<noobie> Alarm / Keyfob issues

[whd]

Hi all, I finally made it and bought a 'proper car', although my buddies on my old forum might kill me for saying that. Car: Chimaera 1998 Mistral Blue, facelift model.

Anyhow, the last owner didn't look after the car at all, which is abysmal. One of the first things I need to get sorted out, is that there's only one keyfob working - and that's intermittent. Speaking with a very helpful carl from www.TVRUK.tv he says it's a royal PITA once both fobs go out of order.

Anyhow, I'd go and see him as he seems a top-class guy, but he is a LONG way away from where I live (South Essex, and he's somewhere....'very South of Guildford') - does anyone have any recommendatiosn for someone who might be closer to me who knows about TVR alarms?

Thanks in advance.

[Nuggs]

Time and time again, Carl is heralded as the TVR alarm/fob guru. It's not too far - why not pick some decent twisties and make a day of it?

[timmybob]

I'm based near Cambridge and still went to Carl. Great guy, great service and some good roads to make your trip worthwhile. Can't imagine going anywhere else for an alarm issue...

[M@H]

You can send the Alarm ECU and fobs to carl in the post and he will sort them and send them back. The only problem is you can't drive the car in that time.

[V8 Kieran]

Both my alarm fobs did go (well no.1 long dead & no.2 was getting very dodgy!) Doesn't take that long to visit Carl (I'm from B/Stortford) leave work early and aim to arrive just before 5 to beat rush hour traffic and then return couple hours later after traffic gone - deffo worth the trip. Carl knows his stuff, you get a nice cup of tea, no extra charge for seeing how it's done and meet the world's maddest dog. All in all a pleasant trip out

[IainG]

I had only one working key when I got my Chim last year and bough a good quality replacement meta remote from Abacus alarms which can have the key cut down and inserted. You need the red card with the alarm number and programming instructions are on the website. I have kept the well worn TVR one as a spare.

www.abacuscaralarms.co.uk/alarms/remote_controls/meta-remotes.html

[rooster]

thanks for this thread, I have one key partially working as the other was swiped at Le Mans...how much are they to replace?

[IainG]

£45 for the Key type

http://abacuscaralarms.co.uk/store/vi

[whd]

Update: Well I couldn't get to Carl to get it looked at, just didn't have the time to be honest. Anyhow, I went to a place in Southend called "Southend Auto Electrics" 10 mins from my house, just to see what they said about it. The guy there (Steve) took my fobs apart, fiddled with them etc looked through a magnifier etc, hooked them up to some....thing...... Then he took his own tvr fob, took the batteries out, took the plastic part out, put it in one of mine....and hey presto, they both now work fine. I then asked him what the damage was, and he said "Don't worry about it, no charge". Needless to say I was a little pleased. The guy is a really good guy, knows his TVR's pretty well, I would recommend him to anyone here.
One thing to bear in mind, is that his garage/workshop looks like it's been bombed by the Luftwaffe and the leftovers trashed by travellers, but the service was impeccable.

Now the bad news of this story. I thanked him, making a mental note to post his name and workshop name up on here, got in the car, and it wouldn't turn over. He had a look and diagnosed the starter motor as the problem. Knowing the battery was useless anyway I went to Halfrauds, bought a new battery, that didn't work (as he said it wouldn't), so I left it with him to fit me a new starter motor first thing yesterday (Monday). The bill seemed about right (£285), he even sorted out my rear lights which weren't working properly, replaced some bulbs, a couple of fuses etc.

Anyway, sorry about the long post Aside from the car breaking within 2 weeks of buying it, happy days

[M@H]

Will, how come we didn't see you here before you got your car..?

[Nuggs]

whd said:

...his garage/workshop looks like it's been bombed by the Luftwaffe and the leftovers trashed by travellers...

Reminds me of my bedroom whan I was 13...

[whd]

>>Will, how come we didn't see you here before you got your car..?

I know what you're getting at, but the Chim was an impulse buy, wasn't planning to actually buy one until next year. This one came up, cheap, and I thought it was a good idea to snap it up.

[M@H]

[quote=whd
I know what you're getting at, but the Chim was an impulse buy.[/quote]

eeek.. well I trust it is as good as it seems (..and that the paint cracking is nothing untoward) (..you did get it HPI'd didn't you? )

[whd]

Yup, HPI came out clear. Although that doesn't guarantee it hasn't been done outside of insurance.

Overall, I'm fairly disappointed with the car. No, to be honest, i'm very disappointed in it. Two break-downs in the first two weeks is just plain ridiculous. I knew it would need some TLC, but not a life-support machine.

Early days, I guess.

[whd]

I neglected to mention, it won't start. This morning it was just turning over, either no spark, or no fuel getting through, or....something....I don't know.

[M@H]

Could be linked to the alarm.. or more likely the famous Relay (cheap and easy fix). Did you hear the fuel pump prime before you cranked it over.?

Edited by M@H on Wednesday 12th July 12:45

[whd]

When I turn the ignition on (after inserting the immobiliser fob), to be honest all I have ever heard is the whirring of the fan(s), which come on straightaway.

This relay you mention....any ideas how would I go about testing it, or is it cheap enough to swap out anyhow...

[M@H]

whd said:

When I turn the ignition on (after inserting the immobiliser fob), to be honest all I have ever heard is the whirring of the fan(s), which come on straightaway.

..this car ...I hope it was a bargain!?? ..fans should only come on when the otter switch puts them on at around 78-82 degrees. If they have been "hard-wired" on then that would suggest someoene was trying to hide/get round a problem with the cooling system

where are you in the world..? If you're near Hampshire I can have a poke around it for you one evening.

Oh and Buy a copy of Steve Heaths Chimaera and Griffith Workshop Manual (2nd Edition) it will help you a lot.

Edited by M@H on Wednesday 12th July 13:53

[whd]

Yes, I bought it for 2.4k less than they're for sale for on Autotrader, and 3k less than the HPI report says. But now I'm wondering if even that makes up for the amount of work it maye possibly need.

I'm in South Essex....any help much appreciated although I think you're a long way from me!

I'll double-check whether it is the rad fans coming on tonight or other fans, although it/they seem too loud to be anything else.

Otherwise I think I'm going to have to resign to the fact that I need to take it to a TVR Dealer.

[M@H]

"other fans"..? ..hopefully you got the screen blower on full all the time accidentally and thats what you're hearing ? The spinny knob with a fan on it is a push swich as well, push for on/off, rotate for blower speed when on.

Edited by M@H on Wednesday 12th July 14:52