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sagaris400

sagaris400

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Jun 23, 2025
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Hi, I bought my Cougar about a year and a half ago, it was being sold as a ULEZ save (although I've since read that some people have got ULEZ certification for them?). Anyway it is definitely rough up close, some lovely laquer peel and dodgy body repairs but it has a charm and was delightful to drive until I pulled it from the road when the MOT expired because of engine power issues (power would suddenly start dropping until the engine died while driving, could restart it but would do the same a few minutes later). Asking around I was told to replace the Throttle Position Sensor which I have sourced but not got around to installing yet, hopefully it should go through an MOT again but I didn't see the point if it's not really driveable at the moment. And there's no guarantee knowing the MOT centres around here, they fail on the most random things...
I was at Beaulieu this weekend and saw the forum web address on the side of a Cougar so here I am, hoping to find a Cougar community to enjoy :)

I'd like to think it's a keeper!

-Tom


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Hello Tom and welcome to the forum. (y)

If you can hear the fuel pump priming, as previously described, a fuel filter change might be a good place to start in trying to solve your problem.
 
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Welcome, Tom!

Totally agree with all of the above, (fuel pump/filter) but it'd be interesting to see if it's throwing any codes for the coil pack.

Interesting username by the way. Do you have a TVR? The Sagaris is one of the most terrifying cars I've ever encountered.
 
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Thank you everyone!
mabo said:
Hello Sagaris and welcome.
When you turn the ignition on, but not to the final click to crank the engine, can you hear the fuel pump for a few seconds ?
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I'll have to go give it a try tomorrow as it's parked at work and I'm back home now, but from memory I think it is a yes, it fires into life sometimes immediately sometimes on the 3rd or 4th crank. A couple of times it won't start and I have to stop cranking and try again and then it starts.
Quicksilver said:
Hello Tom and welcome to the forum. (y)

If you can hear the fuel pump priming, as previously described, a fuel filter change might be a good place to start in trying to solve your problem.
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The previous owner changed the fuel sender, it's a Mondeo ST unit he said so it reads empty when it's full and full when it's empty (I might have forgot this once and only got to about £7 before it clicked off :LOL: ) so I would like to think he changed the filter but might be a good idea to change it anyway as you suggest!
Mako said:
Welcome, Tom!

Totally agree with all of the above, (fuel pump/filter) but it'd be interesting to see if it's throwing any codes for the coil pack.

Interesting username by the way. Do you have a TVR? The Sagaris is one of the most terrifying cars I've ever encountered.
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It's not shown any codes on multiple scan machines which doesn't help any!
Unfortunately I do not own a Sagaris, it's my "halo" car, when I was a teen at school, on my birthday TVR announced the Sagaris to the world, I was completely in awe of it and said it was a sign that it was launched on my birthday that I NEED to own one. Well 20-something years later I'm still dreaming, and still using the same forum username as back then, (400 for 400 bhp-per-tonne). Maybe one day :D
 
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You know, although your symptoms are slightly different to Wildcat's (you can read the saga if you like, but it was basically a fuel pump that started acting up for reasons we don't understand...and then started working again), I'm gonna go with fuel supply.

Pump, marginal wiring, (like DickL's), fuel pressure regulator/vacuum, or - and this is a long shot - vac in the tank caused by a failing purge valve. Does the filler hiss when you open it to fuel up?

As for the Sagaris, please envy me for sleeping next to these lovely angels in the garages, one May weekend at Silverstone in 2013. I was Dave Chant's guest at the TVR Challenge:




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I too would love a TVR. Probably the Chimaera as my favourite shape.
Did a track day in a TVR a while back, think it was a Tuscan. Need to check the photos!
Love everything about them with the exception of their reliability reputation.
 
Dave Chant (Sr.) drove a Tamsin, and then a Tuscan.

The Sagaris boys were kind of scary, (and spent a lot of time with their laptops connected to their cars) but nobody frightened me quite like the guys who tracked Cerberas in the fricking rain.

Side note: The racecars obviously needed care and attention, but so does any other car designed for the track. Road-going TVRs are finicky, not for the faint-hearted, and need care. Anyone who thinks they can daily it like a Mondy needs to get their head checked.
 
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