New Griff owner needs advice
Discussion
Picked up my 96 Griff this week and I am hearing a faint chattering/chuntering from the back end at slow speeds, sounds a bit driveshaft like i.e. not a whine like a diff. When I roll the car backwards and forwards in my garage there is a definate clunk/slack when changing direction.
I bought privately so will be investigating it myself and need to get under it this weekend. Any ideas or advice as to what to look for and has anyone any experience with working on the back end, is it DIYable for someone fairly competant with a set of spanners?
Is there a workshop manual available? I have bought Steve Heath's book, but whilst it is a great book it is a bit general about this sort of thing.
I bought privately so will be investigating it myself and need to get under it this weekend. Any ideas or advice as to what to look for and has anyone any experience with working on the back end, is it DIYable for someone fairly competant with a set of spanners?
Is there a workshop manual available? I have bought Steve Heath's book, but whilst it is a great book it is a bit general about this sort of thing.
Depends on what is wrong...
It could be anything from a duff diff mounting/bush, knackered CV joints, worn suspension bushes, knackered shocks, duff diff or wheel bearing and so on. Some are relatively easy to address but others are not.
By all means have look to see what is wrong but I would suggest maybe getting a second opinion. Noises are notoriously difficult to diagnose (even harder on an email). Diff bushes are swines. CV joints are not too bad. Suspension bushes are either very easy and you then wonder why people cower when you mention them or very hard and you join the cowering throng. A 10-20 ton hydraulic press and/or acetylene torch is the professional's way but not really one that most owners can get their hands on...
Their is no workshop manual. For more detail, I would suggest the Haynes manuals in the bibliography until I get the next edition out which has more cars in bits than Toxteth!
Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk
It could be anything from a duff diff mounting/bush, knackered CV joints, worn suspension bushes, knackered shocks, duff diff or wheel bearing and so on. Some are relatively easy to address but others are not.
By all means have look to see what is wrong but I would suggest maybe getting a second opinion. Noises are notoriously difficult to diagnose (even harder on an email). Diff bushes are swines. CV joints are not too bad. Suspension bushes are either very easy and you then wonder why people cower when you mention them or very hard and you join the cowering throng. A 10-20 ton hydraulic press and/or acetylene torch is the professional's way but not really one that most owners can get their hands on...
Their is no workshop manual. For more detail, I would suggest the Haynes manuals in the bibliography until I get the next edition out which has more cars in bits than Toxteth!
Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk
quote:
Picked up my 96 Griff this week and I am hearing a faint chattering/chuntering from the back end at slow speeds, sounds a bit driveshaft like
Joolz used to have a Griff buying guide on his website.
In the section on the diff, he states that the rear diff mounting is held to the casing by 4 allen bolts which work loose and should be tightened at every service. Sounds like that might be your problem.
Paul
PS Just checked the website; looks like the buying guide is no longer there.
There really is not sub-stitute for getting under
there and listening to it all running.
Put a blanket over the bonnet, front of car against
a wall, chock front wheels and put axle stands under
rear suspension arms.
Then did it a dam good shake to make sure it's all
stable before running it in gear.
Don't do it alone and don't wear anything that might
get caught in a moving part.
If it sounds scary - don't do it. Get a garage
to look instead but do bear in mind they are in the
business of selling hours - so any noise will justify
new drive shafts/ bearings/diff/gear box etc....
Good luck.
there and listening to it all running.
Put a blanket over the bonnet, front of car against
a wall, chock front wheels and put axle stands under
rear suspension arms.
Then did it a dam good shake to make sure it's all
stable before running it in gear.
Don't do it alone and don't wear anything that might
get caught in a moving part.
If it sounds scary - don't do it. Get a garage
to look instead but do bear in mind they are in the
business of selling hours - so any noise will justify
new drive shafts/ bearings/diff/gear box etc....
Good luck.
Thanks for all your advices, having now driven the car with the roof on the noise sounds more like gearbox related. I took it into Brundles ( my nearest TVR garage) for an opinion and they think its gearbox too, but at £80 an hour I doubt whether I will be giving it to them to investigate further.
The noise is worst in first gear, better in second and disappears after that, my experience with gearboxes some years ago makes me think it may be a layshaft bearing although I am a bit suprised as I understood these boxes to be bulletproof.
I will have to take the box out at some stage to give to a specialist to fix. Does it come out on its own or with the engine? Its times like these when a workshop manual would be really good!
Still apart form all this owning the Griff is superb, I just hope there are still places left for Duxford on August 10th.
The noise is worst in first gear, better in second and disappears after that, my experience with gearboxes some years ago makes me think it may be a layshaft bearing although I am a bit suprised as I understood these boxes to be bulletproof.
I will have to take the box out at some stage to give to a specialist to fix. Does it come out on its own or with the engine? Its times like these when a workshop manual would be really good!
Still apart form all this owning the Griff is superb, I just hope there are still places left for Duxford on August 10th.
I've had a new gearbox in my Griff - 5th just packed up and disappeared.
It's an engine out job. Bauer Millets in Manchester did mine on the warranty - You might want to change the clutch whilst it is out as it won't cost you any more in labour.
You could try buying a warranty and waiting until it breaks?
It's an engine out job. Bauer Millets in Manchester did mine on the warranty - You might want to change the clutch whilst it is out as it won't cost you any more in labour.
You could try buying a warranty and waiting until it breaks?
Yes basically. But it all depends.
I'm a little surprised at claims that it is an engine out job. The Griff and Chimp don't have the restricting cross member and while it is tight, the gearbox can be dropped from below. Tower View have just done this on my Griff to replace the rear crank shaft seal and contaminated clutch. Cost was around £5-600 ish.
Steve
I'm a little surprised at claims that it is an engine out job. The Griff and Chimp don't have the restricting cross member and while it is tight, the gearbox can be dropped from below. Tower View have just done this on my Griff to replace the rear crank shaft seal and contaminated clutch. Cost was around £5-600 ish.
Steve
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