Cerb cut out on me today and wont restart ??
Discussion
Hi Folks,
Driving home from town today and with no warning the engine just cut out and died. No coughing or spluttering, it just cut out.
On trying to restart I noticed the MIL light is illuminating and through process of elimination have determined that the fuel pump is not running.
Doing a bit of reading here I see mention of fuel pump relays, fuel pump, ECO or inertia switch tripping. So am going to go through a process of elimination again and try get the thing going.
I was lucky enough for a chap to stop and help me roadside, so got a lift home to pick up my town wagon and straps. So car is now sat in the garage awaiting further care.
So folks, what is the usual order of attack? Bare in mind that I live in New Zealand my one and only specialist is Jim Gamsby that is over 2 hours away from me and away from his phone just now.
I think I have found the inertial switch, if its a rubber capped switch close to the filler neck? But what is the sequence of resetting this please?
here is hoping its something simple!!
Thanks in advance
Dave
Driving home from town today and with no warning the engine just cut out and died. No coughing or spluttering, it just cut out.
On trying to restart I noticed the MIL light is illuminating and through process of elimination have determined that the fuel pump is not running.
Doing a bit of reading here I see mention of fuel pump relays, fuel pump, ECO or inertia switch tripping. So am going to go through a process of elimination again and try get the thing going.
I was lucky enough for a chap to stop and help me roadside, so got a lift home to pick up my town wagon and straps. So car is now sat in the garage awaiting further care.
So folks, what is the usual order of attack? Bare in mind that I live in New Zealand my one and only specialist is Jim Gamsby that is over 2 hours away from me and away from his phone just now.
I think I have found the inertial switch, if its a rubber capped switch close to the filler neck? But what is the sequence of resetting this please?
here is hoping its something simple!!
Thanks in advance
Dave
Ahead of any hopeful help. I have checked and confirmed fuse 19 is ok. The relay is also clicking away when ignition is switched on and off, but will check this at work tomorrow for correct operation. The MIL light comes on with ignition and lashed on and off real fast when the starter turns, but still wont fire as I don't hear the fuel pump priming.
Not been under the car as yet as its dark and late now and fed up!!
Cheers all
Not been under the car as yet as its dark and late now and fed up!!
Cheers all
Thanks. Battery is fine and it spins like a top. I also assumed the big fuse would just cut everything out and not just the fuel pump power? Maybe I am wrong? I have a spare one some place, so will have a look tomorrow after work, just in case.
I actually had the local breakdown chap around earlier (he had never even seen a TVR before by the way) but he checked all fuses and had a prod and poke about saying it looks to him like the fuel pump has packed in.
I am just hoping that a simple inertia reset or relay would be a simple fix.
I actually had the local breakdown chap around earlier (he had never even seen a TVR before by the way) but he checked all fuses and had a prod and poke about saying it looks to him like the fuel pump has packed in.
I am just hoping that a simple inertia reset or relay would be a simple fix.
Check to see if you have 12v supply at fuel pump when it primes initially when ignition/immobiliser is switched to run and a good earth. If you have voltage at pump it is likely the pump has failed or poor connection, so next test the pump with a 12v temporary supply to check fuel pump is working. If you have no 12v prime, check the voltages at each component on the way to pump, inertia switch, fuse, relay, output on engine ecu. What fault code has the engine ecu stored?
Cheers, I will try checking the pump tomorrow after work. I will link my jump pack up to the connections and see if it spins up while I am under there also. Then work back to see where I loose the supply. If its not the pump, I will be back cap in hand!
I have no idea even how to get ECU codes by the way, I am too old school?
Cheers
I have no idea even how to get ECU codes by the way, I am too old school?
Cheers
If the pump runs under external power, I guess there is the possibility that the immobiliser is playing up. I don't know the specifics of the Cerb immobiliser, but most will cut two or three systems (starter motor, ignition, fuel pump), so it could be that the immobiliser fuel pump circuit (relay?) is faulty.
However the MIL might indicate something useful. To find out you will need to find a laptop with a serial port, or simply buy a cheap serial-USB converter, and then hook it up and use the software you can download from here.
http://www.tvr-cerbera.co.uk/software.html
However the MIL might indicate something useful. To find out you will need to find a laptop with a serial port, or simply buy a cheap serial-USB converter, and then hook it up and use the software you can download from here.
http://www.tvr-cerbera.co.uk/software.html
It sounds very much like the fuel pump, mine went last year with no warning. I suspected the pump straight away because the failure was not as complete and sudden as an electrical fault more a steady loss of power over a couple of seconds, also if left for a few minutes it would fire and almost catch on the first go at starting then not fire at all after that.
