not starting after accident

[icebear]

Hi everyone,

After partial repairs on my chim (replacing front and rear wishbones) due to the
backend of my chim overtaking the front end and ending in a nasty accident my chim will
not start
The engine should not have been damaged in the crash.

The starter motor turns the engine but it is as if there is no fuel getting to the engine.

Anybody have any ideas as to what might be wrong?

[dougc]

Can you hear the fuel pump prime? If not, check the connections.

[roop]

Isn't there a mercury tilt switch that cuts off the fuel pump...? I think you can reset it under the passenger side of the dash somewhere. No doubt someone along shortly to verify/correct.

[icebear]

If the fule pump is that hissing sound you hear when opening the car, then no its not there.

Any ideas on what to do if the fuel pump is not working and by the way it should not have
been damaged in the accident

[roop]

The pump is probably fine. The tilt switch basically cuts off power to the fuel pump when there is an impact so that if your car goes up, the pump doesn't piss more petrol into the fire. As I said, I think it's under the passenger side of the dash somewhere but stand to be corrected.

icebear said:

If the fule pump is that hissing sound you hear when opening the car, then no its not there.

Any ideas on what to do if the fuel pump is not working and by the way it should not have
been damaged in the accident

Edited by roop on Friday 1st September 16:40

[dougc]

Fuel pump is the sort of hiss/whirr that you hear for about 3 seconds when turning the ignition to it's stop before turning the engine over. Usual suspect is the fuel pump relay. Try this first, regardless of whether it may have been damaged in the accident - it may just be a coincidence. Next, try the wiring to the pump itself.

Can;t help with the exact location of the pump itself I'm afraid. I;m sure someone will be able to tell you in a minute though...

[paulathome]

Fuel pump is located on O/S rear near the back wheel inside the chassis rail.
Turn the ignition on so the oil and charge lights are lit.
With stereo off and fan off, you should hear a buzzing/wizzing noise coming from O/S rear of the car for about 2-3
seconds and then it will stop.
If you don't here the noise then check relays in passenger foot well next to battery. There are 2 relays, one controls the fuel pump, the other the engine ECU. They are usually just dangling around by the wires on top of the battery
box. Check that they both click when ingnition is turned on.
Try swapping the 2 relays over, as they are both the same. Then try the fuel pump test again. If the pump then starts
you know one of the relays is faulty. Cost about a tenner from your local auto factors.
Let us know how you get on.
Cheers.
Paul

[icebear]

Thanks very much guys.

I´m at work at the moment but will try to get it started when I get home.
I´ll let you know if it worked.

Man this site is fantastic, especialy for me here in Iceland where no one has even heard of TVR´s

[Aussie John]

Could be the cutout switch which is probably behind the glovebox, Good luck, John.

[tvrbubblecar]

Hope you find the problem

I think you will find the pump as stated above but on the N/S rear

cheers
Chris

[icebear]

Hi,

I really need help on this one guys, I have some photos.

I was pretty sure it was the fuel cut off switch that was the bother, but I cannot find the dam thing.
There is no "secret" compartment behind the glove box.

Surely it is unlikely that both relays in the footwell are damaged in a curb accident as I have
tried switching the relays and nothing happens.

I can turn the engine and I see the fuel gauge rising (the led in the dashboard is also red at this point)
Also underneeth the steering wheel are a couple of loose wires which I have no idea about.

Well here goes with the pictures

Battery compartment

[pic][URL=http://imageshack.us][/URL][/pic]

Another one

[pic][URL=http://imageshack.us][/URL][/pic]

The Glove box compartment where I thought were 2 phillips srews with the fuel cutoff switch behind it

[pic][URL=http://imageshack.us][/URL][/pic]

The relays in the passenger footwell

[pic][URL=http://imageshack.us][/URL][/pic]

And finally the mistery wires underneath the steering wheel

[pic][URL=http://imageshack.us][/URL][/pic]

[seasider]

On a Griff it's, hand in over the top of the open glove box & located just below the level of the back of the tray

Looking at your pics i think you might need to feel around a bit higher feeling for a little rubber mound

[icebear]

seasider said:

On a Griff it's, hand in over the top of the open glove box & located just below the level of the back of the tray

Looking at your pics i think you might need to feel around a bit higher feeling for a little rubber mound

Ok, so if I put my gynocological skills to work, I should be lying on my back in the passenger footwell with my arm
inside the dashboard feeling for a rubber nob somewhere over the glove pouch?

[icebear]

By the way, its a 97' Chim 4.0

[seasider]

Sounds about right

Alternatively buy a more practical Griff & put your hand in nice & easily over the glove box

edited to add: On mine it was central or just off-centre of passenger footwell toward the tunnel

Edited by seasider on Tuesday 5th September 15:52

[billynomates]

Charlie (Vixpy) knows where it is...a roundabout jumped out in front of him Xday last year and caused the same problem.IIRC the AA man located it..I think its in the passenger side footwell

[icebear]

billynomates said:

Charlie (Vixpy) knows where it is...a roundabout jumped out in front of him

Sound a lot like what happened to me

Would you guys agree that this is the most likely problem and anybody any idea what the mistery wires are
and finally do you know which one of the relays is the fuel one?

[jonathant]

The cutoff switch in my '99 Chim is located behind the glovebox pocket - you need to remove the pocket by undoing some (two or four) philips head screws which hold the pocket onto the dash. The switch is a quite large rubber button which pops out when triggered. Just push it back in.

[icebear]

jonathant said:

you need to remove the pocket by undoing some (two or four) philips head screws

Are you sure U need to remove the pocket?

The screws that hold the pocket onto the dashboard seem to be on the inside of the dashboard so if I can reach there
I should be able to locate the switch without removing the pocket??

[jonathant]

have you tried taking off the black caps (as shown in your piccie)? You should find the screws under them.