Help needed, new Cerbera owner!
Discussion
Hello all, I bought my first Cerb yesterday and having problems already!
It was bought on the understanding that there were a few issues, most of which I will attempt to fix myself. However the engine is running like a sack of spanners and the MIL light is coming on.
I took it out yesterday and at low speeds it was awful- very rough, but when it got going it seemed better although not as fast as I thought it should be.
This morning I though I'd take it to work but only got as far as the end of the drive where it cut out and then wouldn't start. I noticed the fuel gauge was very low so though it was sucking air as it was on a bit of a downhill. So I rolled it down the hill where there is a very handily placed garage, put 20ish liters in it but still wouldn't start.
Around the corner is a mechanic so asked him to have a look and got a reply along the lines of "too busy but will give it a try if we get time".
Got home tonight and it was sat where I'd left it so thought I'd go with the spare fob and try it and probably tow it home so at least it's not a crime waiting to happen. Low and behold though it started so I took it for a spin and it seemed worse than before, it seems to be missing a lot and hesitating, with the MIL light on. That later went off but was still running rough.
So I'm after your collective help and experience. I've had a search and throttle pots seem to fit the symptoms but I wouldn't know where to start with these, plus I don't know what I need to read the MIL code if there is one.
In short- help!
It was bought on the understanding that there were a few issues, most of which I will attempt to fix myself. However the engine is running like a sack of spanners and the MIL light is coming on.
I took it out yesterday and at low speeds it was awful- very rough, but when it got going it seemed better although not as fast as I thought it should be.
This morning I though I'd take it to work but only got as far as the end of the drive where it cut out and then wouldn't start. I noticed the fuel gauge was very low so though it was sucking air as it was on a bit of a downhill. So I rolled it down the hill where there is a very handily placed garage, put 20ish liters in it but still wouldn't start.
Around the corner is a mechanic so asked him to have a look and got a reply along the lines of "too busy but will give it a try if we get time".
Got home tonight and it was sat where I'd left it so thought I'd go with the spare fob and try it and probably tow it home so at least it's not a crime waiting to happen. Low and behold though it started so I took it for a spin and it seemed worse than before, it seems to be missing a lot and hesitating, with the MIL light on. That later went off but was still running rough.
So I'm after your collective help and experience. I've had a search and throttle pots seem to fit the symptoms but I wouldn't know where to start with these, plus I don't know what I need to read the MIL code if there is one.
In short- help!
Thanks for the replies, I'll try and answer all the questions....
It's the 4.2 AJP, I put 20 litres in because it was a BP with no ultimate that I could see and I intend to run it on Shell VPower, I'm in North Wales, I would put a laptop on it but I don' have any software or know what cable or know anything in fact! I don't know when it was last serviced, or how long the fuel was in it.
The thought of someone local who knows what they're doing sounds good to me
It's the 4.2 AJP, I put 20 litres in because it was a BP with no ultimate that I could see and I intend to run it on Shell VPower, I'm in North Wales, I would put a laptop on it but I don' have any software or know what cable or know anything in fact! I don't know when it was last serviced, or how long the fuel was in it.
The thought of someone local who knows what they're doing sounds good to me
ukkid35 said:
Joolz of Kits & Classics in Chesterfield could be only 80 miles away
That would be my first choice
This was going to be my next question, is there a TVR specialist nearby? North Wales seems to be a bit of a black hole where performance classics are concerned. I would consider taking it to a specialist to sort the engine out if it's not going to be an easy and obvious fix, all the other issues I can take one by one. That would be my first choice
As far as throttle pots being hard to find, I have read that they are the same as the mg zr's so shouldn't be that rare, in fact I've seen them on ebay for £22.
As a related issue, what are peoples thoughts on driving it with the MIL light on and running rough? It's just such a hoot driving it to work it's hard to leave it on the drive!
Juddder said:
Just a bit of help but if it is throttle pots or could be I did quite an extensive compatible parts for them here
Easy thing to swap out if needs be too
Thanks, I've found that, it's very useful! Where are the throttle pots on the engine? I had a quick look yesterday but couldn't see them.Easy thing to swap out if needs be too
Malam said:
P688NNE? Wondered what it was doing parked up in the BP
You didn't happen to fill up at that station did you? I have had issues with fuel from that place before..
