Boot solenoid help

[miniman]

Anyone know their way around the boot solenoid?

Mine failed after I opened the boot last week after several weeks unused over Christmas / drizzle / ice tiresomeness.

It failed open - boot wouldn’t latch as the mechanism (loose term, as mine is a bit of bike brake cable or similar) wasn’t returning.

No sign of life from solenoid by directly applying 12v to it.

Ordered a solenoid from eBay, identical to the fitted one. It worked a couple of times, then got hot and has now seized up.

Is there supposed to be a return spring as part of the solenoid itself? Or should the latch mechanism effectively pull the solenoid back out? Feels like the solenoid is either not reaching full travel or releasing itself so drawing power continually until it dies.

Any ideas before I burn out another one?

[Adrian@]

I posted this on the 23rd...in reply to your last post.

You may need to swap an internal spring under the rubber boot.

A@

[miniman]

Swap from where? Original solenoid didn’t have one.

[Loubaruch]

Have you checked the volts across the boot solenoid ( it is actually a motor) when its switched off as a common fault is the boot open button sticking ON.
See here:

http://www.bertram-hill.com/boot-motor-failure.htm...

[miniman]

Interesting thanks, will check that.

[Adrian@]

I only said you may need to. (I too have heard of the switch sticking as posted) ...here is a picture of the spring in place but with no boot on.
On one of my other TVR's


A@

[miniman]

Thanks, one I have is a bit different and doesn’t have the metal mounting plate. Will see if I can figure out a return spring arrangement!

[Adrian@]

miniman said:

Thanks, one I have is a bit different and doesn’t have the metal mounting plate. Will see if I can figure out a return spring arrangement!

As I said from one of my other TVR's ..ignore the bracket. A@

[981Boxess]

miniman said:

Ordered a solenoid from eBay, identical to the fitted one. It worked a couple of times, then got hot and has now seized up.

Is there supposed to be a return spring as part of the solenoid itself? Or should the latch mechanism effectively pull the solenoid back out? Feels like the solenoid is either not reaching full travel or releasing itself so drawing power continually until it dies.

Any ideas before I burn out another one?

The boot solenoid on mine was just a standard two wire solenoid (a five wire can be used).

It isn't going to burn itself out because you have a temp make switch, if you don't keep your finger on it then there is no current. It doesn't matter if it is full or half travel either, as long as it pops the lock.

[miniman]

Have got a genuine original solenoid and a new switch on the way, hopefully that sorts it.

[981Boxess]

miniman said:

Have got a genuine original solenoid and a new switch on the way, hopefully that sorts it.

I doubt there is anything wrong with the switch and dead easy to check with a meter/circuit tester anyway.

The solenoids however can be unreliable, we fitted loads back in the day and quickly realised only the Swiss or Italian made ones were worth using.

[miniman]

I have a tiny suspicion this might be at the root of the problem



Have removed it, replaced the switch and the solenoid (with a genuine one) and will revisit the magnetic release another day!

[981Boxess]

Hang on, where did it say you have/had a magnetic release fitted

[miniman]