New sender unit and starter motor

[ropey]

I need some advise on where to get:

1. A new sender unit for the engine temp - this was duff when Rob inspected the car. All other engine cooling issues seem to be OK. Fans cut in, no loss of coolant, no smoke/steam coming from engine But after reading a few posts on here about engine temps rising for no reason, I thought it might not be a good idea to carry on for too long with no knowing what's going on!

2. A new starter motor. The hot start problem is continuing, so it's something that I need to get sorted at some point. I know that getting a new one is no guarantee that all will be fine, but it's worth a go. May get a heat sheild for it too - good idea?

So, any info/thoughts on the above would be great. Also, how easy are they both to fit? I'm not that mechanically minded, but if it's easy, I'd rather attempted it myself rather than pay someone vast amounts of money to do it for me.

Plus I've got a mechanically minded brother-in-law, who I'm sure can assist me at weekends!

I was gonna wait til my first service for the sender unit, but as previously mentioned, I'm getting the feeling I should sort it before that.

Oh, and before you all say, "take a look at the bible", I haven't got it yet. I know, I know, I'll order it this week.

Thanks in advance,
Ropey

[ajg]

I agree that the starting problem is probably your starter playing up (or bad connection), but it may be a good idea to check the your battery is OK and the correct type.
I recently replaced my dead battery with one which I was told by a local motor factor was suitable. After that I had occasional problems with the starter not turning the engine over.
Replaced battery with correct one and it's now fine.
Battery should have rating of at least 630 Cold Cranking Amps (sae), but higher value will mean it struggles less in the winter, mines 730 CCA.
Bible says type 072 battery is best choice but I couldn't find one, ended up with european equivalent.

Andy G

[plipton]

Do you mean the otter switch when you say temp sender?

If so then Lucas, Halfords etc. will stock them. I replaced mine with one 3 or 4 degrees cooler (94/91 I think) as most of my driving is in town so the engine gets a bit warm some times. I added a fan override switch at the same time.

Take the old one in with you and they can match it (the temp is stamped on it)

Plipton

[shpub]

94/91 is the wrong value and will cause your car to overheat quicker than switching on the afterburners...

Go to a TVR dealer/specialist and get the right one. It is essential to get right so forget Halfords!

[ropey]

No, it's not the temp switch for the fans that's knackered, it's the sender unit that tells the temp gauge on the dash what temp the engine is. The fans are cutting in fine - in fact the previous owner informed me that the car had a new otter switch added so the fans come on at a lower temp.

As for the starter motor - normal starting of the car is fine, it's just when it gets hot (after being stuck in traffic) and then I try to switch off and switch on the car too quickly. Leave for 5 minutes, and all is fine.

So, anyone got any ideas as to where I should start to look to get these 2 items? TVR? Specialist? Rover?

BTW: As previously mentioned, I've now ordered my copy of the bible.

Cheers,
Ropey

[drum4it2]

ropey said:

No, it's not the temp switch for the fans that's knackered, it's the sender unit that tells the temp gauge on the dash what temp the engine is. The fans are cutting in fine - in fact the previous owner informed me that the car had a new otter switch added so the fans come on at a lower temp. As for the starter motor - normal starting of the car is fine, it's just when it gets hot (after being stuck in traffic) and then I try to switch off and switch on the car too quickly. Leave for 5 minutes, and all is fine. So, anyone got any ideas as to where I should start to look to get these 2 items? TVR? Specialist? Rover? BTW: As previously mentioned, I've now ordered my copy of the bible. Cheers, Ropey

Hi Ropey, suspect it may have been my posting that got you worried about the 'real' temperature! What sort of temperatures are you getting and how quick?

I've decided to leave mine to the service next week!

Whereabouts in London you based?

Good luck!

[shpub]

The sender unit is matched to the guage so I would get one from TVR. Might be worth making sure that the guage is right first with an external thermometer.

As for starter motor get a recon and make sure the new unit is the same as the old. Many different sizes and ordering blind has a 1 in 7 chnace of getting it right. The different motors all had the same part number.

[2 sheds]

shpub said:

94/91 is the wrong value and will cause your car to overheat quicker than switching on the afterburners... Go to a TVR dealer/specialist and get the right one. It is essential to get right so forget Halfords!

The otter switch i use is the Intermotor 50250 (Alfa Romeo part) which has an upper limit of 86 degrees.
Tim

[dontknowmuch]

my sender unit's b***ered too. bloke who fixes the car has ordered one from the tvr garage in Bristol

[david beer]

My sender went and i used the "unused" one on the top of the head, a variable resistor to set it up, job done.

[ropey]

Sorry for not replying for some time - been manic at work!

Anyway, thanks for the replies.

The car appears to have been fine. Fans coming on at all the right points. Got stuck in some nasty London traffic over the w/e, and all was fine. No loss of coolant. I was very hot, but the car was fine!!

I shall get a new sender unit from somewhere (TMS/TVR??) and see if i can get my mechanically minded brother in law to fit it.

As for the starter motor, I shall get that sorted at next service I think.

Got a trip down to the girlfriends folks in Cornwall next weekend, so may pop in at Peninsula and get a new sender unit from them.

The Bible turned up at the weekend. Hmmm, some bedtime reading!

Cheers,
Ropey

[ssc1]

so are we saying that an otter switch with the temp 94/91 is wrong for the chim, as i have jusr bought a new one from TVR power in coventry and that had 96/91 printed on it . is this the wrong one ...