Any ideas.................again....
Discussion
Hi folks,
I don't think this car likes me. :(
The thing is trying my patience. I noticed it unusually difficult to start this morning, but fired up and off I went on the school run with my son...Approximately half a mile away, the engine cut out, no warning, dead......So I depressed the clutch, started it, and off we went again.
It then cut out approximately a mile away (busy roundabout :rage:) Eventually after lots of turning over it started again.
It managed to get me home, but I tried to start it about half an hour ago, it needed lots of turning over, then off she went, happy as larry, drove approximately 2 miles, as I turn into the road to where I live, dead... *splutter** cough* dead.
Cue lots of swearing, honking of horns, approximately 2 mins of turning over, she starts again, as fit as you like, no coughing, spluttering, and we toddle off home where I boot the door and something falls off inside it. :banghead: That's a minor thing though.
It strikes me as odd behaviour, I don't think it's the fuel system as when it starts it's fine.
Coil breaking down maybe, or immobiliser playing up?
The immobiliser is a contact on contact type, where you press a metal contact on the keyring onto one mounted on the steering column, which beeps then you can start the car. It's not that old and although the chap before simon put it directly into the coil which stopped the revcounter working :banghead:it seems to be a decent one.
I'm struggling folks, has anyone had a similar occurence with their S?
[small]bastard thing. :D
I don't think this car likes me. :(
The thing is trying my patience. I noticed it unusually difficult to start this morning, but fired up and off I went on the school run with my son...Approximately half a mile away, the engine cut out, no warning, dead......So I depressed the clutch, started it, and off we went again.
It then cut out approximately a mile away (busy roundabout :rage:) Eventually after lots of turning over it started again.
It managed to get me home, but I tried to start it about half an hour ago, it needed lots of turning over, then off she went, happy as larry, drove approximately 2 miles, as I turn into the road to where I live, dead... *splutter** cough* dead.
Cue lots of swearing, honking of horns, approximately 2 mins of turning over, she starts again, as fit as you like, no coughing, spluttering, and we toddle off home where I boot the door and something falls off inside it. :banghead: That's a minor thing though.
It strikes me as odd behaviour, I don't think it's the fuel system as when it starts it's fine.
Coil breaking down maybe, or immobiliser playing up?
The immobiliser is a contact on contact type, where you press a metal contact on the keyring onto one mounted on the steering column, which beeps then you can start the car. It's not that old and although the chap before simon put it directly into the coil which stopped the revcounter working :banghead:it seems to be a decent one.
I'm struggling folks, has anyone had a similar occurence with their S?
[small]bastard thing. :D
silverback mike said:
Just seems odd...more electrical...
Mike,
It's not often I dare offer any techie info here 'cos I tend to leave that bit to the experts, but these symptoms seem to be the same as a problem I had with my previous S.
My local garage couldn't find the fault but handed the car to a specialist auto electrical place. They said that they checked for bad earth connections first but then worked out it was the potentiometer that was the problem. They changed it and problem solved. I can't remember the cost but it wasn't too much to fix.
Don't ask me what it does or even where it is - someone else will be able to tell you that bit - but it might give you somewhere to start!!
Longers
From the symptoms I would guess at an electrical problem, from my own experience the most likely candidates are a faulty relay, poor connection to the ignition switch or a poor earth.
Can you normally hear the fuel pump?
Can you ever hear the fuel pump running (it would only be briefly) after the engine has died?
Does the rev counter show the revs dropping as the engine spools down, or does it freeze/drop to zero?
Do any other ignition switched electrical accessories still work after the engine has died? (Windows, heater fan?)
Can you normally hear the fuel pump?
Can you ever hear the fuel pump running (it would only be briefly) after the engine has died?
Does the rev counter show the revs dropping as the engine spools down, or does it freeze/drop to zero?
Do any other ignition switched electrical accessories still work after the engine has died? (Windows, heater fan?)
GreenV8S said:
From the symptoms I would guess at an electrical problem, from my own experience the most likely candidates are a faulty relay, poor connection to the ignition switch or a poor earth.
Can you normally hear the fuel pump?
Can you ever hear the fuel pump running (it would only be briefly) after the engine has died?
Does the rev counter show the revs dropping as the engine spools down, or does it freeze/drop to zero?
Do any other ignition switched electrical accessories still work after the engine has died? (Windows, heater fan?)
Yes, can hear the pump for a short while after ign off, the rev counter doesn't work. We investigated this, and found that the immobiliser was connected directly to the coil causing it not to work.
I haven't tried the switches, I will try them in a minute.
I think it points to the immobiliser...or maybe as you say, the ignition switch as sometimes it starts straight away, sometimes it doesn't.
Well, it started perfectly, and idled fine.
After switching the engine off I couldn't hear the fuel pump, but could hear it when the ignition switch was initially turned to II so that would indicate all is well there.
