It Cut out again, No Electrics, Any ideas any one.
Discussion
Hi
Well I thought I had sorted this last year, but its done it again, so any idea's what to do next to sort it.
Car running well no problems, then engine dies and I coast to a halt! (about 100 yards from home).
No ignition lights at all, cant hear the petrol pump so no power there, All other electrics OK Windows, lights, every thing.
Do my normal thing to make it better, swear at it and call it names, this does not work.
Me being useless and Lazy call the recovery boys (Gem) get a text be with you in an hour!
So feeling guilty being so close to home, take a look at the relays and pull the ignition one out, which has melted on one connection. So put a new relay (OK so am not that useless) and yes ignition lights now working so power there, but still no buzz from the Petrol Pump, so no power there. (The local garage from the next village turm up, thats only 15 minutes, very quick). I have a Kill switch on the Petrol pump and we soon confirm no power to that, so I run a direct feed from the battery to the Petrol pump kill switch and yes have power. Car starts, the relay for the petrol pump seems OK but something is wrong.
So I get car home and leave it for now, This is not the first time with this fault, any ideas where to look as to why it keeps burning out the ignition relay and why the petrol pump power has also gone at the same time. Thoughts gents please what to check replace so it does not do the same in a couple of months time.
PS The recovery man when he turned up said common cars these as he had a white one in the garage when he left, it was being played with by the owner! Calling the owner, what you doing to it now!
Well I thought I had sorted this last year, but its done it again, so any idea's what to do next to sort it.
Car running well no problems, then engine dies and I coast to a halt! (about 100 yards from home).
No ignition lights at all, cant hear the petrol pump so no power there, All other electrics OK Windows, lights, every thing.
Do my normal thing to make it better, swear at it and call it names, this does not work.
Me being useless and Lazy call the recovery boys (Gem) get a text be with you in an hour!
So feeling guilty being so close to home, take a look at the relays and pull the ignition one out, which has melted on one connection. So put a new relay (OK so am not that useless) and yes ignition lights now working so power there, but still no buzz from the Petrol Pump, so no power there. (The local garage from the next village turm up, thats only 15 minutes, very quick). I have a Kill switch on the Petrol pump and we soon confirm no power to that, so I run a direct feed from the battery to the Petrol pump kill switch and yes have power. Car starts, the relay for the petrol pump seems OK but something is wrong.
So I get car home and leave it for now, This is not the first time with this fault, any ideas where to look as to why it keeps burning out the ignition relay and why the petrol pump power has also gone at the same time. Thoughts gents please what to check replace so it does not do the same in a couple of months time.
PS The recovery man when he turned up said common cars these as he had a white one in the garage when he left, it was being played with by the owner! Calling the owner, what you doing to it now!
Edited by KelWedge on Saturday 25th February 18:37
Ahh, Electrics, Electrics.... I can only repeat what I said in the thread with Ziga's issues over his starter, which is CHECK ALL THE WIRING CAREFULLY, inlcluding all the ends, spades, eyelets, and the earth returns.
I guess for your symptoms, burned out relays must indicate a short somewhere, but they can be hard to find, so stick at it, and inspect as much as you can. If you suspect the fuel pump supply, there's quite a few spots on my 280 which have the potential to rub and then short on its way to the back ...
Start with the obvious...what you can see....
I had a problem with blown fuse which turned out to be a short behind the dash, caused by a taped home made join which fell off (yes, really !!) and I had to take the dash out to find it.
Good Luck....
I guess for your symptoms, burned out relays must indicate a short somewhere, but they can be hard to find, so stick at it, and inspect as much as you can. If you suspect the fuel pump supply, there's quite a few spots on my 280 which have the potential to rub and then short on its way to the back ...
Start with the obvious...what you can see....
I had a problem with blown fuse which turned out to be a short behind the dash, caused by a taped home made join which fell off (yes, really !!) and I had to take the dash out to find it.
Good Luck....
Hi Kevin
You discribe my symptoms with my 400 a couple of years ago, may not be yours but a i was explaining my problem to a electrician friend, he simply told me that i had a problem with my coil !
1) it's faulty and on its way out, replace it
2) or beef up the earth that runs from the coil to the bracket on the alternator as its not doing its job.
I did both and have never had any problems since
may help, best of luck
Hotty
You discribe my symptoms with my 400 a couple of years ago, may not be yours but a i was explaining my problem to a electrician friend, he simply told me that i had a problem with my coil !
1) it's faulty and on its way out, replace it
2) or beef up the earth that runs from the coil to the bracket on the alternator as its not doing its job.
