Help with TVR Tuscan!

[JandD]

Hello all, Currently I am having a problem with my TVR Tuscan red rose (W) Reg – I came to start the car this week after a trouble free year of motoring to notice the window was half way down (whether this is linked I do not know). What is happening is I turn off the immobiliser, turn the key the oil pumps round the engine but when it should crank over to start everything fails!(window lights, red on the rev counter flash etc) there is a beep at the same time diagnostics code O flashes up. It is as though the fuel pump is not kicking in, or immobiliser is not switching off, oil pump sounds a little ‘off noise’ could the oil pressure be linked if there is a problem here?

I have tried, switch on fuel tank, unplugging battery, checking fuses etc...feeling pretty clueless!

[Cockey]

So engine doesn't even turn over? Sounds almost like the battery has failed.

[JandD]

Battery seems fine, reading between 11-13v on display...after been on charge as when I did go to the car to start earlier this week it was low.

Edited by JandD on Sunday 1st December 15:46

[Laser Sag]

I thought once the battery was at 11 volts that was when it started to warn of low voltage.

Could try putting the car in gear and just trying to rock it as the starter motor might not be engaging, used to happen to my Griff.

[S6PNJ]

JandD said:

Battery seems fine, reading between 11-13v on display...after been on charge as when I did go to the car to start earlier this week it was low.

Just because the voltage is fine, it doesn't follow that it has the current cranking ability. One way to test this is to take the battery to someone who has a battery tester (ie garage) and get them to whack it across the terminals. That will soon tell you if the battery is duff or not.

[JandD]

Just had my old man have a look at the Tuscan (he is a Mechanic) booster pack direct on the battery just about got it going. Conclusion - battery is knackered or he said it sounds as though the starter motor could be drawing too much.

Hopefully just the knackered battery, getting it charged and tested tomorrow.

Thanks

[ratboiler]

or a bad earth on the battery, I had the same on an MGB. It was fine when I changed the battery for about a week then the same thing unable to crank the car over. Friend of mine (mechanic) came over and took a jump lead connected it to the battery and to a solid earth on the engine which solved the problem.

[JimmyZZ]

ratboiler said:

or a bad earth on the battery, I had the same on an MGB. It was fine when I changed the battery for about a week then the same thing unable to crank the car over. Friend of mine (mechanic) came over and took a jump lead connected it to the battery and to a solid earth on the engine which solved the problem.

Good point!
Very often bad earth is the reason for various (sometimes strange) problems on our cars. Find the earth band in the back of the offside wheelarch.

And if you are checking do not forget the anderson connector port!
Here corrosion may cause a shortcut resulting in turning your fine car into ashes in the worst case!

[ratboiler]

Probably teaching you guys how to suck eggs here but did you know that if you have bad corrosion on a battery terminal and want to clean it up perfectly, boil the kettle have a cup of tea and use the rest of the boiling water on the terminal = 100% clean.

[stlol]

The oil pumps round the engine ?
Do you mean the fuel pump priming ??

[Konrod]

I also wondered about the oil pump, I guessed the author meant fuel pump (unless he's running the receproved pre-oiler??)

The window half down gave me a thought - if the microswitch in the lock fails the car thinks the door needs to be opened so drops the window and turns on the courtesy light. I've had this happen on the outside lane of the M4 at around the lepton and I nearly s**t myself

If the courtesy light is on and the the battery is only on trickle charge then over a period the battery will flatten.

Just a thought..............