My Griffith doesn't want to know to start...

[panic]

I've checked the fuel pump, the injectors, the relays, dizzi, connectors, spark amp, the fuel tank is half full but, still, the engine doesn't want to start.

The battery cranks it and it sounds smooth and healthy in its silent rotation...still no sign of life.

I've called an expert in car elect, he started playing with the connections going into the ecubox, sudenly...a sign, it has showed some life arising, but suddenly after death again.

The guy thought he found the cause but up to now and after hours around the electrical lines, has failed.

Any of you would pls throw in a comment, advice or idea?

Thanks.

[Colin RedGriff]

panic said:

I've checked the fuel pump, the injectors, the relays, dizzi, connectors, spark amp, the fuel tank is half full but, still, the engine doesn't want to start.

The battery cranks it and it sounds smooth and healthy in its silent rotation...still no sign of life.

I've called an expert in car elect, he started playing with the connections going into the ecubox, sudenly...a sign, it has showed some life arising, but suddenly after death again.

The guy thought he found the cause but up to now and after hours around the electrical lines, has failed.

Any of you would pls throw in a comment, advice or idea?

Thanks.

Sounds like you'e been trying to trace the problem for a while. It could possibly be flooded.

other thoughts
Have you changed or worked on any part of the car since it was last running?
Do you have a spark? You've checked a lot of ignition components but are they working together?

[Toma500]

Could try the 100 amp fuse

[panic]

Colin RedGriff said:

panic said:

I've checked the fuel pump, the injectors, the relays, dizzi, connectors, spark amp, the fuel tank is half full but, still, the engine doesn't want to start.

The battery cranks it and it sounds smooth and healthy in its silent rotation...still no sign of life.

I've called an expert in car elect, he started playing with the connections going into the ecubox, sudenly...a sign, it has showed some life arising, but suddenly after death again.

The guy thought he found the cause but up to now and after hours around the electrical lines, has failed.

Any of you would pls throw in a comment, advice or idea?

Thanks.

Sounds like you'e been trying to trace the problem for a while. It could possibly be flooded.

other thoughts
Have you changed or worked on any part of the car since it was last running?
Do you have a spark? You've checked a lot of ignition components but are they working together?

I don't think it's flooded otherwise it should strongly smell fuel, isn't it?

Everything started 2 months ago...I was driving smoothly a sunday morning and suddenly the engine started giving signs of malfunction...like if fuel wasn't arriving to the injectors...

The problem started when the engine was hot, the malfunction was due to a problem to the fuel pump, at some point it failed so I decide to change it...same thing, the car runned until it got hot, then the problem again.

I quit, get the car on a trail to go streight to a good garage.

The guy called me after a week...he said there was a malfunction in the ecu, when it starts getting hot it doesn't send the proper signal to the fuel pump relay so it fails thus no fuel so your car dies.

I bought then an ecu box from a forum member, it arrived in good conditions so I fixed my tornado chip...the car doesn't start at all! Ok, so I put back my ecu box, nothing! So I try with the new box but a different chip...nothing again.

The garage guy worked five hours like a mad cow today looking at all the electrical contacts going to the ecu, he said that there are contacts in bad conditions...but he'll take care...at this point he's making an iussue of ''principles'' out of this case (he doesn't know Tvr's...), but he knows his job as he's been in charge of the local Rover service for years and knows the Rover V8 well.

Meantime he's getting pretty crazy...I'd like to give him some input, if any of you guys had some solid idea about this case...

[panic]

Toma500 said:

Could try the 100 amp fuse

Is that any particular one? Is it among those under the dash in the passenger side? (mine is a LHD so it's in the right side...).

[Loubaruch]

Have you checked the Immobiliser? One circuit usually cuts off the fuel pump via an internal relay. Sometimes these can have an intermittent contact.

Earthing is another possibility there are several earth leads that are worth checking one on the tunnel under the whaletail is notorious. Mulitiway plugs connecting sensors, injectors etc. to the loom can become corroded after time.

[panic]

Loubaruch said:

Have you checked the Immobiliser? One circuit usually cuts off the fuel pump via an internal relay. Sometimes these can have an intermittent contact.

Where should I look?

I've got my Griffith since new back in the '96 (among the first half dozen cars oficially imported into Italy...)but I've never used the car alarm and never ever had this kind of prob (among a few hundreds others of course, all mainly electrical I might say)

[GJR]

Panic, there 'may' be two 100amp fuses.