I did both and have never had any problems since
may help, best of luck
Hotty
Early cars had one main 'ignition' relay that pulls-in when the key is turned to supply all the ancillaries apart from lights and (IIRC) horn. The relay was rated for about 20A which was pushing it to say the least, so later cars had two relays wired in parallel to share the load. Even so they still tend to get hot; my car has a melted blob where they used to be plugged-in, and two new relays mounted adjacent with the wiring extended. These are rated for 30A and STILL get warm! Might be worth checking to see whether yours has two, with one doing nothing, leaving the other to fry...
Wedg1e said:
Early cars had one main 'ignition' relay that pulls-in when the key is turned to supply all the ancillaries apart from lights and (IIRC) horn. The relay was rated for about 20A which was pushing it to say the least, so later cars had two relays wired in parallel to share the load. Even so they still tend to get hot; my car has a melted blob where they used to be plugged-in, and two new relays mounted adjacent with the wiring extended. These are rated for 30A and STILL get warm! Might be worth checking to see whether yours has two, with one doing nothing, leaving the other to fry...
My ignition relay that burnt out was a 30A, The Petrol Pump runs through another which I think is a 30A will have to check. 30A is what Mrs Kelwedge is going to get me tomorrow, will check the Earth straps. Thanks for comments, I Feel more like mending it now, yesterday I just wanted to kick it. Dont know if thats because I feel like doing it now, or because Mrs Kelwedge has had me taking Wallpaper off the wall today 
GV said:
I have run the earths that require the engine to run directly to the Neg terminal on the battery...can't get any better IMO in terms of what the earth is supposed to do.
Good point about earth strap....Always make sure that there is a direct connection from the engine block to the battery Neg, with thick wire (or thick earth braid) as this carries a lot of current. This is especialy important for a fibreglass car. Always check the power feed to the starter too...
Then check that the 'LIVE' +ve side of the battery has good wiring direct to the alternator (two wires in parallel to two spades for the older ACR type connectors). Then check the ignition (i.e. switched) power wires. My pump relay got hot originally, I found a dodgy spade connector, and also made sure I used a 30A relay, and not had trouble since (finger crossed).
Oh and I made sure the headlight relays have a good thick wire to +ve (live) system.
Car manufacturers are notorious for using 'just adequate' wiring to keep the costs down, so bits TVR borrowed from other makes can be in the same space.
Well Thanks All, Had a play this morning.
3 Relays were burnt out, Ignition, Petrol Pump and one which had 'Headlights' written on it! Got the ignition working no problem, but not the petrol pump thats been a problem before.
So yes found an earth strap a bit loose on the engine, The Ignition Circut has a Kill Swith in it and when I looked at it, I found the wires hardly attached at all, guess that didnt help? So decided to remove the kill switch totaly, who needs it the car has a thatcham 2 anyway. The Petrol Pump then being the next problem, this also has a Kill Switch hidden away, So decide to run a New Big cable from the Kill Switch to the Battery Direct, with a 30A Fuse near the Battery and a on/Off swith near the Ignition. Then had to put back a 5A fuse in the Ear Defender/Comms Circuit as that was the wiring I used to conect to the fuel pump to get home when it all went wrong. and tidy up put back as was the ear defender wiring.
And it works, touch wood has not burnt a relay out yet, but have a couple laying in the car, and spare wiring, fuses switches etc in the car until I get confidence its not going to stop again!
Again thanks all for advice, every little helps
3 Relays were burnt out, Ignition, Petrol Pump and one which had 'Headlights' written on it! Got the ignition working no problem, but not the petrol pump thats been a problem before.
So yes found an earth strap a bit loose on the engine, The Ignition Circut has a Kill Swith in it and when I looked at it, I found the wires hardly attached at all, guess that didnt help? So decided to remove the kill switch totaly, who needs it the car has a thatcham 2 anyway. The Petrol Pump then being the next problem, this also has a Kill Switch hidden away, So decide to run a New Big cable from the Kill Switch to the Battery Direct, with a 30A Fuse near the Battery and a on/Off swith near the Ignition. Then had to put back a 5A fuse in the Ear Defender/Comms Circuit as that was the wiring I used to conect to the fuel pump to get home when it all went wrong. and tidy up put back as was the ear defender wiring.
And it works, touch wood has not burnt a relay out yet, but have a couple laying in the car, and spare wiring, fuses switches etc in the car until I get confidence its not going to stop again!
Again thanks all for advice, every little helps
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