# Bad news on thermo-time switches



## tylernt (Dec 24, 2005)

As in, nobody has new ones any more. Bow Wow, Shucks, Autozone, not even JC Whitney could get me one (though annoyingly, Shucks and JCW both let me order one [for upwards of $80 I might add] and then waited a week to tell me it's no longer available). I didn't try the dealership but considering I bought the last OEM Fox clutch cable in the entire North America dealership network a few months ago, I hold little hope.
Our CIS-E Fox started having warm start problems. Cold starts were fine, hot starts were fine, warm starts seemed to flood the engine and holding the accelerator to the floor usually allowed it to chug to life eventually. Determined that the TT (thermo-time) switch kept the cold start valve on forever on a cold or warm engine, and only turned it off on a hot engine (cold starts were fine because the engine would start before it had a chance to flood).
I've heard that the TT switch rarely goes bad. Well, you better hope it doesn't because you may be hitting the junkyard for one. I picked up three junkyard TT switches and luckily, only one of them was bad so I fixed my car with one and have a spare for next time.
Time to get a newer car, or switch to diesel!


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## ziddey (Apr 16, 2006)

*FV-QR*

yeah, they're plentiful at junkyards and way cheap compared to new. and since they're rarely bad, it's not too bad I suppose, especially if you pick up a few like you did.
so I take it the problem is fixed now? guess it wasn't a residual fuel problem afterall eh?


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## tylernt (Dec 24, 2005)

*Re: FV-QR (ziddey)*

I just hate buying any electrical part at a junkyard. They're often bad or go bad quickly within a few hundred miles.
It was about 89°F and it started right up after the TT switch replacement, but I'll need a few more days and a few more tests to be sure everything is working 100%. Usually it's hardest to start after being hot and then sitting for 3-4 hours on a summer day, so the coolant temp at the head is still hotter than ambient but much cooler than operating temp.
Keeping my fingers crossed...


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## iamdagerman (Feb 19, 2006)

*Re: FV-QR (tylernt)*

make a push button cold start


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## tylernt (Dec 24, 2005)

*Re: FV-QR (iamdagerman)*


_Quote, originally posted by *iamdagerman* »_make a push button cold start
The thought had crossed my mind. I would label it, "CHOKE", 'cause that's the way I roll.
It's started reliably since I put the JY TT switch in though.


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## motorcarman (Nov 9, 2008)

*Re: Bad news on thermo-time switches (tylernt)*

A Jaguar XJ6 (1978 to 1987) thermo time switch has the same threads and electrical connector but has a longer time limit (11 seconds instead of 8 seconds I think) and there are plenty in the wrecking yards. It's funny that I used to use the VW ones as replacements when I worked on Jaguars as they were cheaper in the 1980s.
bob gauff


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## EL DRIFTO (Jul 11, 2004)

*Re: FV-QR (iamdagerman)*


_Quote, originally posted by *iamdagerman* »_make a push button cold start

that eliminated vapor lock
bad pump check valve
fpr check valve
& pulling away from my house when the engine is cold for the first time
wife calls it choke


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