Kangaroo Griff
Discussion
After not using the car for the last month, the little red devil gave me some serious gip over the weekend. Saturday, after six miles of perfect running it cut-out completely - not a sausage. After switching the ignition off, it started up immediately and then repeated said cutting-out after 30 seconds. It did this about 8 times, then it ran ok on constant light throttle for a few miles. Later on (different journey) it started Severely misfiring, sometimes on constant light throttle and sometimes when accelerating - oh and of course serious kangaroo-ing. Also, when it wasn't mis-firing, the power was not its usual magnificent levels. Other symptoms are; smell of unburnt fuel and extreme fuel consumption.
I found and tightened a loose plug and reset the ECU (I thought the plug may have caused combustion problems, causing the lambda feedback to screw up, causing the ECU to go into Limp Home Mode). It didn't fix it. I also spotted (in a darkened garage) some infrequent "lightening" from one plug lead to another, and also the exhaust on the same side as the plug leads was glowing (very, very dull) red around the position of the pre-cats.
Whatdya reckon?
I found and tightened a loose plug and reset the ECU (I thought the plug may have caused combustion problems, causing the lambda feedback to screw up, causing the ECU to go into Limp Home Mode). It didn't fix it. I also spotted (in a darkened garage) some infrequent "lightening" from one plug lead to another, and also the exhaust on the same side as the plug leads was glowing (very, very dull) red around the position of the pre-cats.
Whatdya reckon?
Obviously you have an ignition fault and need some new HT leads at least. That may not be the end of the story though.
Are you saying the spark plug was loose? I can't see any way for that to happen if it was fitted correctly, which makes me worry what state the rest of the car is in. Has it been serviced recently? If not, I'd take it in to a TVR specialist for a service. If it *has* been serviced recently, then that's even more scary!
Are you saying the spark plug was loose? I can't see any way for that to happen if it was fitted correctly, which makes me worry what state the rest of the car is in. Has it been serviced recently? If not, I'd take it in to a TVR specialist for a service. If it *has* been serviced recently, then that's even more scary!
Had exactly the same symptoms on mine recently;
HT lead on no.1 cylinder arcing at the dissy cap which meant no spark to one cylinder, the result was overfueling symptoms (that smell you noted) and stepper motor coking up after only a few miles driving.
Replaced HT lead and cleaned the steper yet again and the problem went away.
>> Edited by bluebottle on Monday 27th February 14:34
HT lead on no.1 cylinder arcing at the dissy cap which meant no spark to one cylinder, the result was overfueling symptoms (that smell you noted) and stepper motor coking up after only a few miles driving.
Replaced HT lead and cleaned the steper yet again and the problem went away.
>> Edited by bluebottle on Monday 27th February 14:34
Boosted an old thread here, cos I have the marsupial under the bonnet at the moment. Symptoms as above, but only occurs after the car has been idle for at least 3 days. Once it has been properly run, stopped & restarted, the problem does not reccur provided it is used daily. It is normally garaged & the problem can occur in the dry, water isn't the problem, though damp might be.
Likely culprits (summarising the thread so far) seem to be
lambda sensors
fuel pressure regulator
tune resistor
ECU mapping
HT leads
(also rans - stepper motor, vacuum advance pipe, camshaft)
Any other ideas? Did anyone cure the problem once and for all, or do we continue to live with it?
Cheers!
Alan
Likely culprits (summarising the thread so far) seem to be
lambda sensors
fuel pressure regulator
tune resistor
ECU mapping
HT leads
(also rans - stepper motor, vacuum advance pipe, camshaft)
Any other ideas? Did anyone cure the problem once and for all, or do we continue to live with it?
Cheers!
Alan
The sender for the ECU that measures the heat in the inlet manifold. Almost certainly this... £10 part... when it dies you get shunting below 2k, poor mpg, smell petrol, basically a car on Choke all the time...
you should find some reference to it under 'snb802' (search)
(lucas part - with many patterns alternatives)
you should find some reference to it under 'snb802' (search)
(lucas part - with many patterns alternatives)
Alan, I started the thread originally, and posted the more serious problems of engine cutting out above. The problem has completely gone away, and as I recall, the action that did the trick was a new set of HT leads.
