Wont start.

[Brap_Brap]

I started the car, it ran about 5 seconds, and died....wont restart.

Is there any particular problematic area I should look at before running the usual tests?

[streaky]

The description suggest a fuel problem, rather then an electrical one. Can you restart it after a wait, and does it demonstrate the same characteristics? If so, it's very probably fuel-related. Assuming there's fuel in thetank and that it flows to the pump, check the filter. Work your way from one end to the other checking fuel flow - Streaky

PS - And when you've checked that out, and it's all OK, you'll find it's an electrical problem - Streaky

[350zwelgje]

Coolant temperature sensor is notorious. Simple test is to short the connections to it (makes ECU think the engine is hot), and if the engine runs quite ok, it is time to replace this sensor (standard land rover part).
And be aware, even new sensors are sometimes duff out of the box!

Connection from the iginition amplifier to the ECU (black and white cable on mine) having a loose connection...

Rob

[KJR]

See link below to the thread regarding my non starting wedge, turned out to be the coolant temp sensor:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Wedg1e]

Out of fuel?

[Brap_Brap]

Shorted out both sensors between the themostat and the plenum... first one, then the other, then both. No go. I replaced the relay for the FI.... no go. Pulled the hose off the cold start injector and stuck the end in a bottle and cranked it over.... no gas. I didn't play with the flapper when I did that as the fuel rail should be presurised anyhow right?

Where's the fuel pump located?

[Brap_Brap]

Wedg1e said:

Out of fuel?

Not according to the gas gauge, but I suppose they fail too and an few bucks thrown into the tank wont hurt.

[Brap_Brap]

Well it's definately starting to look fuel pump related.... repeated the cold start injection hose flow test, this time with the air filter off and giving the MAS a good working with my finger... still no gas.

Checked the fuse for the pump, no power to the fuse...broken wire? Bad ground? We'll see once I get the car on jackstands and find that bloody fuel pump.

Edited by Brap_Brap on Tuesday 29th May 04:34

[BadRedWedge]

Brap_Brap said:

We'll see once I get the car on jackstands and find that bloody fuel pump.

Under the drivers side rear wheel arch

[GV]

Hope you get it sorted. Got the same problem though I think mine could be linked to a short in the injection wiring. I'm seriously thinking about dumping the injection for a set of carbs...

[Brap_Brap]

GV said:

Hope you get it sorted. Got the same problem though I think mine could be linked to a short in the injection wiring. I'm seriously thinking about dumping the injection for a set of carbs...

Carb's can be a cheap and easy power upgrade....if you do go carbs, bolt it to a blower.

[Brap_Brap]

Well the problem is definately narrowed down to the fuel pump.

I checked the more obvious things first....

fuel in tank... check
power to coil...check
power to dizzy... check
power to injectors... check
power to pump... check

I then took the intake off of the plenum and dumped some gas
straight into the throttle body and she fired right up so that
the ignition system can be ruled out as a fault.

This time, instead of pulling off the cold start line to see if
it pumps out, I took the feed line to the fuel rail....bugger all
came out when cranking, but at the same time I also was testing
power to the pump...the pump got its power at the time which I believe
would confirm the flapper told the ecu to power up the pump? Am I
correct in that assumption?

[edit] I also smacked the pump as I read in another topic and will also try the polarity reversal to see if junk jamming the pump is disloged. [/edit]

AFAIK, the pump is dead or the fuel filter is clogged... I will
replace both for peace of mind, unless someone tells me something else
I could be overlooking.

Does anyone have a part number for the pump and/or filter?

Edited by Brap_Brap on Wednesday 30th May 03:11

[edit] Reversing polarity did bugger all, so I think I might look 3rd
party for a pump if no part number comes forth. Since it's inline I'd like to find something that could also be used with a 750 cfm carb if I
ever choose that route...altho, for "originality" and resale value I'd
likely take the stock part if anyone has the part number.

Edited by Brap_Brap on Wednesday 30th May 03:54

[GV]

I got a pump you can have - its new which is currently on my car I put it on last week. My intention is to refit my old one as the fault lies elsewhere...email me if you want it..

[TVR 3X]

The pump you need is a high pressure one, the easiest source is a Rover V8 EFi or something like.

The pressure will be far too much for a carb setup.

Russ

[matt-man]

Make sure you put a filter BEFORE the fuel pump, something those monkeys at TVR forgot to do!

If you dont, youll do what i did-2 embarassing breakdowns and 2x £100 pumps!!

[Brap_Brap]

I've had a few cars parts guys ask me how many psi preasure I need. Does anyone know the psi required?

I spoke with the local Land Rover dealership here and they only carry parts for 1995 and newer, so no
luck there.