As many people have said on here, the first thing to check is the fuel pump. If your car cut out while running and then wouldn't restart (no fuel pump running) then is sounds like the fuel pump has died (bearing in mind you found and presumably pressed the inertia switch).
Get a multimeter, put th eprobes onto the fuel pump conections and get somebody to try starting the car. No 12v means some thing higher up the wiring. 12v and no fuel pump means the pump is gone. That is your first test. Do that then post back on here your findings.
If it is higher up (even if it is the immobiliser) there are simple checks you can perform to test that and if necessary bypass it.
Get a multimeter, put th eprobes onto the fuel pump conections and get somebody to try starting the car. No 12v means some thing higher up the wiring. 12v and no fuel pump means the pump is gone. That is your first test. Do that then post back on here your findings.
If it is higher up (even if it is the immobiliser) there are simple checks you can perform to test that and if necessary bypass it.
I agree with Tim, recently had to replace mine.
Just a word of caution I tested mine at the terminals and found 0v which lead me on a false path because the terminals were too corroded, it was days later when someone suggested to cut the insulation back that I found I did have 12v and it was the fuel pump.
Mind you it was a good learning curve thanks to the guys on here that I now know where my immobiliser is and how to check it and also how to test the relays for power.
Good luck.
Just a word of caution I tested mine at the terminals and found 0v which lead me on a false path because the terminals were too corroded, it was days later when someone suggested to cut the insulation back that I found I did have 12v and it was the fuel pump.
Mind you it was a good learning curve thanks to the guys on here that I now know where my immobiliser is and how to check it and also how to test the relays for power.
Good luck.
Thanks everyone!
Its a new day downunder and I am at work just now with the removed relay in hand. I will test this while here just to rule that out early on. The relay is a Siemens R6H3 (V2134-352-D642) by the way, and is black in colour. Not brown like I read in several places?
When I get home tonight I will get under the car and check the supply att he pump. Reading all your words I am hopeful that this is the trouble. Thinking about when it dies I did feel a loss a power over a second or two and engine was actually running but no power. I had put this down to just the momentum of the car turning the engine over, but perhaps it was the last few seconds of pump life. The car also did try to start weakly at one point then nothing. SO again, it is sounding like the pump.
I did find a press the inertia switch button, but it made no difference at all. I pressed this with ignition on and off with same result. I assume there is no special sequence to resetting as the manual says go to a dealer. Thats one luxury I dont have.
I will run through the sugested tests tonight and report back on here with my progress. At least I can buy a new pump down here easy enough, even remove one from my Escort to try it out. I have a Bosch 044 which I agin read many people have upgraded to without any trouble.
Fingers crossed and thanks again!
Cheers
Dave
Its a new day downunder and I am at work just now with the removed relay in hand. I will test this while here just to rule that out early on. The relay is a Siemens R6H3 (V2134-352-D642) by the way, and is black in colour. Not brown like I read in several places?
When I get home tonight I will get under the car and check the supply att he pump. Reading all your words I am hopeful that this is the trouble. Thinking about when it dies I did feel a loss a power over a second or two and engine was actually running but no power. I had put this down to just the momentum of the car turning the engine over, but perhaps it was the last few seconds of pump life. The car also did try to start weakly at one point then nothing. SO again, it is sounding like the pump.
I did find a press the inertia switch button, but it made no difference at all. I pressed this with ignition on and off with same result. I assume there is no special sequence to resetting as the manual says go to a dealer. Thats one luxury I dont have.
I will run through the sugested tests tonight and report back on here with my progress. At least I can buy a new pump down here easy enough, even remove one from my Escort to try it out. I have a Bosch 044 which I agin read many people have upgraded to without any trouble.
Fingers crossed and thanks again!
Cheers
Dave
Update - managed to get a cut off section of timber between the exhausts and onto the cross tube adjacent to the diff. So got the car in the air in my garage and some axle stands under for security. I crawled under the car with lamp in hand and found the live cable had snapped off at the terminal on the pump. Success!!!
Anyway, while I was under there it was a squeeze and was making me sick being upside down. So dropped the car again and took the Escort off the lift in my shed and pushed the Cerbera along the gravel and into place.
Much easier to work on up there!!
Anyway, while I was under there it was a squeeze and was making me sick being upside down. So dropped the car again and took the Escort off the lift in my shed and pushed the Cerbera along the gravel and into place.
Much easier to work on up there!!
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