Help! Electrical problem.. again!
Discussion
Help! Ive just replaced a head gasket and now I have a weird electrical gremlin. I run megasquirt and have checked al the earths are good more than once! The fuel pump primes, the engine turns over but stutters and wont fire. Then sometimes it will continue cranking with the key removed and I have to disconnect the battery. I removed the starter and it tested fine on the bench. The starter cranks when I connect the battery even though the leys are not in. Also will still crank with the ignition lead off the solenoid. Any ideas?
Hello DangerousDerek, this fault is a proper bugger
If the starter is sticking in mesh it will give the same symptoms as a sticking starter solenoid
Was the starter behaving before you did the work?
Did the work take place over many months rather than days?
A sticking solenoid may not show up on the bench, they are best removed from the starter and lubricated while off the engine
If the starter is sticking in mesh it will give the same symptoms as a sticking starter solenoid
Was the starter behaving before you did the work?
Did the work take place over many months rather than days?
A sticking solenoid may not show up on the bench, they are best removed from the starter and lubricated while off the engine
Close to giving up.
I fitted another starter motor and although this one hasn't stayed running of its own accord it still stutters and wont start.
I have double checked all the earths. Its as though the injectors aren't firing and I cant help thinking it may be something in the megasquirt ECU.
I fitted another starter motor and although this one hasn't stayed running of its own accord it still stutters and wont start.
I have double checked all the earths. Its as though the injectors aren't firing and I cant help thinking it may be something in the megasquirt ECU.
can anyone help,
I have a chimera not starting. all electrics working ok. but when I turn the ignition , starter not cranking, no sounds from the fuel pump
I've had this similar problem before then it just kicked in. this time its dead !!
I've swapped over the relays.
had the hot fix done.
any suggestions ?
could it be thew 100amp fuse, if it was would the electrics all work ?
could it be the immobiliser relay? where is it located ?
I have a chimera not starting. all electrics working ok. but when I turn the ignition , starter not cranking, no sounds from the fuel pump
I've had this similar problem before then it just kicked in. this time its dead !!
I've swapped over the relays.
had the hot fix done.
any suggestions ?
could it be thew 100amp fuse, if it was would the electrics all work ?
could it be the immobiliser relay? where is it located ?
The 100 amp fuse will not stop the electrics working it will only prevent charging.
Your symptoms would point to the immobiliser.
It lives under the removable top of the dash. I'm suspecting electrics are not your forte in which case knowing where the immobiliser lives will not help much.
I think your best bet is to take it to a TVR specialist or an alarm technician.
Steve
Your symptoms would point to the immobiliser.
It lives under the removable top of the dash. I'm suspecting electrics are not your forte in which case knowing where the immobiliser lives will not help much.
I think your best bet is to take it to a TVR specialist or an alarm technician.
Steve
Derek, check the main power cable from your alternator to the 100amp fuse holder, this cable was poorly crimped, if it starts to fail (often after it's been disturbed) it can lead to all sorts off odd issues like super rich running and misfires.
In response to subhas post above, as Steve_D says "Your symptoms would point to the immobiliser".
I appreciate many will know all the following already, but it will serve to help others like subhas researching problems with the Chimaera security system so please take it in the way it's intended, IE to help those new to TVRs suffering problems with their Meta system.
Immobiliser issues are super common on these cars, pretty much every Chimaera will be affected at some point in its life because TVR wired the Meta system incorrectly, this stored up inevitable problems for the future. Some failures happened early in the car's life, other Chimaeras are only just throwing up issues some 20 years or so after leaving Bristol Avenue, it depends on how much use the car has had and plain old fashioned luck of the draw.
The only certainty is the issues TVR hard wired into every back to front Meta installation they completed will come to bite all Chimaera owners in time, to give some perspective to the magnitude of the problem Carl Baker of TVR alarms made a business out of the mistakes TVR made, and remember these are very low production cars. Carl must have rewired hundreds of Chimaeras and other models over the years, recently having moved to France he seems to have slowed his TVR activity of late, but he still returns to these shores from time to time to offer his services often using Taylor TVR near Maidstone in Kent as his temporary UK base.
With Carl taking somewhat of a backseat there are two other excellent options to consider these days, firstly David Fairclough of HF Solutions will provide the same services as Carl Baker, operating out of Watford Hertfordshire David like Carl has huge experience properly rewiring and replacing Meta security systems on TVRs, the way TVR should have done it in the first place!
http://www.hf-solutions.co.uk/
The second option is to use the 'plug & play' DIY installed options offered by Abacus Alarms in South London, Abacus will send you everything you need to renew and correctly wire your Meta security system yourself, including simple clear instructions. The Abacus kit is well thought out, it's designed to be an easy DIY installation and will typically work out at half the price of having someone like Carl Baker or David Fairclough do the work for you.
http://www.abacuscaralarms.co.uk/tvr-alarms.html
However, there is no substitute for years of experience installing security systems on TVRs, so having a professional sort the problem will almost certainly include lots of little details you may well overlook completing a DIY installation for the first time. Both Carl & David were Meta factory trained, what they don't know about the Meta product and the mistakes made by TVR when they wired these cars isn't worth knowing.