So you do not have to live with it, the only question is how long it'll take you to find it and how much it'll cost. If your leads are getting old (over three years?) I'd replace them anyway (renew the metal plug caps while you're there). If your coil's getting on a bit, replace that too. Even if you don't do this, then definitely shove yer head undre the bonnet in the pitch black of night (no lights on anywhere near) and give yourself ten minutes of staring very hard at the HT areas to see what's happening. Feint "watery blue flashes" on the leads where they are touching something can be OK (but not alway), but if you see any "spark" type of flashes then this is definitely a problem that wants fixing, although it's not necessarily the whole problem.
After this, I guess you're down to making signal measurements at the ECU or checking the fault codes logged on the ECU.
Good luck!
Steve
So you do not have to live with it, the only question is how long it'll take you to find it and how much it'll cost. If your leads are getting old (over three years?) I'd replace them anyway (renew the metal plug caps while you're there). If your coil's getting on a bit, replace that too. Even if you don't do this, then definitely shove yer head undre the bonnet in the pitch black of night (no lights on anywhere near) and give yourself ten minutes of staring very hard at the HT areas to see what's happening. Feint "watery blue flashes" on the leads where they are touching something can be OK (but not alway), but if you see any "spark" type of flashes then this is definitely a problem that wants fixing, although it's not necessarily the whole problem.
After this, I guess you're down to making signal measurements at the ECU or checking the fault codes logged on the ECU.
Good luck!
Steve
97octane said:
Thanks! Will be causing my wife some concern this weekend as I spend Saturday night with head under bonnet....
I have just been ironing my Old Targa Panel cloth and have had very strange looks ( probably just look strange with an iron). Ironing flat to use as template on new material before anyone comes out with a sarky comment
Hi I had a surging problem at low rpm round town type of driving.Changed cap roter and advance unit and put a set of magnecores on sweet as a nut now .I think it was the holed advanced unit that was causing the surging .So now its spot, I may be selling to fund a little property investment cheers Jason
jasoncook said:
Hi I had a surging problem at low rpm round town type of driving.Changed cap roter and advance unit and put a set of magnecores on sweet as a nut now .I think it was the holed advanced unit that was causing the surging .So now its spot, I may be selling to fund a little property investment cheers Jason
To who I think Jason?
PS - thanks for the CD.
FFG
Hi No were still abit apart on price I would like 21 K for it .I will be sticking an add on piston heads when I sort some pics out .I have had a few jobs done over the last month chassis minted screen rubber, new pulley ,steel rockers,advance unit,leads etc etc .I was going to keep it so we will have to see cheers Jason
http://links.pictures.aol.com/pic?id=
http://links.pictures.aol.com/pic?id=
Question for all you kangarooing Griff owners. Are you driving standard cars or have they been to the “tuners” ?
My 98 500 was smooth as a smooth thing, it would burble around town cleanly in 3rd and was a joy to drive. Then I made the mistake of being convinced by an “expert” that bigger injectors, some induction mods and a re-map would be a good idea. Rather like Dave commented, a year later I have a considerably lighter wallet and a horrible very shunty car.
My guess is it is a combination of the slightly more aggressive cam and the injectors which are really too big for smooth low rev operation. I also wish I had left alone. If I still had the original Cam, Injectors and Map I would have the engine apart right now reverting to standard. Presumably as it has new lambda sensors, new leads, plugs and coil it is none of them.
My 98 500 was smooth as a smooth thing, it would burble around town cleanly in 3rd and was a joy to drive. Then I made the mistake of being convinced by an “expert” that bigger injectors, some induction mods and a re-map would be a good idea. Rather like Dave commented, a year later I have a considerably lighter wallet and a horrible very shunty car.
My guess is it is a combination of the slightly more aggressive cam and the injectors which are really too big for smooth low rev operation. I also wish I had left alone. If I still had the original Cam, Injectors and Map I would have the engine apart right now reverting to standard. Presumably as it has new lambda sensors, new leads, plugs and coil it is none of them.
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