Staring issues - relays??

[Wildfire]

So due to not using the Griffith enough (ok, I'll admit at all), it seems to eat batteries.

Lately each time I replace the battery, when I push the battery box back to the foot well, the car seems to start to run strangely, with it back firing then stalling.

After wiggling/fiddling/taking out various relays the car sort of seems to start.

No idea why this is happening?

Only this time I'm running on 7. Although I suspect, this is to due with flooding and then plug fouling.

Anyhow I have decided to replace all the relays anyway.

Where is the best place to get the right ones?

[Loubaruch]

Euro car parts always seem to keep them at a decent price.

Make sure you get the correct Bosch relays with a diode in series with the coil. Ordinary relays will fit but could cause problems.

[jesfirth]

Also check the connections onto the sockets that the relays plug into. I had a loose wire on my fuel pump relay plate that caused intermittent problems.

One other possibility is a bare wire in the loom that runs to the ecu. Mine also had a couple and they touched occasionally causing no end of bother.

Good luck.

[blitzracing]

Each time you disconnect the battery from the ECU, the ECU looses its fuel trim settings, and has to re learn them. It needs to run at about 90'c for at least 2 1/4 mins at idle for the settings to become stable again. If you dont get the engine hot, or let it idle for long enough the fueling will remain incorrect until you do.

[Wildfire]

jesfirth said:

Also check the connections onto the sockets that the relays plug into. I had a loose wire on my fuel pump relay plate that caused intermittent problems.

One other possibility is a bare wire in the loom that runs to the ecu. Mine also had a couple and they touched occasionally causing no end of bother.

Good luck.

Is this behind the fuse box/relay box?

Blitz - Cheers. I ran the car up for a while (15 min) before shunting the battery back in and it dying. But good to know.

I think I have fouled a plug or the car was still partially flooded. I may pop back to the garage today (as the car is away from where I live) and see if she fires up on all 8. I know the car runs well, just I need to use it more.

[jesfirth]

some of the relays on my car are not fixed - they just hand "loose" from the loom. not sure whether that is normal? the relay plate is small - roughly the size of the relay

[Wildfire]

jesfirth said:

some of the relays on my car are not fixed - they just hand "loose" from the loom. not sure whether that is normal? the relay plate is small - roughly the size of the relay

Ah yes, I know the ones you mean, I have two silver relays, one relay socket with nothing in it and two fuses. No idea what they're for???

I'll check these.

[K4TRV]

Wildfire said:

Ah yes, I know the ones you mean, I have two silver relays, one relay socket with nothing in it and two fuses. No idea what they're for???

I'll check these.

Those (well one of them) is/are the fuel pump relays and the ECU relay both which NEED the correct relay with a diode in the primary windings) If they're approaching 20 years of age - change them!!

T

[spend]

K4TRV said:

Wildfire said:

Ah yes, I know the ones you mean, I have two silver relays, one relay socket with nothing in it and two fuses. No idea what they're for???

I'll check these.

Those (well one of them) is/are the fuel pump relays and the ECU relay both which NEED the correct relay with a diode in the primary windings) If they're approaching 20 years of age - change them!!

T

Remember some variants are cunningly different with a relay normally fitted on the flying loom shifted into the fusebox, which should essentially be the same type of relay. Most of the traPHic on these forums just refers to the 2 relays on the flying loom.

AFIK its just very early griffs where TVR made the effort to shift them into the fusebox and its just wiring & location changes, ...components, function & design logic are the same.

[Wildfire]

Hmmmm.... I will check the manual. I think it does show the fuel pump relay and the ECU relay in the box.

When I turn the ignition on, the fuel pump does prime. I think it's either one of the ignition relays or the ECU relays that is getting disturbed when I move the battery.

It's a pity as I was really looking forward to driving the Griff yesterday, it;s been about 3 months since I managed any miles in it!