Chim 450 won't start
Chim 450 won't start
Author
Discussion

King Fisher

Original Poster:

739 posts

209 months

Saturday 5th May 2012
quotequote all
My Chimaera 450 isn't wanting to start.

1. The fuel pump is priming.

2. The coil is producing a spark.

3. The car is firing, and tries to catch, but then just splutters and turns over on the starter motor.

4. I've tried connecting another battery up, but this made no difference.

Any ideas what could be causing this? The car's been running like a gem for the last 3 years and this is the first real issue I've ever had.

cogrog

45 posts

205 months

Saturday 5th May 2012
quotequote all
Not enough fuel pressure (pump problem)??
Although i once had a problem with the airflow sensor plug not making proper contact ( actually the plug was half disconnected).
The good news is if you have fuel pressure and a good spark it has to run.
Good luck i hope you sort it.
Rog

Chilliman

12,423 posts

191 months

Saturday 5th May 2012
quotequote all
Have you checked the spark strength at the plugs? Checked the points/rotor arm? (asuming you have a distributor wink )

SILICONEKID340HP

14,997 posts

261 months

Saturday 5th May 2012
quotequote all
Do you have petrol in the tank laugh

Gazzab

21,685 posts

312 months

Saturday 5th May 2012
quotequote all
Horse power?

Simon says

19,460 posts

251 months

Saturday 5th May 2012
quotequote all
Sounds like it may have flooded scratchchin

King Fisher

Original Poster:

739 posts

209 months

Sunday 6th May 2012
quotequote all
Simon says said:
Sounds like it may have flooded scratchchin
It was indeed sir. Nick remembered we have AA home start and the chap had worked on TVRs before when he was a mechanic; he applied a brake hose clamp to the fuel pipe to stop anymore fuel getting in, and cranked the car over for around 20 seconds. We did that 4 times, then slowly allowed fuel back into the system, and voila, one fixed TVR! Top marks for the AA!

Dr Mike Oxgreen

4,466 posts

195 months

Sunday 6th May 2012
quotequote all
I've never had a need to test this theory, but I believe cranking with the throttle held fully to the floor is meant to tell the ECU not to inject any fuel, and would have had the same effect.

ChimpanLucky

9,637 posts

209 months

Sunday 6th May 2012
quotequote all
Dr Mike Oxgreen said:
I've never had a need to test this theory, but I believe cranking with the throttle held fully to the floor is meant to tell the ECU not to inject any fuel, and would have had the same effect.
The wide open throttle technique for starting a flooded engine has nothing to do with the ECU.

By opening the throttle fully all you are doing is allowing more air in to counter the excessive fuel situation.

It works on any flooded petrol engine, carb or injection.

The real question is:

"why did it flood in the first place?"

King Fisher

Original Poster:

739 posts

209 months

Sunday 6th May 2012
quotequote all
ChimpanLucky said:
The wide open throttle technique for starting a flooded engine has nothing to do with the ECU.

By opening the throttle fully all you are doing is allowing more air in to counter the excessive fuel situation.

It works on any flooded petrol engine, carb or injection.

The real question is:

"why did it flood in the first place?"
That's what we hope to find out. It's going in for a service on Tuesday so hopefully this will be rectified.

REM2112

418 posts

221 months

Monday 7th May 2012
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And the sequel.."Chim 400 stalled and then wouldn't start". After a long break from driving my Chim (althogh it has been on an accumate) I decided to go for a spin. It started first time and I drove it to the front of the house to give it a clean.

I then drove it for about 15 minutes, came to a halt at a junction and it stalled. And then wouldn't start. It was on the verge of starting about 5 times. I pushed it home with the help of a good samaritan, who was Dutch I think.

Came back out of the house about 5 minutes later and it started immediately.

Any thoughts? Could its rare encounter with water be the problem?

Being positive, at least it seemed to cheer up my fellow motorists!