Inertia Switch

[73stagman]

theres a few of them.... face fresh air vents for one.... I didnt say they were all important but they were first! But they were also first with a 16 valve mass produced engine!
(not the first with a 16 valve engine) slightly more significant. I did have a reference book on the History of Triumph Cars but cant find it tonight (So I could give you the reference details).... probably lent in to somebody.....

[Motorsport Micky]

Triumph firsts with the TR range,

Disc brakes on a volume production sports car, Surrey top on the TR4 with removable centre section subsequently copied by Porsche with their Targa tops, Eye level ventilation vents with directional vanes into passenger compartment, PI fuel injection as standard on the TR5 the first on a production car...oh and they fitted it with the Inertia Switch cut off.

The position is unarguable, for ANY car with an electric fuel pump not to have one is dangerous. Yes I'm sure there's arguments about reliability when used in competition and it is the number one competition mod which normally says get rid of anything that can fail because eventually they will.
However there are instances of cars having caught fire and an electric fuel pump continuing to supply the conflagration and barbecuing the occupants. When I raced I used electrical cut offs on the pumps on all my cars and if the engine ever stopped after a "violent" event the first action is check the fuel pump cut off. If it costs you seconds or positions in the race so what ?
We still have TR owners who can't be bothered to fit rear of cockpit alloy firewalls to their cars and have 10 gallons of petrol ready to flood into the car and barbecue them with only a 3mm hardboard cover stopping it ! There are several instances of this happening especially after a side impact when the car lozenges because there are no crumple zones or strengthening devices in them. I've advised many to fit them and the Inertia switch is a no brainer also, my cars all have them, I'm too careful to want to drive cars without them.
However the choice is down to the individual, but consider how you would feel if your wife or family were killed because you didn't fit them and your life was spared ! I've heard it being referred to as "cleansing the gene pool" with those too dumb to fit them going to meet their maker first.
When a manufacturer fits a device that costs them money, it isn't shiny, it doesn't make the car go faster, stop quicker, or do more miles to the gallon, it isn't sexy, or makes you more attractive to women and yet they still fit it...you've got to think that they know something that you don't.

Micky

[1959terry]

theres a few of them.... face fresh air vents for one.... I didnt say they were all important but they were first! But they were also first with a 16 valve mass produced engine!
(not the first with a 16 valve engine) slightly more significant. I did have a reference book on the History of Triumph Cars but cant find it tonight (So I could give you the reference details).... probably lent in to somebody.....

It's a shame you couldn't find the reference book because I am having trouble sleeping lately

[73stagman]

Its a bit small for a pillow Terry and not heavy enough to do any damage......I cant find any other info to back up my useless information either.....I have found another forum that claims the dolly was the first production car to be fitted with alloy road wheels as standard equipment.....mind blowing information!!

[alpenmac]

Checking the fuel inertia switch is easy; just unclip from bracket and "jiggle" - the button on top of the unit should pop up. Once the button is up and the ignition is turned on there should be no clicking from the fuel pump. Press the button down and the fuel pump should start clicking as usual. For safety's sake don't remove or bypass the switch!

Alex

[doug2008]

That's great ! Have done that , seems fine would bad pot hole or speed humps cause it to pop up ? Thanks got there in the end Regards Doug

[KOY 23]

Shouldn't do, unless you hit one so hard to cause serious damage to suspension etc.

[DJT]

That's great ! Have done that , seems fine would bad pot hole or speed humps cause it to pop up ? Thanks got there in the end Regards Doug

Not happened to me yet, and we have more than our fair share of speed humps around here. I recently towed 13 trailer loads of soil across town behind the Stag. 15 speed humps each way. That's a total of 390 speed humps in 4 days. My spine is wrecked, but the inertia switch didn't trip once.....

[kgnich]

I would never remove the inertia switch from the Stag as it has a clear safety function .... but my MGB and E type both have electric fuel pumps and there is no inertia switch in those. Perhaps I should install one. I guess there are many proprietary ones available.
Graham

[DJT]

MGB and E-type both came out before the Stag. Many XJS and XK Jaguars and P6 Rovers used the same type as the Stag.

Many modern cars use one, but I'm blowed if I know where it is on my daily driver.

If you search for Inertia Switch under car accessories in eBay you'll find plenty. Again, it looks like there is a lot of parts sharing going on in more modern cars.