Black Soot and other questions!

[mycerbera]

On starting the Griff 500 up from cold I get 2 black streaks of soot on my garage floor. It's not oil but black soot mixed with watery condensation. Do they all do that or does anyone have any idea why it's doing it? Engine has done 31k. Should I be worried?

What sort of range can I expect from a tank of optimax?

What's the red line on a 97' 500? And is there a limiter?

[neilmac]

I get the same, I reckon its just an accumulation of condensation and carbon bits laying in the exhaust which blows out when you start up.

[shpub]

6000 red line. Rev limit may or may not be present and could be at 6800!. Best advice is not to go beyond 6000 unless engine is warm and you fancy forking out for an engine rebuild.

Tank range depends on how you drive it: as low as 70 or as high as 75 or maybe 80

[mycerbera]

70 or 80mls???? You must have one hell of a heavy right foot! Or a very sick engine!! (or a smaller tank than me) I've managed 150mls on 2/3's of a tank so far! So was thinkin about 200-250ml range realistic.

[AllTorque]

mycerbera said: 70 or 80mls???? You must have one hell of a heavy right foot! Or a very sick engine!! (or a smaller tank than me) I've managed 150mls on 2/3's of a tank so far! So was thinkin about 200-250ml range realistic.

Think he was joking mate.... I get about 250miles on the motorway, and about 180-200 around town. It's actually pretty good! Sounds like yours is similar. Don't get the sooty stuff tho'...

[apache]

they all do that sir, I parked right behind a fellow Griffer on the ferry to LeMans last year, when he started up my bonnet was covered in soot......thanks Kev!!

>> Edited by apache on Thursday 24th April 12:20

[mycerbera]

Thanks for the reasurance guys... Thought I may of been in for another engine rebuild like on the C8ERA!!
I shall get on and enjoy her now then. (when the sun comes out again)

>> Edited by mycerbera on Thursday 24th April 12:32

[victormeldrew]

I have two nice black spodges on the garage doors where I started up without opening the doors first. I also had two black streaks about 6ft in length from where the Chim "coughed" on start-up once, it looked like the aftermath of a flame-out at Santa Pod!!! Didn't quite have to shovel up the soot, but the marks stayed put for a couple of months.

Maybe its worse for de-catted cars (like mine).

[IPAddis]

Just to panic you a bit, my Griff started to emit little streaks of black, oily residue on start-up just before the camshaft finally disintegrated.

At 30,000 miles, you're due a new camshaft anyway

Hope this is entirely unrelated,

Ian A.

[mycerbera]

It's not oily at all... thankfully!

[griffman]

have a 4.0 pre cat griff and get this every time .the garage i take it too has stated that this is normal and should blip the throttle on start up to around 3000 revs to clear its throat.mine also runs quite rich aswell which is another explanation.

[kevinday]

IPAddis said: At 30,000 miles, you're due a new camshaft anyway
Ian A.

Not true, I have had 6 Rover V8 engined cars (3 R/Rover, 1 TVR, 2 Rover P3 3500s) and all of them did much more than that on the original camshaft. One R/Rover had 130,000 on the clock when I sold it, still running sweet as a nut. One did go at 85K though. My 350i had 92K and was still on its original cam when I sold it.

Edited to add - Change the oil every 3K miles using something like 15/50 or 20/50 and the camshafts last OK.


>> Edited by kevinday on Friday 25th April 07:02

[IPAddis]

kevinday said:

IPAddis said: At 30,000 miles, you're due a new camshaft anyway
Ian A.

Not true, I have had 6 Rover V8 engined cars (3 R/Rover, 1 TVR, 2 Rover P3 3500s) and all of them did much more than that on the original camshaft. One R/Rover had 130,000 on the clock when I sold it, still running sweet as a nut. One did go at 85K though. My 350i had 92K and was still on its original cam when I sold it.

Edited to add - Change the oil every 3K miles using something like 15/50 or 20/50 and the camshafts last OK.


>> Edited by kevinday on Friday 25th April 07:02

Griff 500s have far more aggressive profile cams than the other cars you've mentioned. TVR also don't harden the casing or adjust the pre-load properly, depending on who you speak to.

Ian A.

[apache]

the 500 engines are considerably different from a 3.5, my info was gleaned from people who fettle these engines in a serious manner and if they say a 500 cam lasts about 45k then I ain't arguing with them. Mine did 66k btw and I use fully synth 5/40

[nobbie]

I haven't noticed any any soot on start up (96 Griff, 23k).

I average about 180 miles per tank - but probably could get more but am wary about letting the level get too low as I have had a wobbly fuel gauge in the past - which incidently turned out to be a bad earth behind the tank.

Carl

[julianhj]

My camshaft was truly fkered by 48k - not uncommon.

As for range, I'd say I get 150-170 round town, 230+ on a motorway journey.