Usually located either on a chassis rail next to the engine, or in the passenger footwell behind the battery and underneath the main fuses, OR in both locations if your car has two 100amp fuses.

100amp fuse images

It could be the immobiliser as mentioned (usually located in the dash behind the instruments or radio) or the fuel pump relay. It could also be the Inertia Switch that cuts the fuel in the event of an accident. They can sometimes trip out, but can be reset by pressing a button which you should be able to feel (rather than see) on the inside of the dash, just above the glove box.

[panic]

GJR said:

Panic, there 'may' be two 100amp fuses.

Usually located either on a chassis rail next to the engine, or in the passenger footwell behind the battery and underneath the main fuses, OR in both locations if your car has two 100amp fuses.

100amp fuse images

It could be the immobiliser as mentioned (usually located in the dash behind the instruments or radio) or the fuel pump relay. It could also be the Inertia Switch that cuts the fuel in the event of an accident. They can sometimes trip out, but can be reset by pressing a button which you should be able to feel (rather than see) on the inside of the dash, just above the glove box.

Thanks, very helpfull.

[Colin RedGriff]

If you suspect there is a problem with the ciruit controlling the fuel pump you could try running a feed directly from the battery to the pump just to see if you can get it running reliably.

Then at least you know which circuit needs sorting out.

Also worth changing the fuel pump relay - they fail quite often.

Edited by Colin RedGriff on Wednesday 29th September 12:07

[RichB]

Toma500 said:

Could try the 100 amp fuse

Would the car turnover if the 100amp fuse had gone? Don't know because mine's never gone.

[Rob_the_Sparky]

I don't know hte Lucas ECU but based on other ECUs...

The Fuel pump relay will be energised when the ECU detects that the engine is running. That could be based on the distributer pick-ups (it is on a 205 that has a BOSCH ECU) or a crank sensor. Not sure which the LUCAS uses.

If this was a Pug 205 then a hot failure like this would be pointing to an ignition amp failure...

[FFMan]

Personally i also wouldn't rule out an ecu fault. Yours is an unknown quantity and so is the one you bought. i'd be tempted to rule this out by getting either or both tested by a professional or swap to another car.

just because you have 2, doesn't mean it isn't the issue although it would seem unlikely.

[Loubaruch]

panic said:

Loubaruch said:

Have you checked the Immobiliser? One circuit usually cuts off the fuel pump via an internal relay. Sometimes these can have an intermittent contact.

Where should I look?
I've got my Griffith since new back in the '96 (among the first half dozen cars oficially imported into Italy...)but I've never used the car alarm and never ever had this kind of prob (among a few hundreds others of course, all mainly electrical I might say)

Do you have any Car security at all e.g. A dongle that plugs into the steering column cowl? If not then possiby no immobiliser.

Colin RedGrif's suggestion to run a cable direct to the fuel pump would prove if the relays/ECU or immobiliser are causing the problem. If the relays are suspect use the correct Bosch type as they are fitted with a protection diode in the coil to protect the ECU from spikes. Best of British or should I say Italian!

[panic]

Loubaruch said:

panic said:

Loubaruch said:

Do you have any Car security at all e.g. A dongle that plugs into the steering column cowl? If not then possiby no immobiliser.

Colin RedGrif's suggestion to run a cable direct to the fuel pump would prove if the relays/ECU or immobiliser are causing the problem. If the relays are suspect use the correct Bosch type as they are fitted with a protection diode in the coil to protect the ECU from spikes. Best of British or should I say Italian!

Yep, I have a plug into the steering column...

I'll do the battery to fuel pump link tomorrow first thing, thanks a lot.

[roseytvr]

Have you tried resetting the alarm/immobiliser?

[LordGrover]

I think it's too hot and dry.
British cars are designed to get cold and wet this time of year.

[RichB]

RichB said:

Toma500 said:

Could try the 100 amp fuse

Would the car turnover if the 100amp fuse had gone? Don't know because mine's never gone.

...anyone?

[panic]

roseytvr said:

Have you tried resetting the alarm/immobiliser?

How you do that?

That could be helpfull, thanks a lot!

[GJR]

panic said:

How you do that?

I 'think' that you can reset the alarm by simply disconnecting the battery for a few minutes. Effectively removing the power should clear any issues, assuming that it's not a physical problem with the immobiliser.

RichB said:

Would the car turnover if the 100amp fuse had gone? Don't know because mine's never gone.

This is also something I'd like to know. Anybody had any experience of this. Would the fuel pump prime?