Griff after winter problems
Discussion
After the winter lay over my Griff 500 has two weird problems:
1. Low brake fluid level light on: topped up fluid and no sign of leaks from the flexi-hoses or pedal box. Nothing on garage floor. After a 50 mile trip and a week has passed no fluid level drop. Brakes work fine although I'm not inclined to use them heavily until I get to the bottom of this. Should I take the calipers off and inspect under the piston dust covers? The servo is very well hidden away so its not may favourite. Can you see more from the clutch access panel?
2. Speedo mileometer doesn't work. The speedo itself shows speed OK so its not the drive from the transducer. Imagine a new speedo is a dash outjob -not for me to attempt and so dealer- costly
Any ideas Griff experts out there?
1. Low brake fluid level light on: topped up fluid and no sign of leaks from the flexi-hoses or pedal box. Nothing on garage floor. After a 50 mile trip and a week has passed no fluid level drop. Brakes work fine although I'm not inclined to use them heavily until I get to the bottom of this. Should I take the calipers off and inspect under the piston dust covers? The servo is very well hidden away so its not may favourite. Can you see more from the clutch access panel?
2. Speedo mileometer doesn't work. The speedo itself shows speed OK so its not the drive from the transducer. Imagine a new speedo is a dash outjob -not for me to attempt and so dealer- costly
Any ideas Griff experts out there?
The sensor for the low brake fluid light is in the cap for the brake fluid. If you take the cap off, the light comes on. Maybe your sensor is broken? You could try shorting/disconnecting the wires at the sensor. Alternatively, if the wires are supposed to be shorted to indicate the required level, the wires may be damaged between the sensor and the LED.
Is the mileometer about to roll over by 1000 miles (as they occasionally stick). I assume you've tried tapping it? Have you got one of the old mileometers with no trip reading?
Is the mileometer about to roll over by 1000 miles (as they occasionally stick). I assume you've tried tapping it? Have you got one of the old mileometers with no trip reading?
No, this is not that simple. There is nothing wrong with the low level circuit. The light goes on and off when I drive it as the fluid level is not topped up to the full mark. I did that so that I could see if it was loosing fluid and if so why waste good fluid until I can find where the leak is.
On the mileometer problem, it seems to have stopped working after the winter. The trip doesn't advance either but the speedo works fine.
I don't fancy paying a dealer to pull the dash out to replace the speedo mega cost so appreciate any ideas anyone has.
On the mileometer problem, it seems to have stopped working after the winter. The trip doesn't advance either but the speedo works fine.
I don't fancy paying a dealer to pull the dash out to replace the speedo mega cost so appreciate any ideas anyone has.
Could always take the dash out yourself, just done it to replace several bulbs/LEDs, it's not that difficult and there is a fair amount of play in the wiring loom, just be careful of the leather on the dash and be gentle with the dash itself, stick some masking tape around the opening, easy really, took about 2hrs (seeing as I'd never done it before) and £15 for bulbs, much better than paying X hundreds of ££££.
That sounds worth a try. But first what is likley to need doing to the speedo? Is it repairable as Adrian from Compton says they are 185 pds to replace and I cant believe it has just scrap because the mileometer doesn't turn over the digits anymore. TVR home made instrument, no doubt.
Can you tell me what the dash-out steps are?
I guess I am more concerned about the brake fluid loss. Adrian thinks it is the servo filling up with fiuld and its a pig to take out as the servo as the pedal box has to come out first. Fernie's said it took them ONE whole day. The car is only 4 years old. So much for not using the car over winter. They said they just don't like no use.
Can you tell me what the dash-out steps are?
I guess I am more concerned about the brake fluid loss. Adrian thinks it is the servo filling up with fiuld and its a pig to take out as the servo as the pedal box has to come out first. Fernie's said it took them ONE whole day. The car is only 4 years old. So much for not using the car over winter. They said they just don't like no use.
Sorry, no idea on the brakes or the speedo, but, to get the dash off:-
Drop the steering wheel, take off the (top) plastic cowling, undo the two dash srcews behind the steering wheel.
Take the stereo out, take the cage out, reach inside and just above the air vent to the left of the stereo there is a small nut and some washers, undo the nut (DON'T DROP IT), take the air vents out, whichever way they will, before pulling (very gently) the dash out at all get some sort of sticky tape to try and protect the leather dash surround, you may want to smear some sort of lubricant on this to aid removal. Then just ease the dash out, very fiddly but not impossible, try not to bend it at all either, venier can crack, label the wires of anything you need to remove from the dash.
Now is probably a good time to replace all the bulbs, saves you doing it when one goes, about £15 for the lot, could change the colours of the LED's if you want to have some fun, or could change them for high intensity ones, I swaped the oil pressure warning light for a blue one as I kept having heart failure when the sun was behind me, seemed to reflect on the LED making it look like it had just lit up! Will see if this one is any better. The blue look really good too, only for a second mind.
Drop the steering wheel, take off the (top) plastic cowling, undo the two dash srcews behind the steering wheel.
Take the stereo out, take the cage out, reach inside and just above the air vent to the left of the stereo there is a small nut and some washers, undo the nut (DON'T DROP IT), take the air vents out, whichever way they will, before pulling (very gently) the dash out at all get some sort of sticky tape to try and protect the leather dash surround, you may want to smear some sort of lubricant on this to aid removal. Then just ease the dash out, very fiddly but not impossible, try not to bend it at all either, venier can crack, label the wires of anything you need to remove from the dash.
Now is probably a good time to replace all the bulbs, saves you doing it when one goes, about £15 for the lot, could change the colours of the LED's if you want to have some fun, or could change them for high intensity ones, I swaped the oil pressure warning light for a blue one as I kept having heart failure when the sun was behind me, seemed to reflect on the LED making it look like it had just lit up! Will see if this one is any better. The blue look really good too, only for a second mind.
chrish ... take a look at www.greengauges.com They use guages from Caerbont Automotive, who I know for certain TVR used for my 97 Chim, and therefore assume they used for the Griff too. Think you might find they are slightly cheaper than the quote you've been shown.
Thanks for that but.........
Anyone know anything about my brakes problem.
I may have imagined it but its almost like the fliud level has now come up again when I used the brakes a little harder (than I felt like doing when the red light was on). Could it be the servo sucked some in and has now pushed it back into the system?
Maybe I'll use them hard a few times and recheck the level this weekend,
Anyone know anything about my brakes problem.
I may have imagined it but its almost like the fliud level has now come up again when I used the brakes a little harder (than I felt like doing when the red light was on). Could it be the servo sucked some in and has now pushed it back into the system?
Maybe I'll use them hard a few times and recheck the level this weekend,
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