The beast is back
Discussion
Well I didn't really say it was away.
A month ago I was driving back from Grand Prix Racewear at Silverstone after purchasing a helmet for my newly found passion for track days, when a few minutes into the journey the engine started making a new noise. This wasn't a noise I heard before and it didn't sound good. You know the speed 6 sewing maching noise sounds tappety with a small letter "t", well this noise sounded like a something was making a tappety noise that sounded like "clack".
I drove it the next Monday to my local friendly dealer for engineer to listen to it. After a bit of humming and ahhring and checking the oil (bang upto the max mark I hasten to add) the verdict was that it sounded "tappety" (no bloody kidding!) and that it was either a soft shim or a worn follower "depending on what type of followers" I had, and that they would have to open the top of the engine up to see what was wrong.
Verdict - two worn followers and the cam was wearing (I imagine the cause of the clackety sound).
So, the car got transported to Coventry and I now have it back 4 weeks later. It's running fine, the oil pressure is lower than before but that seems to be the case as on other cars which have had engine work done.
It was all done under warranty so the only inconvenience to me in two years of ownership is not having it for 4 weeks. My car must have been built with a couple of the "soft" followers. I talked to a few people and there is a genuine belief the problem is now sorted (with the caveat there will always be the odd exception).
I hope this adds to people's knowledge base - the experience wasn't painful and I thought the whole thing was handled very well by the dealer and TVR.
Cheers,
Andy.
Still a happy customer (13000 miles).
A month ago I was driving back from Grand Prix Racewear at Silverstone after purchasing a helmet for my newly found passion for track days, when a few minutes into the journey the engine started making a new noise. This wasn't a noise I heard before and it didn't sound good. You know the speed 6 sewing maching noise sounds tappety with a small letter "t", well this noise sounded like a something was making a tappety noise that sounded like "clack".
I drove it the next Monday to my local friendly dealer for engineer to listen to it. After a bit of humming and ahhring and checking the oil (bang upto the max mark I hasten to add) the verdict was that it sounded "tappety" (no bloody kidding!) and that it was either a soft shim or a worn follower "depending on what type of followers" I had, and that they would have to open the top of the engine up to see what was wrong.
Verdict - two worn followers and the cam was wearing (I imagine the cause of the clackety sound).
So, the car got transported to Coventry and I now have it back 4 weeks later. It's running fine, the oil pressure is lower than before but that seems to be the case as on other cars which have had engine work done.
It was all done under warranty so the only inconvenience to me in two years of ownership is not having it for 4 weeks. My car must have been built with a couple of the "soft" followers. I talked to a few people and there is a genuine belief the problem is now sorted (with the caveat there will always be the odd exception).
I hope this adds to people's knowledge base - the experience wasn't painful and I thought the whole thing was handled very well by the dealer and TVR.
Cheers,
Andy.
Still a happy customer (13000 miles).
Andy,
Nice to know you got it back. Sounds exactly the same as my situation. Just shy of 12000 miles, developed a top end knocking sound, still drove ok, but sounded nasty. In to the dealer, worn camshaft/followers were the diagnosis. One 5-week wait later, engine returned rebuilt and lower oil-pressure than normal (can trigger the oil pressure light on the dash which is annoying tho, and i'm still not 100% happy about). Seems ok for now though, and just creeping towards 16000 miles...
-andy-
Nice to know you got it back. Sounds exactly the same as my situation. Just shy of 12000 miles, developed a top end knocking sound, still drove ok, but sounded nasty. In to the dealer, worn camshaft/followers were the diagnosis. One 5-week wait later, engine returned rebuilt and lower oil-pressure than normal (can trigger the oil pressure light on the dash which is annoying tho, and i'm still not 100% happy about). Seems ok for now though, and just creeping towards 16000 miles...
-andy-
robertm said: Was there any explanation for the apparent cam wear after the relatively low mileage?
Probably closely associated with the followers wearing...
May, of course, be a million miles out, but I believe one of the knock on effects of worn finger followers can be a pitted effect on the cam....
DC
Mines away for followers and possibly cams at the moment, hopefully it wont be away much longer. I received a full set of those gorgeous LT polished caps from my beautiful wife today and I need something to screw then on to!
The point of my post:
I can't understand why replacing the followers/cams would lead to lower oil pressure, this would worry me. If any thing the clearances should be tighter with new parts. I can only think they may have put a thinner oil back in after the rebuild. Do you know what grade of oil was replaced and how that compares to what you normally run?
The point of my post:
I can't understand why replacing the followers/cams would lead to lower oil pressure, this would worry me. If any thing the clearances should be tighter with new parts. I can only think they may have put a thinner oil back in after the rebuild. Do you know what grade of oil was replaced and how that compares to what you normally run?
The lower pressure reading can be down to a duff sensor. Having said that [speculation with little basis in fact] there may be a mod to get more oil to the top of the engine which drops the oil pressure at the point of the sensor.
In other words, I wouldn't worry about it.
>> Edited by andyvdg on Saturday 17th May 09:02
In other words, I wouldn't worry about it.
>> Edited by andyvdg on Saturday 17th May 09:02
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