A chim in France needing help, clutch, throttle, temp sensor
Discussion
Hi everyone,
I am one of a handful of Brits in France with a RHD Chim 450... I know stupid thing to do, as nobody knows these cars, but this is my first TVR and I think it is a Friday car with a curse..
Having had the rear wheel bearing and CV joint explode in the north of France while returning home to Grenoble and spending a fortune getting the car here I have noticed some little problems.
1. Little leak of fluid down the clutch pedal - Question, I have heard that a landrover 90/110 item is the same and will fit the connection, can anyone confirm if this is correct, or tell what to use??
2. The throttle cable is stiff to push down, no problem in the release - is it a sign that the cable is about to let go??
3 It Kangaroos in slow traffic, I have read that this could be the stepper motor or the temp sensor for the ECU. I have cleaned the stepper motor, no change. - Is the temp sensor the same as you find on the Range Rover classic 3.9 EFI??
The local car shops here are like Halfords OK for standard cars with a VIN number relating to a French car anything else, dream on.
Look for some help please guys.
Phil
I am one of a handful of Brits in France with a RHD Chim 450... I know stupid thing to do, as nobody knows these cars, but this is my first TVR and I think it is a Friday car with a curse..
Having had the rear wheel bearing and CV joint explode in the north of France while returning home to Grenoble and spending a fortune getting the car here I have noticed some little problems.
1. Little leak of fluid down the clutch pedal - Question, I have heard that a landrover 90/110 item is the same and will fit the connection, can anyone confirm if this is correct, or tell what to use??
2. The throttle cable is stiff to push down, no problem in the release - is it a sign that the cable is about to let go??
3 It Kangaroos in slow traffic, I have read that this could be the stepper motor or the temp sensor for the ECU. I have cleaned the stepper motor, no change. - Is the temp sensor the same as you find on the Range Rover classic 3.9 EFI??
The local car shops here are like Halfords OK for standard cars with a VIN number relating to a French car anything else, dream on.
Look for some help please guys.
Phil
pbaker43 said:
Hi everyone,
I am one of a handful of Brits in France with a RHD Chim 450... I know stupid thing to do, as nobody knows these cars, but this is my first TVR and I think it is a Friday car with a curse..
Having had the rear wheel bearing and CV joint explode in the north of France while returning home to Grenoble and spending a fortune getting the car here I have noticed some little problems.
1. Little leak of fluid down the clutch pedal - Question, I have heard that a landrover 90/110 item is the same and will fit the connection, can anyone confirm if this is correct, or tell what to use??
2. The throttle cable is stiff to push down, no problem in the release - is it a sign that the cable is about to let go??
3 It Kangaroos in slow traffic, I have read that this could be the stepper motor or the temp sensor for the ECU. I have cleaned the stepper motor, no change. - Is the temp sensor the same as you find on the Range Rover classic 3.9 EFI??
The local car shops here are like Halfords OK for standard cars with a VIN number relating to a French car anything else, dream on.
Look for some help please guys.
Phil
Hi Phillip,I am one of a handful of Brits in France with a RHD Chim 450... I know stupid thing to do, as nobody knows these cars, but this is my first TVR and I think it is a Friday car with a curse..
Having had the rear wheel bearing and CV joint explode in the north of France while returning home to Grenoble and spending a fortune getting the car here I have noticed some little problems.
1. Little leak of fluid down the clutch pedal - Question, I have heard that a landrover 90/110 item is the same and will fit the connection, can anyone confirm if this is correct, or tell what to use??
2. The throttle cable is stiff to push down, no problem in the release - is it a sign that the cable is about to let go??
3 It Kangaroos in slow traffic, I have read that this could be the stepper motor or the temp sensor for the ECU. I have cleaned the stepper motor, no change. - Is the temp sensor the same as you find on the Range Rover classic 3.9 EFI??
The local car shops here are like Halfords OK for standard cars with a VIN number relating to a French car anything else, dream on.
