Why won't it start again
Discussion
I've come to the end of my lollipop.
I've had a very frustrating years ownership of TVR 472S. Besides all the niggling faults the car develops everytime I use it there have been two engine rebuilds, it seems whenever I sit in the damn thing I have to open my wallet.
Anyway the latest fault developed yesterday. I drove the car to my parents for the old Sunday lunch. After approx 2hrs sitting in the rain the car refused to start, it turns over but nothing. I think the fuel pump isn't running (I can usually hear it when I switch on the ignition). On investigation I found the ECU and connections a little damp, I dried these out but still nothing I also reset the fuel cut-off switch which of course had no effect. My question is have I fried the ECU or is the actual fuel pump bust. How can I tell if the ECU is working and where can I find the fuel pump?
I can already see the thing disappearing on the back of a lowloader yet again.
I'd greatly appreciate any help.
I've had a very frustrating years ownership of TVR 472S. Besides all the niggling faults the car develops everytime I use it there have been two engine rebuilds, it seems whenever I sit in the damn thing I have to open my wallet.
Anyway the latest fault developed yesterday. I drove the car to my parents for the old Sunday lunch. After approx 2hrs sitting in the rain the car refused to start, it turns over but nothing. I think the fuel pump isn't running (I can usually hear it when I switch on the ignition). On investigation I found the ECU and connections a little damp, I dried these out but still nothing I also reset the fuel cut-off switch which of course had no effect. My question is have I fried the ECU or is the actual fuel pump bust. How can I tell if the ECU is working and where can I find the fuel pump?
I can already see the thing disappearing on the back of a lowloader yet again.
I'd greatly appreciate any help.
Have you been in the fuse box in the boot?
I had problems 6 mths ago. Engine turned over, but wouldn't fire. No sound from the fuel pump. Turned out to be a loose connector behind the fuse box....which i'd been messing with, while fitting an amp.
Not sure, but i think the fuel pump is above the back axel, under the car.
>> Edited by kojak69 on Monday 2nd February 22:38
I had problems 6 mths ago. Engine turned over, but wouldn't fire. No sound from the fuel pump. Turned out to be a loose connector behind the fuse box....which i'd been messing with, while fitting an amp.
Not sure, but i think the fuel pump is above the back axel, under the car.
>> Edited by kojak69 on Monday 2nd February 22:38
Kojak is right about the posistion of the fuel pump, remove the NS rear wheel, and you'll see it tucked behind the lower chassis rail.
It's really open to the elements there, and the connecters corrode badly, so maybe your fault, as you say though you can normally hear it prime the fuel line when you switch the ignition on.
If you can't hear it running, then check the connections, and have a look at the fuses and relays in the boot. Fuse is No19 and should be 15amp, and relay is No4
No easy way to tell if your ECU is naffed, you'll need a laptop and the software for that, unlikly though to be honest.
Hope this is a quick fix, doesn't sound like you've had much luck
It's really open to the elements there, and the connecters corrode badly, so maybe your fault, as you say though you can normally hear it prime the fuel line when you switch the ignition on.
If you can't hear it running, then check the connections, and have a look at the fuses and relays in the boot. Fuse is No19 and should be 15amp, and relay is No4
No easy way to tell if your ECU is naffed, you'll need a laptop and the software for that, unlikly though to be honest.
Hope this is a quick fix, doesn't sound like you've had much luck
Holohan said:
13-why didn't I notice that.
It's done 46,000. How do you know how many owners it's had?
Probably from a site such as this
www.rac.co.uk/myrac/vehicle_data_check/results?vrn=TVR472S
jonnie5 said:
Probably from a site such as this
www.rac.co.uk/myrac/vehicle_data_check/results?vrn=TVR472S
That's very big brother
Sounds exactly like the same problem I had earlier this year, sometimes it would fire others not and then packed up completely.
Symptoms were that it would spin over ok and you could hear the fuel pump working and smell petrol but the bloody thing would not fire.
Turned out to be the ECU, which duly fitted has been as good as gold since. Depending on the year of yours the new unit may need a patch lead to mate to the loom.
My sympathy to you as it is not cheap.
