Help it wont start

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Discussion

zippy500

Original Poster:

1,883 posts

270 months

Saturday 12th January 2002
quotequote all
1995 Griff 500
Anyone have any ideas. I have recently removed my alternator, coil, ht leads and distributor cap in an attempt to clean my engine up a bit, all bits have been refitted, all terminals cleaned, new HT leads fitted. But it wont start. It turns over ok, battery is fully charged, fuses all ok, I have only ckecked plug 2 but it had a spark when out of engine. Im sure all wires went back to the correct place and nothing has been left off, Im well lost now so please help boys and girls. I have doubled checked everything several times and cant see wots up.

>>> Edited by zippy500 on Saturday 12th January 17:56

fish

3,976 posts

283 months

Saturday 12th January 2002
quotequote all
Check your fuel pump is working,(humm when ignition on).If you then have fuel and sparks assuming the HT leads are in the right firing order off the distributor I'm atruggling. Anyone got AA homestart?

zippy500

Original Poster:

1,883 posts

270 months

Saturday 12th January 2002
quotequote all
I can smell fuel. Ive used the page from peter beeches on line manual for ht lead firing order. the only thing ive noticed though is on his piccy the distributor is around the other way to mine, so i have tried leads both ways around but still no luck. see for your self. Im basing this view on the vcacuum advance thingy hanging off the side. I havent got home start unfortunatley.


http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Peter_Beech/TVR/ignition.htm#HTLeadNumbers

Preston1990

104 posts

271 months

Saturday 12th January 2002
quotequote all
Zippy,

Read your thread and looked at Peter's diagram with interest. You have my sympathy, its damned annoying when something like this happens.

This may be just complete lack of understanding on my part, but could there be a problem with the diagram you are working from?

If the numbering is correct on the distributor, then don't some of the leads appear to go to the wrong plugs?

For example terminal 8 on the distributor appears to me to go to plug 2, term 4 to plug 8, term 3 to plug 4.

Surely this cant be right can it!! Perhaps the diagram is incorrect, is it worth getting confirmation from a second source re firing order and connectivity of leads etc?

Can someone (who has a light in their garage) go and confirm which distributor leads go to which cylinders.

Hope this comment helps and is not a complete red herring, but it seems likely given the confusion that it is lead order.

If the V8 distributor have a rotor arm, did you remember to replace it when you put the cap back on?

If all the connections are correct and fuel is getting through, the motor couldn't just be flooded could it?

Hope you get it all sorted out soon!

Regards

Preston1990 (Complete TVR postcard collection one day!)


Edited by Preston1990 on Saturday 12th January 19:14

zippy500

Original Poster:

1,883 posts

270 months

Saturday 12th January 2002
quotequote all
Ive now reversed my leads by 180 degrees, but still no luck, I think its flooded now, so ill wait until tomorrow. ive also found another piccy and it confirms the firing order.

www.rover-v8.co.uk/mechanical.htm

mav

63 posts

268 months

Saturday 12th January 2002
quotequote all
got your car going yet?-couple of things... obviously... make sure you have re-conected all terminals correctly. disconect and re-conect your ecu. more later

mav

63 posts

268 months

Saturday 12th January 2002
quotequote all
.....as i was saying. stop messin about with fireing orders etc!!!! try the ecu. the module on the side of your coil needs to re set. let us know.

zippy500

Original Poster:

1,883 posts

270 months

Saturday 12th January 2002
quotequote all
Dont have one of those. Mine is pre serpentine.

mav

63 posts

268 months

Saturday 12th January 2002
quotequote all
forget firing order for now...do you have a spark?

zippy500

Original Poster:

1,883 posts

270 months

Saturday 12th January 2002
quotequote all
yes , i tried plug 2 and it was fine. i have removed all wires i played with and have double checked position and contact etc. they were 3 of alternator and 2 of coil all present and correct.

mav

63 posts

268 months

Saturday 12th January 2002
quotequote all
when you turn it over, open throttle wide and keep it there...dont 'pump'..... does the engine pop and fart? i'll check your answer tommorow.cheers

zippy500

Original Poster:

1,883 posts

270 months

Saturday 12th January 2002
quotequote all
it dosent do anything apart from turn over, however no and again it stops turning over for a split second and then continues to turn over. It dosent allways do this.

Any chance you or someone can confirm which HT lead is at the most foward position when looking at the front of the car. I believe it is number 8 and the front clip is to the right of it. This way I can check all other leads accordingly, any takers on this little mission. As useful as Peter Beeches goodies are, im a little confused by the position of the Vacuum thingy on his diagram.

MikeG

148 posts

285 months

Saturday 12th January 2002
quotequote all
Zippy,
Just seen your posting. As you look at the engine from the front of the car No 8 is to the right of the front clip on the distributor. Going clockwise from this point you should have the following:
front clip,
No 4,
No 3,
No 6,
No 5,
Rear clip,
No 7,
No 2,
No 1,
and back to No 8.

Hope this helps as this is off my serpentine 95 Griff

Mike

PS My vacuum advance is on the front of the distributor body as per Peter Beeches diagram.

Edited by MikeG on Sunday 13th January 00:02

zippy500

Original Poster:

1,883 posts

270 months

Sunday 13th January 2002
quotequote all
Interesting, ive just had a look in my TVR book by John Tipler, and there is a 500 pre serpentine engine piccy exactly the same as mine, from that i reckon number 8 is to the left of the front clip, im gonna try that. my vacuum is on the left hand hand side towards the back.
I seem to remember serpentine engines having a new distributor so this could be where the problem is. Peter beeches drawing could be for serpentine cars. Any thoughts.

macca

508 posts

280 months

Sunday 13th January 2002
quotequote all
I have you tried refitting the old the leads?

zippy500

Original Poster:

1,883 posts

270 months

Sunday 13th January 2002
quotequote all
Success, peters drawing must be for a serpentine, i refitted the leads following my thoughts on the photo in john tiplers book and it has worked. it is therefore for a pre serpentine 500 working clockwise

front clip
8
4
3
6
rear clip
5
7
2
1

Thank the lord for an inquisitive nature and lots of engine photos. Thanks chaps for all your help.