Look for some help please guys.
Phil
Well done one your purchase!
It is unfortunate that some people who own these cars don't keep up with maintenance, so it is often a case that a new owner has to put right a few things before they start to really enjoy the car. Persit and all will be worth it.
Do you have a copy of Steve Heath's Chimeara Bible? If not I have one you can buy. I've moved onto a Tuscan now. For now check out for alternative parts :http://www.parkersteve.dsl.pipex.com/chimaeraparts.html
1. The clutch's oil leak could be a loose connection and old fluid? Look under the black cover under the bonnet. Don't know about the part though.
2. The Throttle cable is prone to drying out and becomeing stiff. Buy an new one and change it. It will break eventually. While your at it grease all moving parts.
3. The 4.3 and 4.5 don't have the best of ECU maps. Once your cleared all the sensor questions, it may just be that its no good at going slow/crawling in traffic. I had to slip the clutch a lot in mine and had an intermittant missfire at cruising speeds. Some are worse than others, but the real solution is a new chip from the likes of ACT.
Best of luck,
Martin
Hi Martin,
Thanks for the info, I have owned many Range Rovers and comped raced them but every thing is accesible, with the TVR you have to be like the hamster from 'Top Gear'... Still I am hoping to get the thing back on the road in a few weeks, if not I will be crying in my soup..
I will try and find a master clutch cylinder and replace it, plus the throttle cable and the sensors. I can repair the car but knowing and finding the parts is a challage.
As for the lumpy engine I think low gear and high revs, that may do the trick, as least it will wake up the locals.
Thanks for the info, I have owned many Range Rovers and comped raced them but every thing is accesible, with the TVR you have to be like the hamster from 'Top Gear'... Still I am hoping to get the thing back on the road in a few weeks, if not I will be crying in my soup..
I will try and find a master clutch cylinder and replace it, plus the throttle cable and the sensors. I can repair the car but knowing and finding the parts is a challage.
As for the lumpy engine I think low gear and high revs, that may do the trick, as least it will wake up the locals.
Hi I have looked at the price of the TVR part it's £60 average, where land rover is £11, that's heck of a difference just for a change of thread..
There must be some one who knows which part from which car/4X4 is a good fit???
Please help running out of money and still not on the road for summer
There must be some one who knows which part from which car/4X4 is a good fit???
Please help running out of money and still not on the road for summer
Hi,
The clutch master cylinder is just a Girling 0.70 unit as fitted to a number of British cars from the mid seventies.
My Girling book shows the casting marks match a late model left hand drive TR6 unit.
The part no is 154933.
You can get one for £35.00 plus the postage from here:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TR5-TR6-Clutch-Master-Cylind...
This is a very fair price and although it is almost certainly not a genuine Girling cylinder I have never had problems with pattern cylinders.
If there is any difference in the rod its a simple matter of releasing the circlip and swapping the rod from your leaking cylinder to your new one, just make sure there is no wear in the clevis pin hole on your original rod.
A cheaper option for less than £10.00 is to buy a resealing kit & recondition your leaking cylinder.
However in my experience this is only successful 50% of the time unless you have a set of bore honing stones where the success rate increases significantly.
Either way you really need to remove your leaking cylinder and its not the easiest job, if the seal kit doesn't take you will be back to square one, so I would recommend just putting a new cylinder in.
Hope this helps.
The clutch master cylinder is just a Girling 0.70 unit as fitted to a number of British cars from the mid seventies.
My Girling book shows the casting marks match a late model left hand drive TR6 unit.
The part no is 154933.
You can get one for £35.00 plus the postage from here:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TR5-TR6-Clutch-Master-Cylind...
This is a very fair price and although it is almost certainly not a genuine Girling cylinder I have never had problems with pattern cylinders.
If there is any difference in the rod its a simple matter of releasing the circlip and swapping the rod from your leaking cylinder to your new one, just make sure there is no wear in the clevis pin hole on your original rod.