That's the one. It was on the naughty step to have a think about how it's behaving! I only put about £20 in at the BP as I want to put VPower in it so it's not the fuel. Plus it was running rough before anyway.You didn't happen to fill up at that station did you? I have had issues with fuel from that place before..
Where abouts in North Wales are you? Any help would be appreciated
I've just downloaded the software for reading the ECU that EvoOlli provided and I'm getting a cable tomorrow so will try and get the laptop connected and hopefully shed some light on things.
I had to order a cable for the ECU off t'internet, which arrived yesterday but I got the wrong one 
So I'm now waiting for an adapter to arrive so I can plug the laptop in.
I had read somewhere previously about the engine using readings from one throttle pot if the other was disconnected so the other day I took off the plug to one side and tried it. The engine ran the same as it was before, cut out after a while and wouldn't start. I tried both throttle pots this way and the results were the same so I'm thinking probably not them.
I have been assured that before delivery the car was running A ok, and seeing as the same thing has happened after putting fuel in, I don't think the first instance was fuel related.
I'm not driving it now until it's sorted, mainly because I don't want to get stranded again! It may well end up at Torque RVT soon for a 12k service, but I'd like to get the bugger running first.
As an extra bonus, while I was messing with the t. pots the other day, the drivers door window has decided that it no longer wants to auto lower when the door opens. Yay TVR!
So I'm now waiting for an adapter to arrive so I can plug the laptop in. I had read somewhere previously about the engine using readings from one throttle pot if the other was disconnected so the other day I took off the plug to one side and tried it. The engine ran the same as it was before, cut out after a while and wouldn't start. I tried both throttle pots this way and the results were the same so I'm thinking probably not them.
I have been assured that before delivery the car was running A ok, and seeing as the same thing has happened after putting fuel in, I don't think the first instance was fuel related.
I'm not driving it now until it's sorted, mainly because I don't want to get stranded again! It may well end up at Torque RVT soon for a 12k service, but I'd like to get the bugger running first.
As an extra bonus, while I was messing with the t. pots the other day, the drivers door window has decided that it no longer wants to auto lower when the door opens. Yay TVR!
Byker28i said:
What were you doing at the time? did you disconnect the battery?
All I was doing was putting the window up with the door closed, because previously I've had the window open then closed/ locked the door and it's stayed down.
If you're doing anything electrical, have the boot open just in case a fuse goes...
Will certainly do that in future, thanks!
Drivers door can be something simple like a dirty connection on the magnetic detector connector. At the rear bottom of the drivers door is a metal plate with what looks like a bolt connected. It's held in by two self tapping screws.
Undo these, take the plate off and if yours is anything like mine, you've around 2 foot of loose cable, two wires joined with two separate plugs. You don't need to remove the inner door panel to do this.
Disconnect these and clean the connections, then with the plate connected but not screwed in, move it to the door frame where it would almost touch. There's a magnet there which is what detects when the door is opened and closed.
I've had one of those detectors go before, good news is it's only a few pounds, but I bet it's a dirty connector. I had to do all my door connectors last weekend and it's only been off the road for 6 months.
I'll give this a go once I have some time spare, again thanks
All I was doing was putting the window up with the door closed, because previously I've had the window open then closed/ locked the door and it's stayed down.
If you're doing anything electrical, have the boot open just in case a fuse goes...
Will certainly do that in future, thanks!
Drivers door can be something simple like a dirty connection on the magnetic detector connector. At the rear bottom of the drivers door is a metal plate with what looks like a bolt connected. It's held in by two self tapping screws.
Undo these, take the plate off and if yours is anything like mine, you've around 2 foot of loose cable, two wires joined with two separate plugs. You don't need to remove the inner door panel to do this.
Disconnect these and clean the connections, then with the plate connected but not screwed in, move it to the door frame where it would almost touch. There's a magnet there which is what detects when the door is opened and closed.
I've had one of those detectors go before, good news is it's only a few pounds, but I bet it's a dirty connector. I had to do all my door connectors last weekend and it's only been off the road for 6 months.
I'll give this a go once I have some time spare, again thanks
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