Discussion
Hi, I have now purchased my first TVR , a V8S (via Pistonheads), and drove it back from just south of Guilford this afternoon to my home near Nottingham. Test drove the car on sunday and all appeared fine but a different story driving home. Hoping I have not bought a 'lemmon'. Firstly it was difficult to engage any of the gears, even from cold. At times I had to push the clutch pedal right to the floor to get any sort of disengagement. On the test run the gearbox/clutch was a delight to use and much better than I expected, so what should I check out. I assume it is an hydraullic clutch.
The second problem relates to an intermitent engine misfire that developed after about 70 miles. It occurred when you tried to accelerate and at constant throttle and made the car quite difficult to drive at times. It appeared to get slightly better as time passed but still there at any rev band on arrival home. When I tested the car on sunday (stationary)at constant revs just above tickover the engine was somewhat lumpy and you could hear some misfiring in the exhaust. The car has just been serviced by a TVR specialist in Guilford and I was told that this lumpiness was quite normal. The previous owner, who I contacted tonight, thinks it is the ECU plug contacts, since he had trouble himself some time ago and suggested I clean them.
Please advise
The second problem relates to an intermitent engine misfire that developed after about 70 miles. It occurred when you tried to accelerate and at constant throttle and made the car quite difficult to drive at times. It appeared to get slightly better as time passed but still there at any rev band on arrival home. When I tested the car on sunday (stationary)at constant revs just above tickover the engine was somewhat lumpy and you could hear some misfiring in the exhaust. The car has just been serviced by a TVR specialist in Guilford and I was told that this lumpiness was quite normal. The previous owner, who I contacted tonight, thinks it is the ECU plug contacts, since he had trouble himself some time ago and suggested I clean them.
Please advise
My first thoughts with respect to the gear changing is that you may have a clutch fluid leak, though I have found with my own V8S that you have to be quite accurate with the "gate" when making gear changes, i.e. it is easy to find 5th instead of 3rd. On these cars most have difficulty engaging reverse - always go into another gear first.
As for the misfire, I would recommend cleaning the stepper motor and cleaning all connections around the engine with WD40 - this cured an occasional hesitation/loss of power which my car experienced.
Welcome to V8S ownership, and good luck.
As for the misfire, I would recommend cleaning the stepper motor and cleaning all connections around the engine with WD40 - this cured an occasional hesitation/loss of power which my car experienced.
Welcome to V8S ownership, and good luck.
Regarding the gearbox changes/clutch I had read about the difficulty with reverse but the test drive revealed no vices with all gears engaging easily. I will check for loss of fluid but in the back of my mind if this is not the case I wonder about internal bleeding in either the slave or master clutch cylinder
Firstly, welcome to the Sclub 
, more importantly, the exclusive V8S club 
.
It would seem you may have an issue with the clutch hydraulics, not unknown for the seals to need replacing. As for the lumpiness, again not uncommon for there to be a spot where the car is not comfortable with being
, give it a week or so I'm sure you're get used to it .
H
, more importantly, the exclusive V8S club . It would seem you may have an issue with the clutch hydraulics, not unknown for the seals to need replacing. As for the lumpiness, again not uncommon for there to be a spot where the car is not comfortable with being
, give it a week or so I'm sure you're get used to it . H
I can second the clutch cylinder problem, mine leaks and needs fixing. Also the amount of fluid in reserve is very small, so things can change very quickly. That said my gearbox is far better and smoother when warm, reverse gear is only easily selected at idle My car is not at all lumpy, although it does run a bit rich. I would check that the plugs are in good condition, as they may not have changed them in the service, also check the HT leads with regards to misfire. Electrical problems have a habit of getting worse as the components warm up and break down. Obviously the rotor arm and dizzy cap are two further suspects. If it is a problem with the coil chances are it will get worse at higher rpm. Other checks to make are the vacuume lines which are liable to pershing over time. As memtioned the stepped motor is worth a clean along with the hole it sits in. I tried to seal mine with teflon tape, but found this just got caught up in the piston, copper grease is perhaps an alternative on the threads to give a really good seal. Also, check for any loose connections while you are at it.
All the best,
Z
All the best,
Z
Welcome to the happy world of S owners!
Would echo comments regarding clutch master and slave cylinder seals.
If all else fails, tvrcarparts.com should be able to get you bits by return.
Regarding electrics, would also check stuff like dissy cap, leads and rotor arm - - maybe viewing with the engine hot might show up some arcing/problem. I would also check all the fuses that 'cover' the ignition and fuel system. I had a b*****dy annoying miss/rough running problem that has gone away since I pulled the 5 or 6 fuses covering stuff as above and cleaned up the 'blades'(some of which were a bit minging with corrosion).
Nick
Would echo comments regarding clutch master and slave cylinder seals.
If all else fails, tvrcarparts.com should be able to get you bits by return.
Regarding electrics, would also check stuff like dissy cap, leads and rotor arm - - maybe viewing with the engine hot might show up some arcing/problem. I would also check all the fuses that 'cover' the ignition and fuel system. I had a b*****dy annoying miss/rough running problem that has gone away since I pulled the 5 or 6 fuses covering stuff as above and cleaned up the 'blades'(some of which were a bit minging with corrosion).
