19-Year Old Fuel Pump Relay Passed Away - RIP

[K4TRV]

In my Apr 93 Chimaera 400, doing my Midland Speed Champs/TVRCC Speed Champs Speed Hillclimb at Shelshley Walsh, during 2nd timed run at near 5K rpm in 2nd, engine completely cut, changed to 3rd, picked up again, no problem, but then at 4k rpm, engine cut again. As revs dropped, it picked up again so I continued up to long straight finish, no problems - I wonder what that was??

Thoughts of ignition, plugs leads, plugs or fuel??

Following 2nd Timed Run I achieve a Personal Best.

Next day, 4-runs with no issues, it was a wet afternoon, but no problems seen and driven onto the trailer and home.

This weekend I tried to start it - turned over no problem, but wouldn't fire-up.

Unable to hear the fuel pump prime.

Put 12v on the fuel pump and it ran ok, connections clear and tight.

Swopped main and fuel pump relay, no difference - these relays are on the ECU long lead connector both sliver with a red stripe - Bosch 0332014112 - they have a diode, internally, on the input of the 85/86 terminals.

Removed both relays and placed 12v on the 85 & 86 terminals (these "power" the relay) - one worked and the other (Fuel pump relay) didn't.

Substituted with similar, non-diode 5-pin relay, and pump primed - ordered new Relays (if one has given up after 19-years, I guess the other may follow? - replacement are to be brown, not silver!!).

Hopefully this may help others as their Pride & Joys start to approach the end of the bath-curve of reliability.

I suggest you check these relays first rather than tear apart the dash for the Immobiliser - no doubt that may figure in "other" failures??

Hope that helps

Trev McM

[SILICONEKID340HP]

The original ones seem very different,the lid keeps falling off mine ,looks like a coil of copper nothing like the replacements ,

[chim666]

I dunno Trev - 19 years eh?

My 4 year old Racing Red dampers have just deposited their fluid on my garage floor! Refurb time.

Edited by chim666 on Monday 8th October 20:55