I deserve a good slap

I deserve a good slap

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Jordie Barretts sock

Original Poster:

4,486 posts

20 months

Wednesday 8th May
quotequote all
A couple of weeks ago I took the Chimaera out for a spirited drive of some 40 miles or so. Roof down, lovely.
Turning into my lane, I can hear a loud ticking from under the bonnet. Obviously one of the manifold to Y-Piece clamps has come loose/sprung a leak.

On the drive it clearly isn't. It's a mechanical clatter. Oil pressure is still good at about 20 on tickover. Into the garage, battery conditioner on and there she's been ever since.

Until I woke at 0236 this morning and thought I knew what it was. Sure enough, checking the dipstick this morning it's bone dry. And I mean bone dry.

I've just topped up my oil. Three and a half litres. I don't deserve that car. She's running beautifully again now and has 40+ cold tickover pressure.

I fully deserve all the crap you are rightly going to throw at me. Why didn't I check the levels regularly? I have no idea. Rest assured they'll be checked before every outing from now on! Very lucky escape. For the record, about 8000 miles.

It's not like I didn't know any better. This is my second Chimaera and third TVR.

citizen smith

750 posts

182 months

Wednesday 8th May
quotequote all
You just need to buy a "lottory" ticket - every ones a winner.

junglie

1,927 posts

218 months

Wednesday 8th May
quotequote all
An absolute disgrace to TVR ownership you are my friend.

To seek forgiveness you must loan me your car (with the correct amount of oil in) for a week or so whilst you think about what you have done.

Jordie Barretts sock

Original Poster:

4,486 posts

20 months

Wednesday 8th May
quotequote all
junglie said:
An absolute disgrace to TVR ownership you are my friend.

To seek forgiveness you must loan me your car (with the correct amount of oil in) for a week or so whilst you think about what you have done.
Happy to do that. Did you want the ignition key as well? laugh

TarquinMX5

1,968 posts

81 months

Wednesday 8th May
quotequote all
Well, you said it wink

Presumably the sump plug is tight, you wouldn't be the first to have loosened it (if it's the original type) by grounding on speed humps etc..

robsco

7,843 posts

177 months

Wednesday 8th May
quotequote all
Good karma for Teddy. smile

LucyP

1,716 posts

60 months

Wednesday 8th May
quotequote all
It must be burning a lot of oil to use 3.5 litres in 8000 miles. It's an engine from the days when 20W50 was state of the art. Perhaps you put oil that was too thin in it, or it is so worn it is just burning oil.

Jordie Barretts sock

Original Poster:

4,486 posts

20 months

Thursday 9th May
quotequote all
I don't know if it was full 8000 miles ago. I suspect not. No evidence of oil being burnt excessively.

Slight leak, but as we know, these cars do like to mark their territory. Again, far from excessive. Not even mentioned on the MOT.

Belle427

9,058 posts

234 months

Thursday 9th May
quotequote all
Chassis lubrication system. wink

Jordie Barretts sock

Original Poster:

4,486 posts

20 months

Thursday 9th May
quotequote all
robsco said:
Good karma for Teddy. smile
Indeed!

BritishTvr450

20 posts

Thursday 9th May
quotequote all
LucyP said:
It must be burning a lot of oil to use 3.5 litres in 8000 miles. It's an engine from the days when 20W50 was state of the art. Perhaps you put oil that was too thin in it, or it is so worn it is just burning oil.
Well actually quite the opposite!

I’m old enough to have been told a pint of oil a 1000 miles will keep and old big lump engines topped up and happy between services. Remember the engine in question is at least 20 years old
That = 8 pints over 8000 miles in general terms.
The o/p engine has used 3.5 litres which = 6.1 pints
- 1/4 litre for the wonderfully effective oil splash chassis lubrication system that has saved many a main chassis rail
So for arguments sake we say he’s used 3.3 litres or less than 6 pints over 8000 miles
His engine is in tip top condition and using less oil than is generally considered the norm for this age of tech.
They were never oil tight from Manufacture. It’s normal usage.
So as your engine made it home on less than 3 litres of oil I’d say you dodged a bullet and might remember this in future as I’m sure Lucy P will. thumbup
Well done for fessing up and all’s well that ends well.

LucyP

1,716 posts

60 months

Thursday 9th May
quotequote all
LucyP won't remember nonsense. She will just quote from the absolute expert, because he posted on here back in 2009. Here is the link:

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Dom, no less. Does anyone know anymore about the RV8, especially as used in TVR's than him? I doubt it. I quote:

"V8 rover lumps using mobile 0w40w fully synthetic will burn oil 1/2 ltr every 1000/1500 miles, use semi synthetic 15w 40w 1 ltr every 4000 miles.

Dom"


So, as I originally said, either the car is burning oil, or the grade is too thin.

Jordie Barretts sock

Original Poster:

4,486 posts

20 months

Thursday 9th May
quotequote all
It was neither.

It isn't using a lot of oil, either burnt or leaked.

It has actually done just over 12k (I've just checked).

My 4.0 used more and so did my 4.5 Cerb.

I'm happy I dodged a bullet. I will be sure there aren't any oily bullets flying around in future!

BritishTvr450

20 posts

Thursday 9th May
quotequote all

As Dom will most likely confirm ( if he could be bothered) no two engines might use exactly the same amount of oil and these figures are something of a loose estimate.

If Lucy thinks old school engines should burn no oil especially when it might have 50,000-120,000 miles on its clock you’d be a fool with no understanding of either the engines conception or real life use when wear and age are taken into account.
Your grasping at a rather short straw!
You are trying to suggest our friends car above is using an excessive amount of oil when it’s clearly not.
Your casting doubt based on very iffy information that is only a rough guide and if you don’t believe me ask the man himself. As if Dom or anyone else can tell you what a used engine is likely to consume in oil without looking or hearing it!
As I’ve already simply pointed out Jordie car is not likely to be using more oil than is normal.

As Jordie has now informed us he’s actually done 12,000 miles which is roughly 1/2 pint every 1000 miles which I’m sure we’d all agree suggests it’s healthy indeed.



The Three D Mucketeer

5,917 posts

228 months

Thursday 9th May
quotequote all
It's Tyre Smokes car isn't it ??? He did his own servicing and had a lot to say about the "experts" .... getmecoat

Jordie Barretts sock

Original Poster:

4,486 posts

20 months

Thursday 9th May
quotequote all
It was.

However it isn't any more. It is just a Rover V8, so hardly highly technical and as said, quite and old design and actual engine. It has 104k on it, full service history and a big file of receipts and evidence of work done.

Anyway, another 40 miles this evening and it's all good. Sweet as. 45psi pressure when warm is pretty healthy I'd say. And 30psi at tickover.

Eta: I'm 99% certain (from the history file) that Tyre Smoke didn't service anything himself. No idea where you got that from?