A cheaper option for less than £10.00 is to buy a resealing kit & recondition your leaking cylinder.
However in my experience this is only successful 50% of the time unless you have a set of bore honing stones where the success rate increases significantly.
Either way you really need to remove your leaking cylinder and its not the easiest job, if the seal kit doesn't take you will be back to square one, so I would recommend just putting a new cylinder in.
Hope this helps.
Hi Chimpholic,
Hey thanks for the info on the TR6 master cylinder, Will be calling tomorrow to order one, you are right about the seal kit, in my past experience they are a get you home job but the messing about to put seals in you might as well change the unit, usually the bore is worn.
Hey thanks for the info on the TR6 master cylinder, Will be calling tomorrow to order one, you are right about the seal kit, in my past experience they are a get you home job but the messing about to put seals in you might as well change the unit, usually the bore is worn.
pbaker43 said:
Hi Chimpholic,
Hey thanks for the info on the TR6 master cylinder, Will be calling tomorrow to order one, you are right about the seal kit, in my past experience they are a get you home job but the messing about to put seals in you might as well change the unit, usually the bore is worn.
Hi pbaker43,Hey thanks for the info on the TR6 master cylinder, Will be calling tomorrow to order one, you are right about the seal kit, in my past experience they are a get you home job but the messing about to put seals in you might as well change the unit, usually the bore is worn.
Glad to help, I am fairly certain the Landrover defender Clutch Master Cylinder will not be suitable.
The LHD Triumph TR6 one I linked you will solve your problem for sure.
The bottom mounting bolt can be a pig to get at.
IMPORTANT: Make sure your new cylinder is filled to the brim with fluid.
The Girling cylinders were designed to me mounted horizontally, on the Chimaera TVR mounted it at an angle.
This means that the port is exposed if the fluid drops much below brim full, the exposed port will then draw air not fluid and the system will need bleeding again.
Hope you get it sorted.
Ok I will have to order one from the UK...As for the bolt I am getting use to the meaning of difficult...
Just come back from the local garage as the rear wheel bearing nut was a pig to release, they changed the bearing and re-painted the triangle only problem they took out the top bolt out so now I have to work out how to re-do the castor angle, looks like another night with the Bible and internet.
I nearly fell of the chair at the price 100 euros for 1 hours work, I am now thinking of setting up my own garage..What ever happen to helping people??
Thanks also for the info on the angle and the level of fluid, I love a challange.
Just come back from the local garage as the rear wheel bearing nut was a pig to release, they changed the bearing and re-painted the triangle only problem they took out the top bolt out so now I have to work out how to re-do the castor angle, looks like another night with the Bible and internet.
I nearly fell of the chair at the price 100 euros for 1 hours work, I am now thinking of setting up my own garage..What ever happen to helping people??
Thanks also for the info on the angle and the level of fluid, I love a challange.
Regarding the bottom bolt - the best way I found to get to this was with a 1/4" socket, short extension and ratchet. My short extension was just the right length so I could get the socket on the bolt and the handle of the ratchet would lie up the back of the master cylinder. Once I had the socket on the bolt I tie wrapped the ratchet handle to the body of the master cylinder. Then I could get into the footwell and remove the nut.
HI Colin,
Good tip for the master cylinder with the tie wrap..
For the castor angle of the wheels I have found that moss-europe suppliers of equipment for classic cars sell a device for setting up the castor the measurement is from +3° to -3°it the base is magnetic just stick it on the hub, the price is £44 but if there is a few mates club together, ok it is the price of one visit to the garage but the tool is for life,there you have it.
Good tip for the master cylinder with the tie wrap..
For the castor angle of the wheels I have found that moss-europe suppliers of equipment for classic cars sell a device for setting up the castor the measurement is from +3° to -3°it the base is magnetic just stick it on the hub, the price is £44 but if there is a few mates club together, ok it is the price of one visit to the garage but the tool is for life,there you have it.
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