It just stopped

[scruggs]

Chim 500 driving to work this morning. As I swung into the staff car park it just died. No warning, no spluttering, just poleaxed.

Rolled it into a parking space and found that there is no electrickery, nothing. I had the 100 amp fuse replaced a couple of months back after the ignition light wouldn't go out. Could this be the new fuse letting go already?

I am trying to find someone at work with a meter.

[chris1972]

Does the battery have life in it? Maybe also worth checking the 80A fuse at the back of the pax footwell.

I would have imagined that the car would have shown some signs if the battery wasn't charging and this is 'normally' highlighted by the illuminated battery light on the dash. from the way you described it, power was severed.

[scruggs]

Yep thats what I was thinking. A couple of months back the 100 amp let go (big time, melted the box as well). The symptoms then were a permanent ignition warning light. I had this all replaced at the time.

Off to search for a meter and find this 80 amp fuse thing.

[chris1972]

scruggs said:

Yep thats what I was thinking. A couple of months back the 100 amp let go (big time, melted the box as well). The symptoms then were a permanent ignition warning light. I had this all replaced at the time.

Off to search for a meter and find this 80 amp fuse thing.

Up behind the heater rails right at the back of the footwell... above the fuse box!

[scruggs]

Ok 12v at the battery and continuity of earth to the engine confirmed.

I seem to have a thick loose wire hanging down the back of the battery box! Could be a terminal to something juicy.

RAC man on his way as I should be working for a living.

[jr6yam]

My Chim' used to randomly cut out when the pick-up in the distributor was on its way out
Fitted a used dizzy and it's been fine ever since (quickly touches nearest available wood!)

[scruggs]

Fixed by the man from the RAC. It was the 80 amp fuse and he actually had a spare on his van.

The plastic holder is a bit melted and will need to be replaced at a later date. Glad that it went in the car park and not on the open road!

Thanks for the ideas, it gave us a clue where to search.

[QBee]

80 amp fuse is in the middle of a thick cable in the birds nest that resides on top of the battery - pull them all out and you will spot the fuse holder. If it goes, bugger all works, so it sounds very possibly your problem
100 amp fuse could be the culprit, but you would have felt the car not wanting to run and trying to stall on you for a few miles first
That loose thick wire sounds highly relevant
Wire falling off the fuel pump could also cause the sudden stop
Thank God its the RAC - they at least actually have a clue and do try to fix the car rather than just tow it to someone else to fix.
Good luck

[TVR Beaver]

question now is... why did it go?

[QBee]

TVR Beaver said:

question now is... why did it go?

and why did it get that hot.......time for a trip to an auto electrician or a chat with Taylor TVR?

[scruggs]

The 100 amp also got hot, a lot hotter, before it let go a few months back. The RAC guy said the nuts holding the fuse in place were a bit loose and that could cause high resistance/temperatures. I get the impression that over time they all work loose through vibration and could do with periodic inspection.

Driving from Biggin Hill, Kent to Burgess Hill, Sussex in a couple of hours.

Fingers crossed (and many other digits)

[TVR Beaver]

If it was loose or coroded, thats probably the reason it went..... Good luck

[slippery]

A lot of good comments about the RAC lately.

[slippery]

A lot of good comments about the RAC lately.