Finally, and if money is tight there is actually a third down and dirty option.... if you PM me I will send you my Meta bypass instructions, a bypass is a free and effective solution that will still leave your car secure and the central locking working as it should.
In cost terms the three options look like this:
OPTION 1: The professional installation = £500 to £600 depending on options (keys, fobs, siren, remote boot release ect)
OPTION 2: The Abacus 'plug & play' kit DIY installed = £300 to £400 depending on options (keys, fobs, siren, remote boot release ect)
OPTION 3: My down & dirty DIY bypass = £0.50p in crimp connectors
All three options will solve your problem, so.... "You pays your money and make your choice"
In response to subhas post above, as Steve_D says "Your symptoms would point to the immobiliser".
I appreciate many will know all the following already, but it will serve to help others like subhas researching problems with the Chimaera security system so please take it in the way it's intended, IE to help those new to TVRs suffering problems with their Meta system.
Immobiliser issues are super common on these cars, pretty much every Chimaera will be affected at some point in its life because TVR wired the Meta system incorrectly, this stored up inevitable problems for the future. Some failures happened early in the car's life, other Chimaeras are only just throwing up issues some 20 years or so after leaving Bristol Avenue, it depends on how much use the car has had and plain old fashioned luck of the draw.
The only certainty is the issues TVR hard wired into every back to front Meta installation they completed will come to bite all Chimaera owners in time, to give some perspective to the magnitude of the problem Carl Baker of TVR alarms made a business out of the mistakes TVR made, and remember these are very low production cars. Carl must have rewired hundreds of Chimaeras and other models over the years, recently having moved to France he seems to have slowed his TVR activity of late, but he still returns to these shores from time to time to offer his services often using Taylor TVR near Maidstone in Kent as his temporary UK base.
With Carl taking somewhat of a backseat there are two other excellent options to consider these days, firstly David Fairclough of HF Solutions will provide the same services as Carl Baker, operating out of Watford Hertfordshire David like Carl has huge experience properly rewiring and replacing Meta security systems on TVRs, the way TVR should have done it in the first place!
http://www.hf-solutions.co.uk/
The second option is to use the 'plug & play' DIY installed options offered by Abacus Alarms in South London, Abacus will send you everything you need to renew and correctly wire your Meta security system yourself, including simple clear instructions. The Abacus kit is well thought out, it's designed to be an easy DIY installation and will typically work out at half the price of having someone like Carl Baker or David Fairclough do the work for you.
http://www.abacuscaralarms.co.uk/tvr-alarms.html
However, there is no substitute for years of experience installing security systems on TVRs, so having a professional sort the problem will almost certainly include lots of little details you may well overlook completing a DIY installation for the first time. Both Carl & David were Meta factory trained, what they don't know about the Meta product and the mistakes made by TVR when they wired these cars isn't worth knowing.
Finally, and if money is tight there is actually a third down and dirty option.... if you PM me I will send you my Meta bypass instructions, a bypass is a free and effective solution that will still leave your car secure and the central locking working as it should.
In cost terms the three options look like this:
OPTION 1: The professional installation = £500 to £600 depending on options (keys, fobs, siren, remote boot release ect)
OPTION 2: The Abacus 'plug & play' kit DIY installed = £300 to £400 depending on options (keys, fobs, siren, remote boot release ect)
OPTION 3: My down & dirty DIY bypass = £0.50p in crimp connectors
All three options will solve your problem, so.... "You pays your money and make your choice"
subhas, I stalled my car in the middle of three lanes of traffic at a roundabout on a major trunk road. Never do things by halves, me.
Just like you, not a flicker from the starter or the fuel pump.
Hopped out and incurred wrath and smug grins in equal measures as I pushed the lifeless bit of plastic to the side of the road.
Called my TVR expert.......he said "lock it and unlock it again". I did. It worked.
So have you?
Previous time something similar happened, I had just entered a gravel trap at Mallory Park sideways at about 30 mph (it was 110 mph when I lost the rear end). Same result. Engine turned over fine this time, but no fuel pump.
Got pulled out of the gravel, as all the other cars passed a red-faced me on their way to the pits, and phoned the same TVR expert.
I hadn't even finished explaining when he said "roll over fuel cut out, under the passenger side dash". It was. It fired up instantly.
Just like you, not a flicker from the starter or the fuel pump.
Hopped out and incurred wrath and smug grins in equal measures as I pushed the lifeless bit of plastic to the side of the road.
Called my TVR expert.......he said "lock it and unlock it again". I did. It worked.
So have you?
Previous time something similar happened, I had just entered a gravel trap at Mallory Park sideways at about 30 mph (it was 110 mph when I lost the rear end). Same result. Engine turned over fine this time, but no fuel pump.
Got pulled out of the gravel, as all the other cars passed a red-faced me on their way to the pits, and phoned the same TVR expert.
I hadn't even finished explaining when he said "roll over fuel cut out, under the passenger side dash". It was. It fired up instantly.
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