Fixed or Hydraulic Tappets?

[TopVpowerRoadste]

Hi phillpot,
Thanks for your quick reply.
I have drained the oil from the engine and will filter it, to see
I will go one step at a time and follow your advice: new oil and oil filter, followed by tappets adjustments, get the hole on the rocker cover sorted (don't know how yet), get new spark plugs NGK BCPR6E, fit a magnetic sump plug and see from there.

I'm very greatful for your advice and suggestions.

Best regards,

Geoffrey

[greymrj]

Totally agree with Philpott. Certainly not from the con-rod, anything from there would be very fine wear indeed and the 'bearing' surfaces aren't steel. If that isnt condensation rust and has come from INSIDE the engine then I am afraid the engine must come out.

At this stage however the information is confusing. If you are not prepared to take the sump off then I am even more inclined to drain and leave it draining for some time if cold, then flush with diesel and see what gets washed out with the diesel. When you see what comes out we would be a in a better position to advise.


Cant see enough detail of the hole. Has it been put there deliberately (perhaps for an ignition lead guide) or has it rusted through? How big is it? If it is under 4mm I would agree with using a pop rivet, from the inside so the steel bit left can never drop in. Or better still a soft copper or alloy rivet actually rivetted firmly in.

Taping over a hole to hide it is pretty scandalous, who did you buy it off? We need to know.

[Marc C]

If your doing the 'swap oil and filter run for a few hundred miles, swap again' and are getting some rare earth magnets for the sump plug, it may be worth getting a few extra ones and sticking them on the outside of the oil filter also

[greymrj]

' will go one step at a time and follow your advice: new oil and oil filter,'
Dont put any new oil in until we know what was in the old oil. Dont just filter it, run a magnet through it. If there is anything significant in it then use a flushing oil first or better still diesel wash, flushing oil then correct oil. That is a damn sight cheaper and easier than damage to engine parts, damage to a single big end would cost you c£2-300 or more plus the cost of stripping a rebuilding if you cannot do it yourself.
Dont just assume a filter will get it all, the muck has to get to the filter first and it is the damage it can do on the way.

[TopVpowerRoadste]

Hi everyone,

In response to your questions:

- the hole is 5 mm wide. I believe there used to be a built-in support to hold some pipe and it was removed or it broke.
- this is where I bought it from
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=147...

I'm just glad that I had the TVR shipped from Newcastle to Amsterdam and then transported by lorry to my home. If I had driven it from Amsterdam to my place (2 1/2 hours drive), I would have probably very badly damaged or seized the engine.

I will follow your advice:
- buy 5 litres of cheap 20W50 oil to drain the system (without running the engine);
- put a magnet in the old oil and see from there.

I keep you posted.

Many thanks,

Geoffrey

[ATS3]

Hi Geoffrey

I know exactly which car it is you bought as I looked at it a number of times on the Internet. I did try to make an appointment to go and see the car but couldn't fix a suitable date and time before it got sold.

I hope you get things sorted very soon as it looks a beautiful car all told and I am sure you will love it when it gets sorted and you get to use it.

I will continue to read your posts with interest as I am also new to TVR ownership (S3) and am keen to learn as much as I can about the S.

Don't give up!

Andy

[TopVpowerRoadste]

Hi Andy,

Thanks for your support.
As I'm not a mechanic, I try to gather as much info and advice so as to try to resolve the problem.
Enjoy your S3.

Best regards,

Geoffrey

[v8s4me]

phillpot said:

...small nut 'n bolt....

and use a nylock nut

[greymrj]

Hi Geoffrey, the only problem with 'flushing' the engine with engine oil is that it will not remove any deposits. Diesel will, and it wont do any damage even if a little gets left in, and it is cheaper than engine oil! Pour diesel through, it will be far easier to see what muck it brings out. Leave the diesel to settle and then you can use the clean stuff to wash through again, and again! At one time washing with petrol was common enough but of course it is a dangerous and not good if left in.
Are you aware you can buy a special oil specifically called flushing oil and intended to clean out engines, usually used if there is a lot of old oily gunge in there.

[greymrj]

Oh yes, the guy you bought it off TVRGlen is not to be confused at all with our favourite S enthusiast Glenrobbo.

[TopVpowerRoadste]

greymrj said:

Oh yes, the guy you bought it off TVRGlen is not to be confused at all with our favourite S enthusiast Glenrobbo.

OF COURSE;

Which do you think will be more efficient 'diesel' or 'flushing oil' to clean the inside of the engine.
I've never heard of 'flushing oil'. Could you please give me companies that make such oil?

Thanks for your help.

Best regards,
Geoffrey

[glenrobbo]

TopVpowerRoadste said:

Hi everyone,

Thank you for your thoughts and ideas.
In reply to you questions:
The dust of steel was found on the top of the rocker covers, but mainly in the entrance tube where you fill in the engine with oil.
The car has covered over 96.000 miles.
The engine runs fine but is a bit noisy (tappets?).
I bought the car last November from the well know TVR breaker in the North of england and I'm just about to start a full service.
The engine oil is very black and as I have hardly any history of the car, I suspect that it hasn't been well looked after.
A friend of mine suggested that the dust of steel may come from 'bead blasting' (the dust looks like beads), as the rocker cover are chromed ant the outside of the top of the engine seems to have been 'bead or sand blasted'.

