Fuel pump will prime but car won't crank

[tommy long]

Hi guys, just got into the car and went to start it up and the car won't crank. The immobiliser disarmed and the fuel pump primed but you turn the key and nothing at all happens.
Didn't know whether there's any common problems I should check first before I start diving in and testing everything.
Thanks, Tom

[pmanson]

Is the starter turning?

I had this recently (starter was turning), turned out the battery had dropped below optimum and just needed a bit of juice to get it going...

Can you hear the starter relay clicking?

Have you tried starting the car with the stereo faceplate removed (in case it is the battery low on juice)

[Hedgehopper]

Do the headlights work? If not you have got a flat battery. Hope you manage to sort it.

[tommy long]

The battery is only a month old, also it has been working fine all week as I've been using back and forth to work everyday. The starter relay isn't clicking so I'm thinking of trying that first and going from there.
Thanks for the replies

[brett84]

do other electrical items work ok?
if the alternator isn't working properly it could have been running down during the week, seemingly working fine but now just not enough power for the starter? This happened to me the other week

[SwanJack]

My money's on the starter relay in the immobiliser, especially if there is no clicking from the starter. You can jump the starter to see if it will crank.

[Jonny cobra]

100 amp fuse ???????

JC

[tommy long]

Right just checked to see if the battery is draining too much but that is all ok. Im gonna check the starter relay but which one is it, is it a metal one the same as the fuel pump relay?

[pmanson]

When you turn the key (after the fuel pump primes) does the car turn over?

[tommy long]

Nothing happens after the fuel primes, it's just dead. Anyone know which one the fuel pump relay is?

[Podie]

Try starting it with your foot on the accelerator...

[pmanson]

tommy long said:

Nothing happens after the fuel primes, it's just dead. Anyone know which one the fuel pump relay is?

Should be two relays at the end of a long set of wires (normally placed on one side of the battery) - you should be able to pull the loom out into the foot well.

Fuel pump relay is normally silver or brown (there will be two the same) - try swapping them over.

Have you tried slapping the underside of the dash in case it's the immobiliser?

[tommy long]

Sorry I mean starter relay not fuel pump relay!

Foot on the accelerator still does nothing

[brett84]

This was from another post

"Wednesday 5th March 2008 quote quote all
I had much the same symptoms about a year ago. Quite often, but intermittently, my Chim would not start. The fuel pump would prime but the starter motor would not kick in.

Eventually after much frustration I discovered that if I slapped the under side of the passenger dash at the same time as I held the key in the start position then the starter motor would kick in and the car would start. Sometimes several slaps were required.

This lead to an investigation of what was under the passenger side of the dash. Amongst other things the immobiliser is in there. The immobiliser has circuits for the fuel pump and the starter motor and a failure of the starter motor circuit does cause the symptoms I was getting. A relay has probably developed a fault"

[tommy long]

I'm trying to trace the starter relays, I've located the starter relays and both are fine. I just want to try and find the starter relay, are they even fitted with one?

[tommy long]

Tried beating the crap out of the underside of the dash but still no joy.
Keep the ideas coming guys as at least I'm narrowing down the problem

[Hedgehopper]

If I'm correct there isn't a dedicated starter relay, TVR used the relay in the immobiliser instead and this is the cause of all the problems. This is why people fit the Modwise 'hot start' kit.

To check if the starter itself is at fault you will need to temporarily direct wire it. Be very careful if you do this and not with the car in gear and the rear wheels on a ramp!

[ButtonIt]

I had exactly this, mine turned out to be a extra inline fuse that had blown in the footwell birdsnest, sorry I mean wiring loom. Purely by chance I started following the wires down from the immobiliser (after taking the dash top off) and found an inline fuse holder with a burnt fuse. The wires looked like the sort that would run a car stereo. Swapped it out and BINGO, she started up.

[biper]

Check the wires on the starter motor. The big red cable had broken on mine.

[mash]

Mine has done this twice - the first time it was loose connections at the starter motor, and the second time it was a fuse not seating properly. Hope you get it sorted.