Massive electrical failure

[johns3c]

Just experienced first major disaster with my TVR S3C: non-starter. Starter motor worked, but no sparks, no fuel pump relay clicking, and allmost all electricity gone. All fuses OK - so resorted to pay a professional car electrician to find cause...

He traced it to a burned/faulty connection inside the black/yellow multiplug connector, sitting behind the ignition switch. Impossibe to see - so well worth paying someone to find it. Car now starts and runs like a dream again.

So - if any of you experience similar problems - this could be it.

John

[HarryW]

Massive failure is that one up from a 'total electrical failure' . The main multiplug under the steering column is a fairly well know place to have a massive electrical failure in an S. I think shnozz was the last one to have it happen, but certainly worth alerting peeps too again.
Glad you've got it sorted

Harry

[johns3c]

The failure was 'massive' in the sense that it was not total(so it is one down..) I still had el. windows, clock, interior light and the alarm working.

John

PS. If this is a common failure with the S, I would perhaps recommend others to discard this inadequate multiplug and make a reliable/safe reconnection through soldering the wires together instead.

[haggishead]

Exactly same thing happened to me at the end of July, managed tp persuade a passing yoof to help me push it into a nearby Shell Garage where I tracked down the problem all on my Toblerone.

I got home through the good grace and electical conductivity of polo mint wrappers, replaced the multiplug next day with one from Hellfards, £2.19 it cost me.

Sure I posted this on here at the time, nobody took any notice though.



>> Edited by haggishead on Wednesday 20th August 20:53

[shnozz]

HarryW said:

Massive failure is that one up from a 'total electrical failure' . The main multiplug under the steering column is a fairly well know place to have a massive electrical failure in an S. I think shnozz was the last one to have it happen, but certainly worth alerting peeps too again. Glad you've got it sorted Harry

all my electrics cut out at 60+ mph on a country road at night.

traced the problem to the multiplug and ripped it out and replaced it with individual spade connectors. it gets hot and melts and IMO is a liability. Mine had melted to the point that the wires had to be cut to get the thing out as the plastic connecting point was not a pretty sight.

[spnracing]

Its the most famous S series breakdown ever, every owner has suffered this. Mine cut out completely on the A30 just under the Iron Bridge at Honiton, round a blind corner in the pitch dark.

The connectors are sourced from a transit van and are just not up to the job.