Please carry on sending your suggestions/advice/thoughts.

Many thanks,
Geoffrey

Hi Geoffrey,

With reference to the outside top of the engine looking as if it has been grit blasted, the castings have a grainy appearance because they were cast in sand moulds when they were manufactured.
Unless of course you have found actual particles of grit stuck to the surface of the outside of the engine. I cannot imagine any competent person grit blasting an engine in situ to clean it, as the blasting medium is too invasive and potentially damaging to delicate components.

I do think that it is blasting grit that you have found inside your rocker covers. I had my rocker covers powdercoated externally in silver at an industrial works and they had grit blasted them prior to the powdercoat finish. When I collected them, there was a lot of grit particles stuck to the ( unpainted ) inside of the covers. It was stuck quite fast, and very hard to remove, especially behind the welded baffle plates behind the breather and filler apertures. I had to use a pointed miniature wire brush to get it off. I took great care to remove all of it before fitting to my engine ( 2.8 ).

In your case, I would be very keen to drain the oil ( cold, don't run the engine ), then get the sump off and have a look at what is in there: any more grit particles? Then remove and strip the oil pump and examine it for wear and check the tolerances are OK. If worn, it will need replacing.
To do all this would mean cutting of the chassis cross-member and making a removable one, but this is a worthwhile mod anyway.

The main thing is to get rid of any contaminated oil and residual grit from your sump. The oil filter should have captured any stuff that has managed to get through the pump, so the rest of your engine oil system should be OK. Remove the old filter, cut it open and see if there are any metallic particles in there.
If there are, you will need to clean the oil gallery between the pump and filter.

Once everything is refitted with a new filter ( prime it first with nice clean oil ) and new oil, run the engine and check that you have good oil pressure, especially when it has warmed up. If you have, it's all looking good

I think you will be lucky and not require a full engine strip and clean.

Good luck,

Glen.

( No, not that one! )

Edit to add: Flushing oil is available from any good motor factors, it is inexpensive, and is basically a very thin detergent oil used for cleaning sludge and sticky deposits from your engine.

I think the hole in your rocker cover was for a spot welded? bracket for a pipe clip or plug lead carrier. However you decide to blank it, make sure it will not foul a rocker arm.

Edited by glenrobbo on Tuesday 4th August 11:56

[TopVpowerRoadste]

Hi Glen (the GOOD one ),

Thanks a lot for your suggestions and very detailed and interesting explanation.

I will analyse the drained black engine oil and I'll get a flexible magnetic screw driver with which I will explore the sump to search for partical grid/metallic rubbish.
As for as the chassis cross-member is concerned, does it have to be removed in its totality? Is a removable chassis cross-member available on the market?

Many thanks,

Geoffrey

[glenrobbo]

Hi Geoffrey,
Cutting away the chassis cross-member allows removal of the sump wirhout taking the engine out of the car. After the sump has been refitted, the sawn off member could simply be welded back in place, or modified to be a bolt-on removeable item. A few of us have done this, it is reasonably straightforward job for a competent mechanic/fitter/welder. It just requires some rectangular steel plates fabricating, drilling and welding onto the ends of the cross-member, and similar plates drilled, tapped and welded to the chassis rails to accommodate the new member.
I don't know of anyone who produces a kit or ready-made cross-member, it is better to tailor to each individual car.

Here is Phillpot's very nice version:

Edited by glenrobbo on Tuesday 4th August 21:02

[ATS3]

Hi Geoffrey

Eurocarparts have a special offer on STP engine flush at the moment:-

http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/car-accessories/...

I know previously you have mentioned buying your new engine oil from here too, so if you haven't already got your oil, you could order it altogether!

Andy

[motomatchless]

Hello Geoffrey, I read your topic with a lot of interest.
About the tappets, it is easy to see what type you have after removing the tappet shaft.(I can help you with that).
About the blasting grit; for chroming parts, they normaly never do gritblasting but they dip the parts in acid bath.
Did you find that grit in both sides of the engine?

Regards.
Christian.

[TopVpowerRoadste]

Hi motomatchless,

I found grid in both rocker covers (only on top).
How easy is to remove and refit the tappet shaft. Does it need adjusting after removal?

Thanks for your help.

Best regards,

Geoffrey

[motomatchless]

Hi Geoffrey, it is allways better to check the valve clearence after that.Unless they are hydraulic!!!!
Also tighten the rocker shaft bolts to the right torque ( 32nm + 90°).
Christian.

[phillpot]

motomatchless said:

Also tighten the rocker shaft bolts to the right torque ( 32nm + 90°).

my book(Haynes) says 62-70Nm, and no + 90 degrees (thought that was used more for stretch bolts?)

[motomatchless]

My data came from the sierra scorpio workxhop manual.
Sorry if not ok.