Speed 6 - to build or not rebuild, that is the question?
Discussion
Car went in for a service + MOT. Apparently a tappet blew off and a valve on the cylinder head has come off. The garage has suggested either a full engine rebuild at circa 7 grand - but at least have a warranty - or a fixing the problem.
All very grim for a car with 17,000 miles on the clock but 7 grand is a lot of cash for a summer weekend car.
Has anyone got any tips on engine rebuilds, thoughts on costs?
All very grim for a car with 17,000 miles on the clock but 7 grand is a lot of cash for a summer weekend car.
Has anyone got any tips on engine rebuilds, thoughts on costs?
No only problem was with the electrics (battery just kept cutting out despite replacing it twice in a couple of months). Get back from holiday, speak to garage to find out whats going on and get told that the tappet blew off, can I authorise them to remove the gear box to try and locate it / see if any damage.... bills mounting... then a few days later, "bad news, cylinder head has come away, need to send the engine off, do you want a rebuild or a fix".
Car had an engine rebuild a few years back.
Car had an engine rebuild a few years back.
Am London based but the first decision is whether to go with an engine rebuild at all or just get the broken cylinder fixed.
Can see the attractions of a new warranty but in the current economic climate I can see the wife going bonkers if I spend that sort of dough on a rarely used car. The service, removal of the gear box and one or two other things have already clocked up 2.5k of cost.
Can see the attractions of a new warranty but in the current economic climate I can see the wife going bonkers if I spend that sort of dough on a rarely used car. The service, removal of the gear box and one or two other things have already clocked up 2.5k of cost.
jhollands said:
Apparently a tappet blew off and a valve on the cylinder head has come off.
Firstly who is working on your car? Was it sounding like a tractor when it went in ? because it would have been making horrible noises with what you describe! Alarm bells are ringing in my head ! don't know about anyone else?D14 AYS said:
jhollands said:
Apparently a tappet blew off and a valve on the cylinder head has come off.
Firstly who is working on your car? Was it sounding like a tractor when it went in ? because it would have been making horrible noises with what you describe! Alarm bells are ringing in my head ! don't know about anyone else?Cheers,
FT.
not adding up...
you take a car in for a service without any mechanical problems and they tell you a tappet blew off???? Tappets dont just blow off.....unless they were caning the nuts out of the engine for a very long time?!?!
TOO odd for me...
Add to that, a service and a few other bits at £2.5 GRAND???? Sorry but thats extortionate when you can get a 12k major service WITH MOT for circa £350....
Please get help...call racing green, TVR power or str8 six cause this just sounds odd unless there is more too it..
you take a car in for a service without any mechanical problems and they tell you a tappet blew off???? Tappets dont just blow off.....unless they were caning the nuts out of the engine for a very long time?!?!
TOO odd for me...
Add to that, a service and a few other bits at £2.5 GRAND???? Sorry but thats extortionate when you can get a 12k major service WITH MOT for circa £350....
Please get help...call racing green, TVR power or str8 six cause this just sounds odd unless there is more too it..
Its with a longstanding TVR specialist. A mate of mine uses them for his T350C and swears by them.
The engine sounded fine before hand.
As per earlier posting, it needed electrical problem tracked down, plus the installation of a battery cut off key as it isn't used much, a service and an MOT. They also said the speedo had died when they took it for a run.
Next came the news that a tappet had blown off and that they would need to remove the gear box to investigate and do major service... "you are up to around 2.5 grand with the other work". And now the prospect of an engine rebuild....
The engine sounded fine before hand.
As per earlier posting, it needed electrical problem tracked down, plus the installation of a battery cut off key as it isn't used much, a service and an MOT. They also said the speedo had died when they took it for a run.
Next came the news that a tappet had blown off and that they would need to remove the gear box to investigate and do major service... "you are up to around 2.5 grand with the other work". And now the prospect of an engine rebuild....
Edited by jhollands on Wednesday 3rd June 07:05
Seems strange for the shim to jump out unless major finger follower wear & when they jump out they roll down the rear oilway & get sucked into the dry sump scavenge pump & knacker the pump. If it was like it before it went in it would run like a bears arse i think i would turn up at garage un announced & ask to look under the cam cover but as others say they may have revved the nuts off it.Good luck espaecially with the wife.Just read it again are the saying the cotter pin has let go & dropped a valve?
Ian
Ian
Edited by 330p4 on Tuesday 2nd June 22:19
Edited by 330p4 on Tuesday 2nd June 22:19
D14 AYS said:
jhollands said:
Apparently a tappet blew off and a valve on the cylinder head has come off.
Firstly who is working on your car? Was it sounding like a tractor when it went in ? because it would have been making horrible noises with what you describe! Alarm bells are ringing in my head ! don't know about anyone else?
I would have been down there banging heads. Tappets dont fail when doing a service, what the hell do they mean by it "blew off" anyway? The forces on the valvetrain are so high during normal driving that if they were going to fail they would have done on the way there not during service.
If a shim has popped out and they have run it they want f
king shooting, the noise it makes is hidious and they will know this if they are a TVR specialist.
There is also no need to take the head off for a broken tappet or lost shim, and the gearbox? that wont acheive anything unless they were taking the engine out.
For your info i replaced a damaged follower, timing chain tensioners/bearing, half time bearing, coil, leads and all other service parts for under £400. They must be charging well for the labour!
If a shim has popped out and they have run it they want f
king shooting, the noise it makes is hidious and they will know this if they are a TVR specialist.There is also no need to take the head off for a broken tappet or lost shim, and the gearbox? that wont acheive anything unless they were taking the engine out.
For your info i replaced a damaged follower, timing chain tensioners/bearing, half time bearing, coil, leads and all other service parts for under £400. They must be charging well for the labour!
330p4 said:
Seems strange for the shim to jump out unless major finger follower wear & when they jump out they roll down the rear oilway & get sucked into the dry sump scavenge pump & knacker the pump. If it was like it before it went in it would run like a bears arse i think i would turn up at garage un announced & ask to look under the cam cover but as others say they may have revved the nuts off it.Good luck espaecially with the wife.Just read it again are the saying the cotter pin has let go & dropped a valve?
Ian
Having just had this happen to me, you would not have driven it without noticing. Shims can jump out if hit by Cat material but overall, it does sound unusual. You need to consider the sequence of events that led to you being in this position, ie the calls you received and in what order. Did you think this felt wrong at the time?Ian
Edited by 330p4 on Tuesday 2nd June 22:19
Edited by 330p4 on Tuesday 2nd June 22:19
S
The valve head had dropped and the shim came out when it was being revved on the MOT at 2,000 - 2,500 rpm; not something that happened at the garage.
As for the servicing and other costs, bear in mind that in London everything is more costly.
The real issue I guess is whether these are issues surfacing from an early speed six engine (2001) - which are only appearing now because of the low mileage - which therefore might suggest biting the bullet and going for a full rebuild, or whether I should simply repair the cylinder head.
As for the servicing and other costs, bear in mind that in London everything is more costly.
The real issue I guess is whether these are issues surfacing from an early speed six engine (2001) - which are only appearing now because of the low mileage - which therefore might suggest biting the bullet and going for a full rebuild, or whether I should simply repair the cylinder head.
Gassing Station | General TVR Stuff & Gossip | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff