AJP maintenance and rebuild query
Discussion
Hi, I’m looking for a Cerbera. I’ve had a couple of Tuscans before and have loved the Speed 6, but the one I’m interested in has the 4.2 V8. As far as I can tell it hasn’t had any major engine work. It is a 98 model with nearly 60k miles.
Is it pretty normal that as the AJP gets more miles it will end up needing a rebuild? I’d used the search function but only seems to be posts from years ago, and some of the quoted rebuild costs are a lot more than the Speed 6. A garage said they start using much more oil at about 80k miles.
After any advice and experiences owners have had. Otherwise I’ll end up going back to a Speed 6.
Thanks
Is it pretty normal that as the AJP gets more miles it will end up needing a rebuild? I’d used the search function but only seems to be posts from years ago, and some of the quoted rebuild costs are a lot more than the Speed 6. A garage said they start using much more oil at about 80k miles.
After any advice and experiences owners have had. Otherwise I’ll end up going back to a Speed 6.
Thanks
Which car are you looking at? if it's cheap enough you can factor an engine build if/when it ever needs one ? FYI my 98 cerb is for sale with full rebuild / outriggers / some trimming work etc and its 28k so the one you're looking at would need to be around 18-20k if you wanted that engine fund available at short notice if worst came to the worst.
As far as I'm aware the bottom end is pretty bullet proof
However, I had the heads rebuilt at around that mileage, they needed new valves and valve guides
But my car is used on track and regularly redlined, so it may not be typical, as the inlet valve clearances have been quick to diminish and need regular fixing
However, I had the heads rebuilt at around that mileage, they needed new valves and valve guides
But my car is used on track and regularly redlined, so it may not be typical, as the inlet valve clearances have been quick to diminish and need regular fixing
spitfire4v8 said:
Which car are you looking at? if it's cheap enough you can factor an engine build if/when it ever needs one ? FYI my 98 cerb is for sale with full rebuild / outriggers / some trimming work etc and its 28k so the one you're looking at would need to be around 18-20k if you wanted that engine fund available at short notice if worst came to the worst.
Which is yours? The one at Britannia cars?Mine has 87K miles and uses no oil. It also makes the same 412 Hp as it did 15 years ago. So be careful of generalisations 
As ukkid says the bottom end is strong. I would try to find out the shim sizes from whoever services it, that is a crude indicator of when it might need £££ spent.
As ukkid says the bottom end is strong. I would try to find out the shim sizes from whoever services it, that is a crude indicator of when it might need £££ spent.
ollyh1988 said:
What sort of prices are rebuilds? Lot more info out there about the Speed 6 rebuilds.
AIUI, the S6 needed rebuilds to address design issues. My Cerb is nudging 50k miles and has never been subject to rebuild and, tempting fate, showing no signs of needing one. If the need for rebuilds were greater than for S6’s, you’d expect the pricing to be out there and easy to find?ukkid35 said:
As far as I'm aware the bottom end is pretty bullet proof
However, I had the heads rebuilt at around that mileage, they needed new valves and valve guides
But my car is used on track and regularly redlined, so it may not be typical, as the inlet valve clearances have been quick to diminish and need regular fixing
Mine is a 97 4.2, same here, slight loss of compression on two cylinders because the valve guides were worn. Bottom end was still strong and mine had the small crank journals. It got converted to the later large journal crank because noone would warranty the engine without...However, I had the heads rebuilt at around that mileage, they needed new valves and valve guides
But my car is used on track and regularly redlined, so it may not be typical, as the inlet valve clearances have been quick to diminish and need regular fixing
There have been AJP Cerberas doing over 100k miles without issues. Regular servicing, letting the engine warm up before thrashing, all has a positive effect...
ollyh1988 said:
spitfire4v8 said:
Which car are you looking at? if it's cheap enough you can factor an engine build if/when it ever needs one ? FYI my 98 cerb is for sale with full rebuild / outriggers / some trimming work etc and its 28k so the one you're looking at would need to be around 18-20k if you wanted that engine fund available at short notice if worst came to the worst.
Which is yours? The one at Britannia cars?spitfire4v8 said:
ollyh1988 said:
spitfire4v8 said:
Which car are you looking at? if it's cheap enough you can factor an engine build if/when it ever needs one ? FYI my 98 cerb is for sale with full rebuild / outriggers / some trimming work etc and its 28k so the one you're looking at would need to be around 18-20k if you wanted that engine fund available at short notice if worst came to the worst.
Which is yours? The one at Britannia cars?
brilliant!My 2p, for what its worth (probably about 2p).
First cerb I had was a '97 4.2. Unfortunately - driving on a private road and no signage meant a ramp / huge pothole knackered my sump. The engine was stripped down as a precaution and therefore needed a rebuild. Go figure.
In that regard, my philosophical answer is, they probably all need some degree of work if you really got down into the depths of the engine. As mentioned by others, you can preventatively maintain and take care with the warming up and not redlining etc to preserve the engine. Aside from that, keep in the back of your mind that it may need doing one day, so keep a kitty, or allow yourself time to save the funds for a rebuild and you'll be fine.
One more thing to note - my rebuild only consisted of the bottom end and to provide context, it cost about £4K and this was about 10 years ago though. It needed a new block and crankshaft, which gets into the early manufacturing debate of small versus large journal crankshafts. It's likely that early cerbs without rebuilds have smaller crankshafts, which were (supposedly) more prone to damage and wear. Call me cynical - but I'm not sure mine actually needed it. It was running really well before the incident. That said, it may have needed it in time, so who knows.
If you've got a well maintained engine, clean chassis and no electrical gremlins, you've got yourself a very nice cerbera. My last little bit of advice is... keep it dry, this will preserve your chassis and keep the moisture out from the electrics, or finding its way, inevitably, into your footwell. Guess how i know about that as well.
Edit: apologies just remembered you had a tuscan, so you'll be plenty familiar with the latter.
First cerb I had was a '97 4.2. Unfortunately - driving on a private road and no signage meant a ramp / huge pothole knackered my sump. The engine was stripped down as a precaution and therefore needed a rebuild. Go figure.
In that regard, my philosophical answer is, they probably all need some degree of work if you really got down into the depths of the engine. As mentioned by others, you can preventatively maintain and take care with the warming up and not redlining etc to preserve the engine. Aside from that, keep in the back of your mind that it may need doing one day, so keep a kitty, or allow yourself time to save the funds for a rebuild and you'll be fine.
One more thing to note - my rebuild only consisted of the bottom end and to provide context, it cost about £4K and this was about 10 years ago though. It needed a new block and crankshaft, which gets into the early manufacturing debate of small versus large journal crankshafts. It's likely that early cerbs without rebuilds have smaller crankshafts, which were (supposedly) more prone to damage and wear. Call me cynical - but I'm not sure mine actually needed it. It was running really well before the incident. That said, it may have needed it in time, so who knows.
If you've got a well maintained engine, clean chassis and no electrical gremlins, you've got yourself a very nice cerbera. My last little bit of advice is... keep it dry, this will preserve your chassis and keep the moisture out from the electrics, or finding its way, inevitably, into your footwell. Guess how i know about that as well.
Edit: apologies just remembered you had a tuscan, so you'll be plenty familiar with the latter.
Thanks for all the replies - appreciated.
The original car I was thinking about is the one coming back from the US - halcyon Midas (colour of my first TVR and one of my favourite colours). At least the chassis will have stayed dry over there for the last year. It sounds like a good example but no evidence of engine work, but has had recent outriggers.
Has anyone had comparison between the engines? For context, this will be a weekend car but I do want to take my family out in it. Is a V8 going to be louder and less refined than the Speed 6? I’ve only driven a V8 one once and that was just a short drive.
Thanks.
The original car I was thinking about is the one coming back from the US - halcyon Midas (colour of my first TVR and one of my favourite colours). At least the chassis will have stayed dry over there for the last year. It sounds like a good example but no evidence of engine work, but has had recent outriggers.
Has anyone had comparison between the engines? For context, this will be a weekend car but I do want to take my family out in it. Is a V8 going to be louder and less refined than the Speed 6? I’ve only driven a V8 one once and that was just a short drive.
Thanks.
Flatplane8 said:
Hi,
My 1997 4.2 has 178k miles, no rebuild yet. Had it 20 years next month. ??
Simon
This is so f'ing cool My 1997 4.2 has 178k miles, no rebuild yet. Had it 20 years next month. ??
Simon
, I've had mine 19 years next month, less than half your mileage though.Regarding rebuilds, a poorly tuned AJP8 will kill valve guides in my experience, and I was relieved to do a top end refresh when I did, because mine were in an awful state.
DuncanM said:
Regarding rebuilds, a poorly tuned AJP8 will kill valve guides in my experience, and I was relieved to do a top end refresh when I did, because mine were in an awful state.
My early (97) 4.2 had chrome valves and brass valve guides apparently (from memory) and it was the guides that wore. Fully serviced at regular low intervals on mileage...Thanks for all the replies.
From what I take away, an AJP will need a rebuild or refresh at some point (generally), much the same way as outriggers and other jobs will need doing at some point.
I will budget accordingly and keep some of the budget back for any work.
The yellow one coming from the US looks great but probably falls into the needs some money spending in the next few years, as opposed to buying an already refreshed car.
Difficult being overseas that I can’t get back to try one until end of May at the earliest.
From what I take away, an AJP will need a rebuild or refresh at some point (generally), much the same way as outriggers and other jobs will need doing at some point.
I will budget accordingly and keep some of the budget back for any work.
The yellow one coming from the US looks great but probably falls into the needs some money spending in the next few years, as opposed to buying an already refreshed car.
Difficult being overseas that I can’t get back to try one until end of May at the earliest.
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