My TVR died and was resurrected in 3 minutes!
Discussion
Ladies and gents! I feel that I have now been initiated into TVR ownership and would like to share this with you!
Picture this, glorious sunny weekend spent top down in the Chim, what could be better? Temp reaching 100 degrees regularly but fans kicking in regularly and the needle would drop while on the move...
Then this even, a strange thing happened, it never happened before while the engine was warm but cruising in 3rd I suddenly lost all power, red LEDs on the dash and and loss of power steering and servo brakes...
Luckily there was not much traffic about and I managed to coast to the left lane and come to a safe stop...
My immediate reaction was that I had hit a flat spot and that stalled the engine, I tried restarting...(never fails to fire up first time since since I have owned it) and nothing...
Getting worried and my diagnosis moved onto a heat problem, so I fire off the override fan which gradually brings the temp down to around 70 ,...then tried to start again, the usual routine, fuel pumps and starter cranks but would't fire up...
So I call the AA, and in the 35 min wait my mind switched to what the Chim would be worth against an S2000 (while avoiding the gazes of every other top down Boxter !)...
I had booked a 1 week trip down to Monaco this August to attend a wedding and I am going there in the Chim, although the car has been a daily driver with no problems in the past, a major electrical/mechanical failure while the car was on the move would really taint my loyalty to the ownership experience...
Anyway while I was wondering whether my Chim had a spiritual connection with the TVRs at Le Mans this weekend, AA man arrives and is quite excited to see the TVR, (doesn't ask to see the membership card or any ID), he didn't know how to open the door and tried to lift the bonnet from the headlamps instead of near the windscreen...
But once he got to the engine bay he really knew what he was doing. He immdiately diagnosed it as a spark plug problem and generally fiddles about with it... The car was serviced by Mr Batty less than 3 weeks ago so that would have been a big question mark if it was the cause... AA man fiddles again and notices a plug has worked loose!
He reseated it and restarted it...Car fires up as usual and meanwhile I was standing behind it... the familiar aural sensation accompanied a great sigh of relief!
Apparently, a cable that sits next to the small black cylindrical can (ie smaller than a can of red bull) had come loose and this supplied all the juice to the spark plugs...hence the cranking but no firing...
I of course am very happy as I am going on holiday this week for a fortnight and the prospect of towing the car home and then sending it to a dealer sounded way too expensive to what was already an pricy hobby...
Gave the AA man some beer money and went on my way, feeling sheepish that I doubted her integrity during the 30 minutes wait!!! Happy motoring !
Picture this, glorious sunny weekend spent top down in the Chim, what could be better? Temp reaching 100 degrees regularly but fans kicking in regularly and the needle would drop while on the move...
Then this even, a strange thing happened, it never happened before while the engine was warm but cruising in 3rd I suddenly lost all power, red LEDs on the dash and and loss of power steering and servo brakes...
Luckily there was not much traffic about and I managed to coast to the left lane and come to a safe stop...
My immediate reaction was that I had hit a flat spot and that stalled the engine, I tried restarting...(never fails to fire up first time since since I have owned it) and nothing...
Getting worried and my diagnosis moved onto a heat problem, so I fire off the override fan which gradually brings the temp down to around 70 ,...then tried to start again, the usual routine, fuel pumps and starter cranks but would't fire up...
So I call the AA, and in the 35 min wait my mind switched to what the Chim would be worth against an S2000 (while avoiding the gazes of every other top down Boxter !)...
I had booked a 1 week trip down to Monaco this August to attend a wedding and I am going there in the Chim, although the car has been a daily driver with no problems in the past, a major electrical/mechanical failure while the car was on the move would really taint my loyalty to the ownership experience...
Anyway while I was wondering whether my Chim had a spiritual connection with the TVRs at Le Mans this weekend, AA man arrives and is quite excited to see the TVR, (doesn't ask to see the membership card or any ID), he didn't know how to open the door and tried to lift the bonnet from the headlamps instead of near the windscreen...
But once he got to the engine bay he really knew what he was doing. He immdiately diagnosed it as a spark plug problem and generally fiddles about with it... The car was serviced by Mr Batty less than 3 weeks ago so that would have been a big question mark if it was the cause... AA man fiddles again and notices a plug has worked loose!
He reseated it and restarted it...Car fires up as usual and meanwhile I was standing behind it... the familiar aural sensation accompanied a great sigh of relief! Apparently, a cable that sits next to the small black cylindrical can (ie smaller than a can of red bull) had come loose and this supplied all the juice to the spark plugs...hence the cranking but no firing...
I of course am very happy as I am going on holiday this week for a fortnight and the prospect of towing the car home and then sending it to a dealer sounded way too expensive to what was already an pricy hobby...
Gave the AA man some beer money and went on my way, feeling sheepish that I doubted her integrity during the 30 minutes wait!!! Happy motoring !
Small black cylindrical can (smaller than Red Bull can) = coil?
Big black circular things (like giant black polo mints) = tyres!
Round shiny ball thingy (like silver golf ball) = gear knob!
Big Glass Fibre whatsit (like motorboat out of water) = car!
Pink gangly thing (like gorilla with less hair) = driver!
Any more definitions needed please just ask!
Big black circular things (like giant black polo mints) = tyres!
Round shiny ball thingy (like silver golf ball) = gear knob!
Big Glass Fibre whatsit (like motorboat out of water) = car!
Pink gangly thing (like gorilla with less hair) = driver!
Any more definitions needed please just ask!
. Now no more thoughts about defecting to an S2000 please!Pleased to hear you got it sorted so soon.
I can empathise, having had exactly this sort of problem. The first time something went wrong I found panic setting in a bit. But after that you stop, take a deep breath and start thinking about all the little things that make the difference.
On a similar topic, I am starting to lose count (although I think it's four) of the times I have tried too ambitiously to pull away from low revs when cold, stalled and had to sit and wait 15 minutes for the flooded engine to dry out! Oh how I laugh now...
...through gritted teeth! The best time I did that I was due to take a bride to her wedding......D'oh 
I can empathise, having had exactly this sort of problem. The first time something went wrong I found panic setting in a bit. But after that you stop, take a deep breath and start thinking about all the little things that make the difference.
On a similar topic, I am starting to lose count (although I think it's four) of the times I have tried too ambitiously to pull away from low revs when cold, stalled and had to sit and wait 15 minutes for the flooded engine to dry out! Oh how I laugh now...
...through gritted teeth! The best time I did that I was due to take a bride to her wedding......D'oh 
ha ha! I did ask the AA whether it was the ignition coil but he said no...I'll have a good look later to see where it plugs into and delve into the bible to find the "proper" technical term ala Jigs style!
Just thought Griff/Chim owners should note this as there have been many threads about priming the ignition, hearing the fuel pump but engine turning over but not firing...
Just thought Griff/Chim owners should note this as there have been many threads about priming the ignition, hearing the fuel pump but engine turning over but not firing...
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