Jon
Symptoms were that it would spin over ok and you could hear the fuel pump working and smell petrol but the bloody thing would not fire.
Turned out to be the ECU, which duly fitted has been as good as gold since. Depending on the year of yours the new unit may need a patch lead to mate to the loom.
My sympathy to you as it is not cheap.
Jon
jonnie5 said:
13-why didn't I notice that.
It's done 46,000. How do you know how many owners it's had?
Probably from a site such as this
www.rac.co.uk/myrac/vehicle_data_check/results?vrn=TVR472S
It's also on your V5.
I think he meant, how do "we" no.
Can you give anymore details as to why the engine has been re built twice in a year ?
Good luck with it & keep your chin up.
P.S. I've had a drive built for my car, parked on it last night for the first time, car facing up hill.
This morning, can you guess whats coming .......
Yep, I needed a snorkel, to get in the F***ing thing !!!
I've just checked previous threads & have drawn up a shortlist of 200 places where the water's coming in, not to mention the hole in the windscreen it's about to get.
Oh well, lucky I've included the service centre in my freinds & family numbers.
>> Edited by RUSSELLM on Thursday 5th February 10:38
Can you give anymore details as to why the engine has been re built twice in a year ?
Good luck with it & keep your chin up.
P.S. I've had a drive built for my car, parked on it last night for the first time, car facing up hill.
This morning, can you guess whats coming .......
Yep, I needed a snorkel, to get in the F***ing thing !!!
I've just checked previous threads & have drawn up a shortlist of 200 places where the water's coming in, not to mention the hole in the windscreen it's about to get.
Oh well, lucky I've included the service centre in my freinds & family numbers.
>> Edited by RUSSELLM on Thursday 5th February 10:38
When I said a few days ago all was well with the fuse box and relay, I wasn't quite 100% acurate. The relay is not energising. The coil of the relay needs to be earthed for the fuel pump to run. The 0volt wire in this case is yellow and is not being swithed to earth somewhere. So far I have traced it back to a connector in the passenger footwell, it then seems to disappear under the dash (It doesn't seem to go anywhere near the ECU). If I short this wire to earth when the ignition is on the car will start and run (obviously this is not a permenant solution). Does anyone know what may be preventing this wire from being switched (is there another relay in the circuit)?
The saga with the engine began last April. Oil pump failure followed by almost immediate engine failure!
Had the engine back in August and all seemed well for a while. Done approx 500 miles (not reving above 3000rpm) then the camshaft failed (snapped!). For one reason or another the car has not done 300miles since. Do you think I can get the TVR warranty extended beyond March when it's due to run out? It's in negotation but I don't hold out much hope. All this for the mere sum of £9,000+ (yes, I know)
Sorry to hear about the soggy cerb - I hope it still runs
The saga with the engine began last April. Oil pump failure followed by almost immediate engine failure!
Had the engine back in August and all seemed well for a while. Done approx 500 miles (not reving above 3000rpm) then the camshaft failed (snapped!). For one reason or another the car has not done 300miles since. Do you think I can get the TVR warranty extended beyond March when it's due to run out? It's in negotation but I don't hold out much hope. All this for the mere sum of £9,000+ (yes, I know)
Sorry to hear about the soggy cerb - I hope it still runs
Hi.
Not sure about this, but if the 'engine harness connector' (19 way) is the ECU !?!?, which is in the passenger footwell, then the yellow cable (fuel pump signal) goes from pin 1 to pin 2 on the connector you're talking about.
This may sound a load of b*llocks, because it probably is a load of b*llocks.
>> Edited by kojak69 on Friday 6th February 15:41
Not sure about this, but if the 'engine harness connector' (19 way) is the ECU !?!?, which is in the passenger footwell, then the yellow cable (fuel pump signal) goes from pin 1 to pin 2 on the connector you're talking about.
This may sound a load of b*llocks, because it probably is a load of b*llocks.
>> Edited by kojak69 on Friday 6th February 15:41
The yellow wire goes to (I think) an 8 way connector which seems only to connect two bits of loom together. I've seen the two yellow wires on the ECU connector but theres no continuity between the yellow wire that goes to the fuel pump relay and pins 1 and 2 of the ECU connector (perhaps this is my problem but I don't think so!).
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