Tappets ?! or is it!

Tappets ?! or is it!

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Discussion

Jonny TVR

Original Poster:

4,541 posts

288 months

Saturday 5th October 2002
quotequote all
My local tuner specialist has told me the tappets need doing as they have tried to solve the poor running with 2 new throttle sensors and then looked at programming the ECU. However they found that it was tuned properly, their conclusion is that the tappets need doing. My confusion in this is that it had its 24K service by HR Owen last January 2K miles ago (I wasn't the owner then but I believe that the 24K includes tappets). I'm just wondering if HR Owen altered the tappets to a standard 4.5 as mine may have a different cam as its a 4.7 special....could it be something else?

Confused!


>>> Edited by Jonny TVR on Saturday 5th October 18:23

dannylt

1,906 posts

291 months

Saturday 5th October 2002
quotequote all
How are you really sure it's a 4.7? I imagine the clearances would be the same anyway - definitely worth calling the factory with your VIN to check what it is, and whether it needs any special treatment.

It's possible that they "forgot" to set the tappets, so it *might* be worth having them checked again anyway. They certainly should have been ok after 2k miles. Should cost around 3 to 4 hours labour (if nothing needs adjusting).

There's plenty of other reasons for poor running other than tappets though, e.g. dodgy HT leads (had this several times), dodgy coil packs (once), improperly set airflows etc.

danny


>> Edited by dannylt on Saturday 5th October 19:38

Jonny TVR

Original Poster:

4,541 posts

288 months

Saturday 5th October 2002
quotequote all
I phoned the factory a while back and they confirmed it was one of two 4.7s made. It was made for a mate of Peter Wheeler as a favour. I asked for an engine spec but they said that the guy who built it has left TVR so they don't really know!!

I think I will get Joolz to look at it instead of the specialist I'm using at the moment.

Thom

2,745 posts

280 months

Saturday 5th October 2002
quotequote all
Very interesting your car, Jonny.
Could you please tell us a bit more about it engine-wise? Are you aware of all the differences between yours and a 4.5?

Thanks!

Jonny TVR

Original Poster:

4,541 posts

288 months

Sunday 6th October 2002
quotequote all
No I don't know the differences.

All I know is that there are 2, mine and the other being the TVR100 press car. I spoke to the original owner who is a mate of Peter Wheeler and said that he had specd the engine as a favour. The factory confirmed that it was a 4.7 and said that it was down in their records as a press car, but after speaking to the original owner it obviously wasn't. I will have to try harder to get a full spec from TVR.

simond001

4,519 posts

284 months

Sunday 6th October 2002
quotequote all
Be nice if it is a 4.7, I'm sure you could chechk by measuring the volume of a cylinder fairly easily.

Seems that at the moment there are more "specials" coming on the scene than normal Cerb's.
Maybe the press office were bored and told all Peter's mates the same line ?? Knowing how tight Peter is, it would have to be a bloody good friend to get that kind of favour.

>> Edited by simond001 on Sunday 6th October 08:10

yellowcerbie

159 posts

277 months

Monday 7th October 2002
quotequote all
Will it state anywhere in the log book that tappets adj's have been made?

Had our 4.5 Cerb in for a 12,000 mile service less than 1 month ago. Tappets were due then but due to our v.low mileage, I queried it with the garage, they ran some checks & concluded that it was not a necessity this time round.

I guess we will need ours done at the next service (even when the mileage will be less than 12k).

jonny tvr

Original Poster:

4,541 posts

288 months

Tuesday 8th October 2002
quotequote all
Thanks for your comments.

Discovered that the tappets were not done by HROwen at the last service and will need to get them done.

Joolz is busy and I don't want to pay for a dealer to do them.....has anyone got any suggestions in the Manchester area??

darrent

630 posts

266 months

Wednesday 9th October 2002
quotequote all
Out of interest, how much does new tappets cost?

dannylt

1,906 posts

291 months

Wednesday 9th October 2002
quotequote all
They're not new tappets, they just need adjusting. If they are out of adjustment, you need to replace the shims. About 3 hours labour to check, plus another couple to adjust, so about 5 hours worst case. Plus shims.

danny

gazzab

21,232 posts

289 months

Wednesday 9th October 2002
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I think that the workshop manual from TVR suggests it takes much longer than this , hence why it is always poa.

yellowcerbie

159 posts

277 months

Wednesday 9th October 2002
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Mole Valley will charge approx £500.

dannylt

1,906 posts

291 months

Wednesday 9th October 2002
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£100/hour!!!! I doubt it - surely more like £300 in total, tops.

gazzab

21,232 posts

289 months

Wednesday 9th October 2002
quotequote all
I am with yellocerbie here Danny. My understanding is that TVR dealers charge a lot more than £300 to do this.

jonny tvr

Original Poster:

4,541 posts

288 months

Wednesday 9th October 2002
quotequote all
I've had a quote from Christopher Neils for £360 plus VAT plus the cost of any shims (£10 each).

They said it would take 6-8 hours.

Joolz said it would take 6 hours and cost £150 if he did it.....but he's booked up until Jan 2003!

Do I take a risk and wait until January?

dannylt

1,906 posts

291 months

Wednesday 9th October 2002
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Do it before then. Charging £10 is slightly cheeky.

danyn

simond001

4,519 posts

284 months

Thursday 10th October 2002
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Classic Dream machines did a full service, including shims for £906 inc VAT. This also included fitting a clutch, which was supplied by Jules!

MikeyT

16,929 posts

278 months

Thursday 10th October 2002
quotequote all
quote:

I've had a quote from Christopher Neils for £360 plus VAT plus the cost of any shims (£10 each).

They said it would take 6-8 hours.

Joolz said it would take 6 hours and cost £150 if he did it.....but he's booked up until Jan 2003!

Do I take a risk and wait until January?





If I was worried about £200, then I wouldn't have a Cerbera.

Get 'em done in Manchesteror the peace of mind.

dannylt

1,906 posts

291 months

Friday 11th October 2002
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That £200 almost pays for a lot of petrol or rubber though... when the maintenance cost is going to be thousands it's worth thinking about.

jonny tvr

Original Poster:

4,541 posts

288 months

Sunday 13th October 2002
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I just don't like being ripped off.......I don't care what car it is.....This is my 6th TVR and I'm used to having to shop around eg HR Owen said that I needed 2 new front discs (£1K incl VAT etc) I got an upgraded set fitted for £500. A few savings like that make ownership less painfull and make FINANCIAL sense!