Nick
Another happy V8S owner here saying Hi and welcome to the club 
My gearbox is a recalcitrant bugger when cold .. second gear in particular is a pain (just like a ferarri lmao!) but is lovely when hot.
might be worth just dropping by your local friendly indie to give it a once-over .. better to get it sorted sooner rather than later if it's going to be doing damage to your car and your nerves
My gearbox is a recalcitrant bugger when cold .. second gear in particular is a pain (just like a ferarri lmao!) but is lovely when hot.
might be worth just dropping by your local friendly indie to give it a once-over .. better to get it sorted sooner rather than later if it's going to be doing damage to your car and your nerves
shnozz said:
Firstly, welcome to the Sclub
still hamming up the resale values H?
still no excuse to post it 3 times mate.
Got to talk up the V8S values how else can I get the Cerb . Re three postings
, is it me or is PH really slow at present 
I tried it in FIrefox an IE and it is still very slow sometimes, clicked on 'post' a few times as it didn't seem to accept it first time around .It isn't normal to have a misfire, but what's a misfire for you might be a glorious V8 burble to me.
If it's consistent across a range of speeds and loads and feels like a single cyclinder misfire I'd start by checking the HT leads are secured at both ends and in good condition, lift the bonnet when it's dark and look for visible sparks indicating an HT fault. It may also be a dirty spark plug, sometimes they can foul up if the engine is running rich and driven gently for an extended period. Sometimes dirty plugs can be cleaned up by taking the car for a blast to get them thoroughly warmed up, otherwise they would need to be replaced.
If the symptoms are more that the whole engine seems to hesitate or cut out momentarily that isn't a single cylinder misfire and you're looking for a fault common to all cylinders. That's harder to track down and unless you're used to this sort of thing you may be best having an expert look at it.
In any case before you get too far I suggest you get somebody local to you who is familiar with these cars to give it an impartial look over. The TVRCC is an ideal way to get in touch with people local to you who know the cars inside and out.
If it's consistent across a range of speeds and loads and feels like a single cyclinder misfire I'd start by checking the HT leads are secured at both ends and in good condition, lift the bonnet when it's dark and look for visible sparks indicating an HT fault. It may also be a dirty spark plug, sometimes they can foul up if the engine is running rich and driven gently for an extended period. Sometimes dirty plugs can be cleaned up by taking the car for a blast to get them thoroughly warmed up, otherwise they would need to be replaced.
If the symptoms are more that the whole engine seems to hesitate or cut out momentarily that isn't a single cylinder misfire and you're looking for a fault common to all cylinders. That's harder to track down and unless you're used to this sort of thing you may be best having an expert look at it.
In any case before you get too far I suggest you get somebody local to you who is familiar with these cars to give it an impartial look over. The TVRCC is an ideal way to get in touch with people local to you who know the cars inside and out.
Thanks for all the advice to date. Regarding the clutch there is no loss of fluid and the master cylinder looks from appearance of the casting to be quite new but I have yet to look at the slave cylinder.
Started checking electrical connection plugs to the engine and treating each one with switch cleaner. Found a nasty already. The front cylinder (near side) injector plug/socket(if I'm correct in description) was corroded but it looks to be mainly surface and I have now cleaned up to bright metal(are these plug/sockets available if I have to replace?). My problem is at the mo I don't know where some parts are located e.g. stepper motor and ECU. Is there a worksop manual available or is it worth purchasing Steeve Heath's book? The device attached to the base of the distributor with a two wire connection, is this the electronic ignition module? One of the connections runs into the loom near the airflow sensor but at that point I noted a conectorthere with two wires but one has been cut off(problem?). Regarding the airflow sensor I took the plug connector off and although the connections looked clean they apeared to be coated in what looked like vaseline so should I clean off or leave.
Many thanks, I'm Melvyn as I forgot to introduce myself.
Started checking electrical connection plugs to the engine and treating each one with switch cleaner. Found a nasty already. The front cylinder (near side) injector plug/socket(if I'm correct in description) was corroded but it looks to be mainly surface and I have now cleaned up to bright metal(are these plug/sockets available if I have to replace?). My problem is at the mo I don't know where some parts are located e.g. stepper motor and ECU. Is there a worksop manual available or is it worth purchasing Steeve Heath's book? The device attached to the base of the distributor with a two wire connection, is this the electronic ignition module? One of the connections runs into the loom near the airflow sensor but at that point I noted a conectorthere with two wires but one has been cut off(problem?). Regarding the airflow sensor I took the plug connector off and although the connections looked clean they apeared to be coated in what looked like vaseline so should I clean off or leave.
Many thanks, I'm Melvyn as I forgot to introduce myself.
Echo all of the above - Good and bad!
re: gearbox, search the TVR forums for previous threads on 'what gearbox oil?'
re: recently serviced by reputable dealer, take nothing for granted mine was given a fresh MOT by a TVR dealer with 12 serious failures still present (brakes and steering included!) which I noticed straight away on the test drive but accepted them just as jobs to do.
