Strange swtich in engine bay. What is it?

[mjjrV8S]

So i’ve started stripping down my V8s attempting to get the heads off and as i was ripping out all the old corroded rubber pipes i came across this. Not noticed before and it has a pull up/ push down switch. Could it be a crude kill switch? Engine in pieces now so untested in the up or down position.

[phillpot]

This little thing? Looks like an inertia fuel cut off switch to me. Red button to re-set

Edited by phillpot on Sunday 9th September 22:13

[mjjrV8S]

Yes thats . Thanks for doing the edits and zoom on the photo. Does it connect to the fuel pump.?

[GreenV8S]

Worth opening it up to see what state it's in. Mine was basically a solid lump of rust.

[Penelope Stopit]

You need to bin it as it shouldn't have been fitted in the engine bay and will be damaged by moisture, fit impact switches inside the car or in the boot

[zombeh]

mjjrV8S said:

Does it connect to the fuel pump.?

Yes.

It's a daft place to put it and it'll get water and dirt in it and die eventually but as with everything else that's somewhere stupid on these cars it seems to last at least 20 years where it is so it can't be as stupid a place for it as you might think.

It's off a Jaguar if you wanted to replace it with one the same.

[phillpot]

zombeh said:

It's off a Jaguar if you wanted to replace it with one the same.

Click on "inertia fuel cut off switch" in my post above and you'll see they were also used on Range Rovers, possibly bought in by TVR with the V8 engines as part of the associated loom and ancillaries?

[zombeh]

Ah, that's what I get for only mostly reading the thread

Yes, probably. I expect it's also common to other BL stuff of the same sort of age.

Though I still subscribe to the idea that TVR decided where to source parts by wandering around the staff car park looking at whatever was out there til they found what they wanted.