New owner, (MIL snags)

[peteruc]

Hi everyone,
Ive just got my hands on a 97 4.0 Chimera. I think the car is great(more than great) however i am having some sort of problem with the fuel system. The MIL light comes on from time to time. Usually its very faint and flickering. If i blip the throtle it will flicker on and then go back to a faint glow. When driving the car will judder sometimes, but when i back of the light goes out. Everything points towards fuel starvation but its more evident at low revs. Ive read some other mesages talking about steeper motors, carbon filters(where is it) and Labmder sensors, Throtle switch.
I would be most greatfull if any one can give me some tips and knowledge to sort the problem.
Thanks in advance,
Pete

[MikeyT]

Sorry you're having problems with it, when was it last serviced?

[plipton]

Just a guess - the MIL light comes on briefly when the fuel pump primes. This seems to be linked to the immobiliser.

Maybe there's a fuel pump fault OR the immobiliser is playing up.

Is it more noticable when the tank's full/empty? If so it maybe a breather problem with the filler cap?? Easy to test - just run it up without the cap on.

Or perhaps the fuel filter is blocked but not likely as the fault would be more noticeable at higher throttle openings.

Good luck

Plipton

[peteruc]

Good morning,
Thanks for your peply. The car has alegely been serviced but i think that only went as far as the oil and filter. When i opende the fuel tank yesterday there was a his of air i am presuming it was a vacume and not pressure. Do you know where the carbon filter is. I am now going to clean the stepper motor, plugs and air filter. As an after thought could it be somthing to do with the lambder sensors.
Cheers
Pete

[zzr1200]

Try changing the fuel filter at the same time as doing everything else, the carbon cannister is located in one of the front wings but it shouldn't be that. The lambda sensors require specialist cleaning and a dealer can check them for you. Check the H.T. leads for splits and renew the set if the look old, also clean up the dizzy cap and rotor arm.

Hope this helps!

[GreenV8S]

I don't know what that MIL light is, I would expect you to have no charge, oil pressure, hnadbrake/low brake fluid, and possibly pad wear warning lights. Pot luck which one is wired to the MIL light but no charge and oil pressure would be the prime candidates. I would start by identifying the no-charge warning light and the oil pressure warning light. They should both come on when you switch the ignition on with the engine stopped. The no-charge warning light should also come on while the engine is spinning down, if you rev the engine and then switch off. Once you know what the light is, you can start to think about what its behaviour implies.

[peteruc]

The MIL light does flick on briefly when the fuel system is been presurised. It only happens for a split second right as the fuel pump comes on. Is there some sort of fuel pressure switch which could be faulty.

[peteruc]

The MIL light does flash on once when the fuel system is pressurising.
Can any one direct me to the fuel filter in detail

[GreenV8S]

The fuel filter is in front of the tank on the near side, visible via the rear near side wheel arch. But I think you're on the wrong track. There is no fuel pressure sensor/switch (the nearest thing to this is the fuel temp sender on the front of the fuel rail). I'm pretty sure your MIL light will be wired to one of the other sources I listed and if I were you I would start by listing all the warning bulbs on the dashboard and looking at the behaviour of each one to work out what it is conected to. (Sadly you can't just assume it's the same as any other TVR.) In particular I would look for the no change and oil pressure warning lights.

[plipton]

I believe (and please tell me if I'm wrong) the MIL light is associated with the alarm/immobiliser - hence it flashes on when the fuel pump primes.

For this reason I suspect the immobiliser as a potential fault (dodgy connection most likely I'd guess)

[k4trv]

plipton said:

I believe (and please tell me if I'm wrong) the MIL light is associated with the alarm/immobiliser - hence it flashes on when the fuel pump primes. For this reason I suspect the immobiliser as a potential fault (dodgy connection most likely I'd guess)

This shortcut indicates that the MIL light is not connected, unless its a non-UK car - www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=50162&f=8&h=0&hw=mil

Trev McM

[edhorne]

You beat me to it.

I was going to say that the MIL light is used to indicate an ECU fault (I think). The flickering would suggest to me that its an earth fault or something causing the light to glow.

No doubt SHPUB will put us right tomorrow.

cheers

Ed

[Mark.S]

The MIL light is used to indicate ECU faults but is apparently not activated for UK sold cars - so Mark Adams told me anyway.

He recently discovered how to activate it so anyone having their car chipped by him will most likely have the 'feature' turned on.

With the MIL light activated, a fault results in the light staying on permanently until the ECU is reset. If its flickering on and off I'd guess its a short/bad connection somewhere?

Worth having a dealer/specialist check it out either way.

[icb]

Had problem with MIL and Mark Adams sorted it after a bit of a strggle.Problem with mine was no. 27 pin on the ECU. Disconnect ECU and give pins a clean, as this was the cause of fuel problems with my car. Dealer nor the factory could find the fault as was intermittent. Otherwise give Mark a ring and get him to sort it.

[Kwacker]

I may also be wrong, But in my hand book it describs the light as a management light to stop the fuel pump in the case of an accident.

In my 93 l reg Chimaera there is a little slidy in and out style switch in the passenger foot well. When it is pushed in the MIL light comes on. I have asked what it is and the answer I got was an inertia switch(sounds like something off of Star Trek). I believe that if you are involved in a crash the switch slides in so that it will stop the fuel pump.

I know that is does stop the fuel pump as it has accidentally been pushed in. Took a while to find it.

Live long and drive a TVR

Kwacker

[zumbruk]

Mark.S said:

The MIL light is used to indicate ECU faults but is apparently not activated for UK sold cars - so Mark Adams told me anyway.

My 450 is definitely a UK car, and the MIL light comes on briefly when the immobiliser disarms. The handbook says it comes on to indicate ECU faults. So it *is* connected in some UK cars.

[M@H]

Kwacker said:

I may also be wrong, But in my hand book it describs the light as a management light to stop the fuel pump in the case of an accident. In my 93 l reg Chimaera there is a little slidy in and out style switch in the passenger foot well. When it is pushed in the MIL light comes on. I have asked what it is and the answer I got was an inertia switch(sounds like something off of Star Trek). I believe that if you are involved in a crash the switch slides in so that it will stop the fuel pump. I know that is does stop the fuel pump as it has accidentally been pushed in. Took a while to find it. Live long and drive a TVR Kwacker

Where's this exactly as I assume I may well have one in my 93 400..

Cheers,
Matt.


>> Edited by M@H on Tuesday 16th September 12:46

[K4TRV]

matt said:

Where's this exactly as I assume I may well have one in my 93 400.. Cheers, Matt.

>> Edited by M@H on Tuesday 16th September 12:46

Undo the two phillips headed screws holding the document holder (above the passengers knees). This will drop down and you can see/feel the inertia switch up and forwards.

Trev McM

[M@H]

Ta.

[V8 Archie]

peteruc said:

When i opende the fuel tank yesterday there was a his of air i am presuming it was a vacume and not pressure.

Didn't see a comment on this, but AFAIK this is normal. Happens every time on mine anyway and it seems to be running better and better. I assume this is the engine management learning my driving style.