It's all part of the fun of ownership though - you really get to know and appreciate the car.
Welcome!
re: gearbox, search the TVR forums for previous threads on 'what gearbox oil?'
re: recently serviced by reputable dealer, take nothing for granted mine was given a fresh MOT by a TVR dealer with 12 serious failures still present (brakes and steering included!) which I noticed straight away on the test drive but accepted them just as jobs to do.
It's all part of the fun of ownership though - you really get to know and appreciate the car.
Welcome!
Clutch fluid OK and clutch not releasing implies that you may have a failing seal in the clutch master cylinder. Be careful, if the clutch isn't releasing fully then you will get increased wear on the garbox synchros until you replace it.
If you have to replace them, the plugs for the injectors are known as power minitimer connectors, aka Bosch injector connectors, available from Vehicle Wiring Products. Sounds like yours cleaned up OK though.
Steve Heath's book as well worth getting especially for a hands-on owner like you.
The stepper motor is the plastic thing screwed into the back of the plenum housing with a 4-pin plug connected to it. This is unlikely to cause a misfire though. The device on the diatributor is indeed the ignition amplifier. I'm not sure what two-wire connector connector you're referring to by the AFM. The throttle pot is in the area but has a round 3-pin connector. Obviously you have the AFM connector itself. The only other wire I can think of in that area is the ignition feed to the ECU. In series with this line you will find a small plastic component about half an inch long with a spade connector at each end. Maybe that's what you're referring to, but the engine wouldn't run unless both wires were connected. Any chance of more detail, or a picture?
Vaseline on the AFM connector terminals is a good sign, looks like somebody has been looking after it.
If you have to replace them, the plugs for the injectors are known as power minitimer connectors, aka Bosch injector connectors, available from Vehicle Wiring Products. Sounds like yours cleaned up OK though.
Steve Heath's book as well worth getting especially for a hands-on owner like you.
The stepper motor is the plastic thing screwed into the back of the plenum housing with a 4-pin plug connected to it. This is unlikely to cause a misfire though. The device on the diatributor is indeed the ignition amplifier. I'm not sure what two-wire connector connector you're referring to by the AFM. The throttle pot is in the area but has a round 3-pin connector. Obviously you have the AFM connector itself. The only other wire I can think of in that area is the ignition feed to the ECU. In series with this line you will find a small plastic component about half an inch long with a spade connector at each end. Maybe that's what you're referring to, but the engine wouldn't run unless both wires were connected. Any chance of more detail, or a picture?
Vaseline on the AFM connector terminals is a good sign, looks like somebody has been looking after it.
Hi Melvin,
I had exactly the same problem with my S3C. Difficulty in gear selection initially being very stiff, crunching reverse etc etc. I had no loss of fluid but when I took the slave cylinder off it was a right mess.
I replaced it, and the problem was cured. It didn't take too long, you get to it from underneath, it's about forearm deep on the nearside of gearbox.....be warned though, if you have a straight through exhaust like I have you need fingers of a gyneacologist.
Welcome, it's a very friendly community here on the s forum.
I had exactly the same problem with my S3C. Difficulty in gear selection initially being very stiff, crunching reverse etc etc. I had no loss of fluid but when I took the slave cylinder off it was a right mess.
I replaced it, and the problem was cured. It didn't take too long, you get to it from underneath, it's about forearm deep on the nearside of gearbox.....be warned though, if you have a straight through exhaust like I have you need fingers of a gyneacologist.
Welcome, it's a very friendly community here on the s forum.
Hi Melvyn,
Can't give you any more technical help than you already have, but welcome to the V8 club. But as far as getting reverse, they all do that Sir!
Took mine out top down yesterday when the roads were quieter,puts all these niggling problems into perspective,so all you have to do is drive it as much as possible, go through a few tunnels now and again, and you will forgive it anything.
And so far ,touch wood, I can report that the cost of ownership is very reasonable.And depreciation, whats that?
You've made a wise purchase.
Can't give you any more technical help than you already have, but welcome to the V8 club. But as far as getting reverse, they all do that Sir!
Took mine out top down yesterday when the roads were quieter,puts all these niggling problems into perspective,so all you have to do is drive it as much as possible, go through a few tunnels now and again, and you will forgive it anything.
And so far ,touch wood, I can report that the cost of ownership is very reasonable.And depreciation, whats that?
You've made a wise purchase.
Checked all the connectors, ignition leads, plug extenders and plugs, apart from no. 7 (looks a swine to get at). The 7 plugs removed look almost new and are NGK B7ECS, hoping these are the right ones. Found one of the injector plug/socket corroded but managed to clean them up, the corresponding plug looked a bit paler than the others so I guess it was running lean so hope no damage done. There is now no misfire. Also had no problem with the clutch and gear changes so will keep an eye on this. Had a look at the slave cylinder and noted that it is attached with the usual two bolts but you cannot see the pushrod, it appears to be buried in a cylindrical casting which looks to be part of the bell housing. So when you undo the two bolts and the pipe union how to you then proceed?
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