Help / Counseling required
Help / Counseling required
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starmist

Original Poster:

1,052 posts

271 months

Wednesday 9th June 2004
quotequote all
I am really fed up. Haven't used my Griff since the track day a week ago last Friday (when everything was running fine).

Went to start in on Sunday to give it a bath and it was completely dead. Battery must have discharged itself, although as yet I don't know what caused it.

Left the battery on charge and tried to start it Monday night. Turns over but won't catch.

Thinking I've probably fouled the plugs, bought a fresh set on Tuesday, fitted them and tried again. No difference. (Although the old set were wet).

Spoke to Mark Adams today who said the ECU might have gone funny once the voltage in the battery got below 11 volts. Suggested unplugging the ECU for 10 seconds, plugging it in and trying again. Still no joy.

I am going to try tow starting it from a mate's truck tomorrow, but can anyone shed any light as to what might be the problem?

Ta muchly in advance.

2 sheds

2,529 posts

313 months

Wednesday 9th June 2004
quotequote all
What a pain ! i guess it's something to do with the battery going flat, maybe the imobiliser/ alarm is "unhappy".
Tim

rev-erend

21,619 posts

313 months

Wednesday 9th June 2004
quotequote all
Fuel ?

tiny

415 posts

280 months

Wednesday 9th June 2004
quotequote all
Got enough spark ? possibly related to your earlier coil earthing probs?

starmist

Original Poster:

1,052 posts

271 months

Thursday 10th June 2004
quotequote all
Fuel was low, so I put another couple of gallons in - now showing about a 1/4 tank.

Shouldn't be the coil as I haven't changed anything since Hullavington, but I'm wondering whether the coil is on it's way out after possibly being damaged when the earth wire was too small.

Did your Mallory coil come with the low tension bits as well, or just the coil, Tiny?

tiny

415 posts

280 months

Thursday 10th June 2004
quotequote all
just the coil - but believe other bits available ( got it from TVR Power )

starmist

Original Poster:

1,052 posts

271 months

Thursday 10th June 2004
quotequote all
Thanks. I might pop back therefore this afternoon if I can't tow start it (they're only 11 miles away).

starmist

Original Poster:

1,052 posts

271 months

Friday 11th June 2004
quotequote all
Got it tow started last night. Was being dragged in 2nd with the clutch out for about ten seconds before it would run on its own. The plugs must be really fouled.

This is the third time this has happened - the first when I let it die on a cold start up, and it took about half an hour to get it started again, then ran like crap for 5 - 10 miles until it cleared its plugs, then again when I tried to start it without an earth of the coil (which fouled the plugs and needed a tow start and again on Sunday when possibly an upset ECU was to blame for it not starting once I'd recharged the battery.

This is not good and needs sorting now...

starmist

Original Poster:

1,052 posts

271 months

Sunday 13th June 2004
quotequote all
Having spoken to Mark again, we now think we have sorted what the problem is.

When TVR Power rebuilt the engine with the Taraka cam, they squeezed the fuel regulator to up the pressure, and amount of fuel going in the engine, as the injectors become the bottle neck.

That's all fine and dandy as this can all be adjusted on the 3D fuel map. However, the cold start and cranking maps are completely different and if unadjusted will result in an over rich fuel mixture on start up and cold running. This is what is happening to my car.

On Mark's advice, if it won't start, I've advanced the ignition (to weaken the mixture) and it starts fine. Mark is going to send me a new chip with a 7% decrease in fuel on crank and start up. This should resolve the problem.

Point to note though, for anyone who squeezes the fuel regulator - you will screw up cold start unless you have the ability to remap the fuelling, which I don't believe TVR Power do.