I spoke with a few of the guys I know from the race track where we race our cars on Friday nights
when the 1/4 mile is open to the public, and they suggested I go with a Carter pump. Aparently it
seems to be the choice of a lot of the street-rodder guys around here.

http://www.carterfueldelivery.com/fuelpumps/electr... (top one shown)

Speaking of racing, I took the wedge last Friday to the track to see what it would do out of
curiosity. I did three runs for the sake of curiosity to see what she'd do.... two 15.5's and
a 15.4 second times. I was rather disappointed as my dedicated racer 1982 rx-7 (street ported, stock carb and intake, free flow exhaust) has run a 16.1 on a cool day..... on 1146cc's verses the wedges 3950cc's....that's pretty sad. I don't even dare run my 1988 rx7 (1.3L) down the track since it would beat both and tempt me into putting a mazda 20b 3 rotor into the wedge.... and give it some REAL jam.

Edited by Brap_Brap on Thursday 31st May 02:27

[Brap_Brap]

I'm posting this here so that somebody else may benefit from this and not have to
scrape off 20 years worth of waxoyle to get a simple part number.

LUCAS (sticker, seems to be made by bosch) Model 4fp other numbers on Lucas sticker are: 73202A

BOSCH: 0 580 464 014 (other numbers from bosch include) 937 and 65201
Made in France..... explains everything.

[edit] FWIW, I couldn't even suck fuel out of a bowl with the power applied directly so it's
definately my problem.

I'll source out the Bosch/Lucas, and failing that, go with the Carter.

Edited by Brap_Brap on Thursday 31st May 04:12

[350zwelgje]

Fuel pressure standard is 2.5 bar (atmosphere, psi?), preferred for standard RV8s is 2.75 bar. Pump should be able to do at least 3.5 bar, even for long periods and during maximum fuel use... As you don't have a standard engine, it could be set to another value. But standard injectors (flapper) start weeping above 3 and a bit bar. Don't know about later improved stuff.

About your times: it takes a while to get the maximum out of a TVR. Often it is said that get it rolling, then floor it is much better. And I can confirm that from experience. And wedges are not the sprinting type, they are in gear annihalators: 3th gear surprises many on the road, even in my standard 350i and with a cam that has done 170.000km!

Hopefully you get it fixed, to get your fix again. And everytime you sort something out, you are improving the wedge. This is also part of the enjoyment I get out of the ownership.

Rob

[Brap_Brap]

350zwelgje said:

Fuel pressure standard is 2.5 bar (atmosphere, psi?), preferred for standard RV8s is 2.75 bar. Pump should be able to do at least 3.5 bar, even for long periods and during maximum fuel use... As you don't have a standard engine, it could be set to another value. But standard injectors (flapper) start weeping above 3 and a bit bar. Don't know about later improved stuff.

Well thanks for the tip, but I did manage to find an original Lucas 73202A (actual part number...disregard the other numbers I posted above) $200 used, 90 day warantee with immediate shipping, or there's another here in Canada ...new.... $350, 10 days wait. I figured I'll gamble with used, I want to go wedging this weekend, not 10 days from now.

350zwelgje said:

About your times: it takes a while to get the maximum out of a TVR. Often it is said that get it rolling, then floor it is much better. And I can confirm that from experience. And wedges are not the sprinting type, they are in gear annihalators: 3th gear surprises many on the road, even in my standard 350i and with a cam that has done 170.000km!

According to www.carfolio.com, she's a 0-60 in 4.9 car. Bullsh|t. Maybe in 6.5, and if 0-60 in 4.9 isn't a sprint, what is? I once posted a topic in this forum "Is you wedge you fastest car?" and in that topic I posted a video of my 2nd gen rx7's speedo...if you count the timestamp on the video, I got to 60mph in 6s give or take 0.5s...and that was with a 12lb aluminium flywheel...if I had the stock 26 pounder, my launch would have been much better. (1.3L no turbo, ported, 550cc injectors) She'll do 147 mph @ 8k rpm (the engine's built to withstand 10k rpm) in FOURTH with one gear to go!

[edit] My flywheel is only rated for 8500 rpm without a scatter
shield, as death or serious injury may result. [/edit]



Don't get me wrong, I'm not bad-mouthing wedges as I really do love the car just the way it is, but to think of it as a high performance would be self-deluding.

350zwelgje said:

Hopefully you get it fixed, to get your fix again. And everytime you sort something out, you are improving the wedge. This is also part of the enjoyment I get out of the ownership.

Rob

I'll get it fixed alright! I spent $21,500 getting it here. I'm not giving up now!

Now if that darned pump would only arrive.... I want to go wedging!

Edited by Brap_Brap on Friday 1st June 04:41

[streaky]

Er, what did I say? - Streaky