All switches worked with ignition off apart from right hand indicator which flashed quickly, however it has done this for a while, and the left hand electric window switch, which wouldn't raise. However, it was slightly loose, so I pushed it down, and now works fine.
It's all a bit odd. Trouble is, I can't take it out for a spin as I have to leave for work soon.
After switching the engine off I couldn't hear the fuel pump, but could hear it when the ignition switch was initially turned to II so that would indicate all is well there.
All switches worked with ignition off apart from right hand indicator which flashed quickly, however it has done this for a while, and the left hand electric window switch, which wouldn't raise. However, it was slightly loose, so I pushed it down, and now works fine.
It's all a bit odd. Trouble is, I can't take it out for a spin as I have to leave for work soon.
Mike,
I had an intermittent fault such as you describe, the most embarrassing manifestation of which was to have the engine suddenly die whilst accelerating hard on a very tight sweeping slip road onto an autobahn at getting on for 100mph - brown trousers moment!
When I investigated I found that the imobilser was wired off the ignition switch and appeared to be grounded via a slip ring earth connection on the steering column.
When the steering was turned, particularly if loaded up by a 'pie friendly' driver in a fast corner, the connection via the slip ring was broken and the immobiliser cut all the circuits it was supposed to.
My simple bodge fix was to pick up a new earth off the back of the cigar lighter. Not had the problem since (2 years).
Cheers
Graham
I had an intermittent fault such as you describe, the most embarrassing manifestation of which was to have the engine suddenly die whilst accelerating hard on a very tight sweeping slip road onto an autobahn at getting on for 100mph - brown trousers moment!
When I investigated I found that the imobilser was wired off the ignition switch and appeared to be grounded via a slip ring earth connection on the steering column.
When the steering was turned, particularly if loaded up by a 'pie friendly' driver in a fast corner, the connection via the slip ring was broken and the immobiliser cut all the circuits it was supposed to.
My simple bodge fix was to pick up a new earth off the back of the cigar lighter. Not had the problem since (2 years).
Cheers
Graham
Good thinking. One of the many wiring faults on my imobiliser was that it was 'earthed' onto the steering column support bracket. Which would be earthed to the metal shell in any other car, but in a TVR was bolted into fiberglass... 
When I found it I couldn't figure out how it had ever worked, but eventually I found out that the earth was taking an indirect route to the engine via the throttle cable. Since soldering up all the dry joints and giving it a proper earth it has worked fine. There's also a multi plug between the ignition switch and the main loom which is vulnerable to overheating and corrosion and can cause these problems.
If the problem shows as a sudden huge loss of power with the engine cutting as soon as you open the throttle rather than acting as if it has been switched off, it is almost certainly a fuel pump power supply issue.
When I found it I couldn't figure out how it had ever worked, but eventually I found out that the earth was taking an indirect route to the engine via the throttle cable. Since soldering up all the dry joints and giving it a proper earth it has worked fine. There's also a multi plug between the ignition switch and the main loom which is vulnerable to overheating and corrosion and can cause these problems.
If the problem shows as a sudden huge loss of power with the engine cutting as soon as you open the throttle rather than acting as if it has been switched off, it is almost certainly a fuel pump power supply issue.
ing downit maybe that the black box has got damp if so some bog on the screw holes will do the trick 
dunno much about that setup i'm a 3000, 2.8 geezer meselfsilverback mike said:
It's not that old and although the chap before simon put it directly into the coil which stopped the revcounter working it seems to be a decent one.
The rev counter worked fine for the 3 years I had it and that immobiliser was on for all that time. There has to be another reason for the rev counter giving out as I really can't see why the immobiliser wiring would suddenly cause that to happen when its not been fiddled with, (at least not while I had it). I don't know if the immobiliser is supposed to be wired to the coil, but the guy that had the car before me was an auto electrician and seemingly knew exactly what he was doing.
The rev counter and speedo both gave out on me a couple of times but came back without any fiddling. One of those intermittant electrical TVR things.
When the immobiliser if off, (i.e. car is ok to run), you'll hear the fuel pump prime when the ignition is on. I think IIRC, that immbiliser works on 2 circuits, fuel pump and ignition relay. I'd have thought that both would cuase a problem not one or the other if the problem is to do with the immobiliser.
When cold and in cold weather, revs used to drop at junctions and it would sometimes kangaroo up the road, but never to the point of stalling and nto starting again. I'm a bit stumped..
Hi Simon,
I think she misses you.
With regard to the fuel pump, yes, everything primes and does what it should do apart from start. It is definately a bit odd.
Have to hold my hands up in defeat on this one, an auto electrician will have to have a gander. I'll phone a man who can, so hopefully he can have a look tomorrow. You never know, it may be something simple.
I think she misses you.
With regard to the fuel pump, yes, everything primes and does what it should do apart from start. It is definately a bit odd.
Have to hold my hands up in defeat on this one, an auto electrician will have to have a gander. I'll phone a man who can, so hopefully he can have a look tomorrow. You never know, it may be something simple.
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