
Cheers,
Paul
I do wonder about all this talk of fried ECUs... They're incredibly basic and well over engineered. If I'm right then it's about the level of complexity and computing power of a ZX Spectrum. Sure there are some things you should avoid, but I don't really believe that after several years of flawless service that they can just pop.
My old job was designing computer chips for graphics cards. Now those are seriously temperamental. Yet we plug and unplug our graphics cards like they're made of Lego, and do they go bang? Nope.
Maybe it is a broken ECU, but I'd want to know that the guy fixing it had checked through all the possible other electrical faults before I had to pay for a new one.
My old Integra packed up on me with an ECU fault, and after a bit of wire-waggling under the bonnet it turned out to be nothing more than a dodgy connection to a box of EFI gizmos (air control solenoid and air pressure sensor etc)
Hope it's the same for you.
>> Edited by xain on Tuesday 2nd April 15:00
My old job was designing computer chips for graphics cards. Now those are seriously temperamental. Yet we plug and unplug our graphics cards like they're made of Lego, and do they go bang? Nope.
Maybe it is a broken ECU, but I'd want to know that the guy fixing it had checked through all the possible other electrical faults before I had to pay for a new one.
My old Integra packed up on me with an ECU fault, and after a bit of wire-waggling under the bonnet it turned out to be nothing more than a dodgy connection to a box of EFI gizmos (air control solenoid and air pressure sensor etc)
Hope it's the same for you.
>> Edited by xain on Tuesday 2nd April 15:00
Paul, sorry to hear that. I think yours has gone out in sympathy with mine - which didn't entirely die, but did get all leaky on me last Friday. You know, when it was sunny, warm, and the taste of the glorious bank holiday weekend to come.
Split radiator and something fishy with the oil pressure, although not total loss of (thank god).
Of course, my spare car (actually a friend's car, but it's mine while he's in Canada) is, guess what, pissing water all over the floor once the cooling system gets pressurised.
FFS.
Offord, bless 'em, have loaned me a car while they get mine sorted. It's a part-ex someone brought in over the weekend, a Peugeot 405 1.9 diesel. sans turbo. I swear it's the slowest thing I've ever driven, including PIPEX's old Cavalier 1.7TD pool cars. But, still, I'm mobile.
>> Edited by Marshy on Friday 5th April 00:38
Split radiator and something fishy with the oil pressure, although not total loss of (thank god).
Of course, my spare car (actually a friend's car, but it's mine while he's in Canada) is, guess what, pissing water all over the floor once the cooling system gets pressurised.
FFS.
Offord, bless 'em, have loaned me a car while they get mine sorted. It's a part-ex someone brought in over the weekend, a Peugeot 405 1.9 diesel. sans turbo. I swear it's the slowest thing I've ever driven, including PIPEX's old Cavalier 1.7TD pool cars. But, still, I'm mobile.
>> Edited by Marshy on Friday 5th April 00:38
Top marks to Offord - they got my car on Tuesday, and I collected it today, with a recored radiator and a new oil pressure sender.
Ergo, it's fixed, and I'm a very happy bunny, especially as the warranty has handled most of it. I suspect that Offord have a good relationship with WH, as there doesn't seem to have been any quibbling at all.
I think you're in good hands Paul.
Ergo, it's fixed, and I'm a very happy bunny, especially as the warranty has handled most of it. I suspect that Offord have a good relationship with WH, as there doesn't seem to have been any quibbling at all.
I think you're in good hands Paul.
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