On-going cut-out problem

[Ernest]

Hi 

I had though that with a new coil + red rotor arm, my cut-out problem had been sorted. But out yesterday and 8 miles into run

the car just cut out.

Four hours later it restarted fine and I drove the half mile home. The car has electronic ignition.

So back to square one.... I was wondering if wires connect various ignition parts can become brittle and 

with heat can short out? But surely this would cause a fuse to blow?

I am at a frustrated loss now - I have closely inspected the distributor cap and that seems to be fine.

Would I have a condenser with electronic ignition? Apologies for ignorance.

Any advise would be very much appreciated.

Best Wishes

Ernest

[RobH]

No condenser with electronic ignition Ernest.  

Have you tried the earlier advice yet and changed the electronic ignition either for another or for a points setup?  

[Ernest]

Hi RobH

Thanks for comment. No I have not tried your previous suggestion as I was hoping

that bits I have renewed would sort the problem. I would not be able to do work myself and

can't drive the car to a garage - So I will need to organize and 'tow truck'.

More significant action such as you suggest is on my to-do list f i can't find another way to sort

the car.

Best Wishes

Ernest

[Harbottle]

Have you checked that battery connections are clean and tight, also earth strap to engine/body is secure.

 

[RobH]

1 hour ago, Ernest said:

 I would not be able to do work myself and

can't drive the car to a garage - So I will need to organize and 'tow truck'.

It's really not much more involved than the things you have already changed.    Where are you based?  There must be someone in your local group who could help you out or advise - one of them may even have a spare distributor that you could try.  

[Ernest]

Hi Paul -  Battery connections all good.

 

Hi RobH - I live in Hayes, Bromley, south London, 3-4 miles from Biggin Hill airport. And it would be great if there was a local member nearby with

some knowledge of TR electrics.

Best Wishes

Ernest

[TR NIALL]

Ernest this could be another possibility to your cut out problems this is normally located beside the Wiper Motor,if you disconnect the 2 wires at the bottom and join them together and see will the Car start these items are know to be problematic.

[Z320]

This simple electronic ignitions get damaged with the ignition on and the engine not running.

This can happen by accident for example while looking for an electric fault or if the engine dies while adjusting the carbs or ignition.

I have been pained some years from sudden cut outs.

Until I fitted a new Ignitor 1 and take care to  avoid the situation.

Btw the ignition coil is always suspicious - but I never had one failed.

Ciao, Marco 

[Steve-B]

Ernest, TR Niall is right, and having lived through similar, remove the inertia switch and tape the two wires together. If that solves your cut outs, then you know what needs to be replaced. It's such an easy thing to do / identify / fix

[RobH]

It is difficult to imagine how a problem with the inertia switch would right itself after a four hour delay........ 

Ernest - if you go to the main TR register site you will find a link under "the club"  to "local UK groups"  From that you can find contact details of the organisers. I think your nearest is Thames Valley though there is also a Kent group.  Only a fraction of the club members use the forums so that might be the best way of finding someone local who can help you. You might also consider joining the register ?  

[Ernest]

TR Naill and Steve B - The RAC did a fuel flow check at breakdown and all well. I assume that's what you mean re. the cut-off switch - and if the fuel flow was to cut out via this would it not stay cut-off and so not start again? This is also RobH's point

Marco - I will check this out

RobH - My own local group seems to be the Kent group (mind you Mark B of the London group is really well organised and I do receive e.mails from him)

I would thank all four of you for your advice.

Best Wishes

Ernest

[RobH]

1 hour ago, Ernest said:

The RAC did a fuel flow check at breakdown and all well. I assume that's what you mean re. the cut-off switch

No Ernest. The switch is an electrical one to cut off the ignition in event of a collision. I don't think the early cars had one though - not sure about that. 

[Mike C]

If the cut off switch was tripped you would have no working pump and  no fuel flow until it was reset.

[Z320]

8 hours ago, Ernest said:

Marco - I will check this out

Best Wishes

Ernest

I fitted back points to check, and finally a new Ignitor I

Edited November 2, 2023 by Z320

[Mk2 Chopper]

It seems more likely electrical, based on what you've said before. Changing the ignition to points is a great way to test and the first port of call. I would suggest you try and learn how to do this, maybe with the guidance of a fellow member. 

Then you can look at other things like the connection at the coil, the ignition switch, all of which can build up resistance and stop the power getting through. 

Gareth

[Ernest]

Hi All

Thanks very much for this ongoing advice - I have a lot to consider. Am now thinking that I need to replace all of the ignition wiring from starter motor

onwards. Even when car has cut-out the starter motor still works. And perhaps change back to points.

Best Wishes

Ernest

[Z320]

If your cut-outs appear from time to time and disappear without you changed anything it is very likely a damaged electronic ignition.

I did not want to believe that! Hey: damaged by heat is broken on an eletronic device?

But this is not the case, not proper working is also possible.

Ciao, Marco 

[Ernest]

Thanks Marco

The electronic system is Iumenation (sp) which I understand is a good one. It ha sonly been on the car for three

years so I can't see why it would break down.

I have contacted a local mobile car electrician and I am hoping that he/we will be able to 

come along and 'track down' the problem.

I am away for a week or so now so I can't arrange this for a week or so.

Best Wishes

Ernest

[Waldi]

I wanted to install an electronic ignition on my TR6 too, but because they sometimes fail, and trouble shooting is hard, if nit impossible with intermittent failures, I stayed with points/condenser.

And oh yes, I had a failed condenser last year, it took me 10 minutes to diagnose and fix.

Ernest,
Swapping your electonic ign. for points would be my first action.

But I would also bypass the accident cut-out switch if you have one installed (normally 1973 onwards cars, CR if a UK car.

That switch stops the pump from running, not the ignition.

Good luck, you will find it,

Waldi

[Ernest]

Hi Waldi

Thanks for advice re. electronic ignition - the frustration being that we changed to this in order to overcome potential ignition

problems! I will have think about a change back.

If the cut-off switch had kicked in then why would the car restart fine a couple of hours after the breakdown?

Best Wishes

Ernest

[PodOne]

19 minutes ago, Ernest said:

f the cut-off switch had kicked in then why would the car restart fine a couple of hours after the breakdown?

 

I can't think why it would but taking it out of the equation would do no harm and given the age of the switches probably best replaced with a modern unit.

[Waldi]

14 minutes ago, Ernest said:

 

If the cut-off switch had kicked in then why would the car restart fine a couple of hours after the breakdown?

Intermittent failures cannot always be explained, and poor electrical contact is such a failure. If you bypass this switch with a piece of wire and 2 connectors, you can rule this possibility out, or not.

 

[Waldi]

Hi Andy,

I see we follow the same “thought lines”.

Waldi

[TR NIALL]

The Cut Out Switch is the simplest thing to change it won’t take 5 mins to change and is completely reversible and also costs you nothing.

Run the Car without the Switch and see if it cures your fault if it still persists reconnect the Switch and try a set of Points after that my next suspect would be the Ignition Switch.

Edited November 2, 2023 by TR NIALL

[mleadbeater]

As i’ve stated in recent posts , which seem to be frequent on this topic at present, consider the rotor arm, bad repros can look ok , but progressively break down, ht wise, as they warm up , and be ok  re-cooled .

Easy to check the arm when your fault occurs, simply remove the cap, then central ht  lead at the cap and hold the lead near the rotor arm, crank the engine with ignition on, an if a spark jumps to the arm it must be shorting to earth, ie faulty.

Cheers

Mike