Starting Problems with 390SE
Discussion
My mates not got internet access so I'm posting up this question on his behalf.
He doesn't use his 390SE as much as he would like and now that summer is here it won't start !
He's had two auto electricians take a look at it and both have said without wiring diagrams they are stuck.
The fuel pump is starting up but nothing is firing. Battery is ok.
Sorry to be so vague I hope to post more info later.
Any pointers, wiring diagrams etc would be greatly appreciated.
It's a C reg.
He doesn't use his 390SE as much as he would like and now that summer is here it won't start !
He's had two auto electricians take a look at it and both have said without wiring diagrams they are stuck.
The fuel pump is starting up but nothing is firing. Battery is ok.
Sorry to be so vague I hope to post more info later.
Any pointers, wiring diagrams etc would be greatly appreciated.
It's a C reg.
even easier, get hold of a haynes manual for Rover 3500 or range rover 3500(V8) most of what you need is in there,the TVR engine is virtually identical..Out of interest check the resistance of the engine coolant temperature sensor...look for about 3300 ohms when cold. mine caused starting problems once and they are known to fail.
HTJH
Andy
HTJH
Andy
Hi there, sounds a bit familiar, I have an 86 350 convertable, ser 2, I was given by an old customer of mine for free.
He rarely drove it and it had a list of faults preventing it from passing an MOT. seized clutch, seized breaks, corroded exhaust, and a leaky rad,
oh and of course she wouldn't start. When I said old customer, it was his other car I'd previously worked on, a 94 Jag. The TVR only went to TVR in Barnet,
After he got an estimate to do all the repairs,
He phoned me up and said can you give her a good home. Must have been some estimate, and the thought of open wallet surgery scared the crap out of him enough to give me the car, 37,000 miles, mint other than the faults I've mentioned. I was never a TVR fan, only because I hadn't come across any, or really thought about it.
When she was being unloaded, I did have a funny feeling, a bit like the one I had when I met my second wife, but lets not go there, this is a family show.........yeah the car, I've always been a huge fan of the V8 and I was in the process of converting my Mazda E2000 van into a Rover V8 powered with auto & PAS.
The TVR was diagnosed by the AA or RAC, anyway one of the jump start merchants, They also suggested a wiring diagram would be required. There was fuel and a spark, I took out a plug, and apart from being very wet which was understandable, It looked like new a three pronged bosch, aah ha, I've never been a fan of bosch plugs, I only use NGK's. And just to prove a point, didn't have any in the workshop, the 350 should have BPR5E's, and your 450 should have B7ECS's. lots of people like to use resistance plugs, as denoted by the "R" in the part no, for radio noise and shit.There was four NGK's in the bin from an old service, I think BP6ES's, it took just the insertion of two plugs before the urge to feel the roar of that V8 overwhelmed me. first crank and she started.
I've had this problem loads of times where I'd replace the plug or lead even to a much lower resistance, or a non R type plug, by the time the initial KV's leaves the coil and is divided in to eight, if threes not around 8 or 9 KV at the plug on cranking she probably wont fire, and around 3 or 4 when running. This car was certainly a friday car, apart from the fact, when I removed the carpet on the rear bulkhead to fit some hidden subs, there was some angry messeges from the boy's in blackpool moaning about holiday pay and conditions, oh and a trimmer called peter really loves his girlfiend.
The door gaps really sucked too, started off a respectable just over an 1/8, going to an outragous, who got pissed and gave you some tools, whole inch.
please tell me thats not the norm for TVR's, and mine is a friday car. After I disconnected the rear end from the chassis (much easier than you'd expect) and packed the space between the body and chassis, with shims made from 1/4 plastic sheeting they use for facias on houses, I cut out 2 X 4 pieces. what a difference, the gaps became even 1/4 very respectable. also the car felt more rigid with the hood up.
He rarely drove it and it had a list of faults preventing it from passing an MOT. seized clutch, seized breaks, corroded exhaust, and a leaky rad,
oh and of course she wouldn't start. When I said old customer, it was his other car I'd previously worked on, a 94 Jag. The TVR only went to TVR in Barnet,
After he got an estimate to do all the repairs,
He phoned me up and said can you give her a good home. Must have been some estimate, and the thought of open wallet surgery scared the crap out of him enough to give me the car, 37,000 miles, mint other than the faults I've mentioned. I was never a TVR fan, only because I hadn't come across any, or really thought about it.
When she was being unloaded, I did have a funny feeling, a bit like the one I had when I met my second wife, but lets not go there, this is a family show.........yeah the car, I've always been a huge fan of the V8 and I was in the process of converting my Mazda E2000 van into a Rover V8 powered with auto & PAS.
The TVR was diagnosed by the AA or RAC, anyway one of the jump start merchants, They also suggested a wiring diagram would be required. There was fuel and a spark, I took out a plug, and apart from being very wet which was understandable, It looked like new a three pronged bosch, aah ha, I've never been a fan of bosch plugs, I only use NGK's. And just to prove a point, didn't have any in the workshop, the 350 should have BPR5E's, and your 450 should have B7ECS's. lots of people like to use resistance plugs, as denoted by the "R" in the part no, for radio noise and shit.There was four NGK's in the bin from an old service, I think BP6ES's, it took just the insertion of two plugs before the urge to feel the roar of that V8 overwhelmed me. first crank and she started.
I've had this problem loads of times where I'd replace the plug or lead even to a much lower resistance, or a non R type plug, by the time the initial KV's leaves the coil and is divided in to eight, if threes not around 8 or 9 KV at the plug on cranking she probably wont fire, and around 3 or 4 when running. This car was certainly a friday car, apart from the fact, when I removed the carpet on the rear bulkhead to fit some hidden subs, there was some angry messeges from the boy's in blackpool moaning about holiday pay and conditions, oh and a trimmer called peter really loves his girlfiend.
The door gaps really sucked too, started off a respectable just over an 1/8, going to an outragous, who got pissed and gave you some tools, whole inch.
please tell me thats not the norm for TVR's, and mine is a friday car. After I disconnected the rear end from the chassis (much easier than you'd expect) and packed the space between the body and chassis, with shims made from 1/4 plastic sheeting they use for facias on houses, I cut out 2 X 4 pieces. what a difference, the gaps became even 1/4 very respectable. also the car felt more rigid with the hood up.
From my recent experiences, assuming you have fuel pressure and a spark, check the cold start sensor as Andy390 suggested, with the ignition on move the throttle to make hte injectors click, check and clean all the wiring connections to the Air Flow Meter, Coil and the Ignition Module on the side of the Distributor.
Download the EFI manual Hereunder the Downloads page.
Very useful and takes you through all the stages of understanding and fault finding the system.
Download the EFI manual Hereunder the Downloads page.
Very useful and takes you through all the stages of understanding and fault finding the system.
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