new boy question
Discussion
keith-vznby said:
Is the gear change normally sloppy
No, could be this little chap has seen better days?keith-vznby said:
best after market exhaust for mid range sound, effect of upgrading manifold.
Don't think there's much (if anything) available "off the shelf"? It's very simple system, any competent exhaust specialist like these guys should be able to "knock something together" for you.Welcome Keith to the S fraternity! Lots of friendly people on here who will do their best to help.
The gear change is normally very good, except for occasional problems finding reverse as the mechanism can foul the transmission tunnel. At that low mileage it should be a typical Ford box of the period, easy and precise. The car will have the Ford N type box, and they are pretty reliable. Get yourself a Ford Sierra V6 manual off ebay for details, they are cheap enough. (lots of the car is covered by that manual). The TVR application uses a modified gear lever which does put a bit of leverage on the lever mounting. Might be worth pulling out the gear lever gaiter and the rubber seal underneath and trying to see if there is any evidence of the gear lever mounting being loose, not much room there I am afraid so it wont be easy. The gear lever mounting is held down by 4 torx screws.
Obviously it would be a good idea to check/change the gearbox oil, again that manual would ne invaluable.
Before going any further, what kind of exhaust does it have now, and in what condition?
Any chance of pictures of the car? We other S owners are always interested!
The gear change is normally very good, except for occasional problems finding reverse as the mechanism can foul the transmission tunnel. At that low mileage it should be a typical Ford box of the period, easy and precise. The car will have the Ford N type box, and they are pretty reliable. Get yourself a Ford Sierra V6 manual off ebay for details, they are cheap enough. (lots of the car is covered by that manual). The TVR application uses a modified gear lever which does put a bit of leverage on the lever mounting. Might be worth pulling out the gear lever gaiter and the rubber seal underneath and trying to see if there is any evidence of the gear lever mounting being loose, not much room there I am afraid so it wont be easy. The gear lever mounting is held down by 4 torx screws.
Obviously it would be a good idea to check/change the gearbox oil, again that manual would ne invaluable.
Before going any further, what kind of exhaust does it have now, and in what condition?
Any chance of pictures of the car? We other S owners are always interested!
Sorry, don't mean to thread hijack but you mention the occasional problems getting into reverse; I experience this a fair bit, i.e. the gear lever seems to go into its 'slot' but when I release the clutch I just get a grinding of the gears. Is there any way to reduce this? I know the Chimeras have a nuance where you have to go to reverse through 2nd gear or something but is there anything similar for the S?
greymrj said:
Welcome Keith to the S fraternity! Lots of friendly people on here
and me. 
greymrj said:
The car will have the Ford N type box
Also refered to as the "type 9"greymrj said:
The gear lever mounting is held down by 4 torx screws.
3 Torx screws 
If you get that far it's well worth changing the "saddle" linked to in my post above (imho).
Phillpot is right; 3 torx screws, my mistake and I totally agree, if you get it out look for any unusaul wear on the mating parts.
Just to be absolutely precise. The 5 speed box fitted to the 2.8 and most 2.9 engines is the Ford N3 box. Ford then changed to the MT75 gearbox in 1989, which is a little smaller and lighter, but TVR didnt get this box until close to the end of S production.* So a minority of later 2.9s had the Ford MT75 from new. The parts list doesnt advise when the change was made but the info I have indicates it cannot have been before Jan 1992 and probably a good deal later. The N3 has slightly lower ratios to the MT75 so perhaps TVR stayed with it as much for acceleration as supply reasons?
As far as reverse is concerned the problem isnt normally the box but the TVR S bodywork. To find reverse the lever has to go to the extreme left and front of the aperture. If the alignment isnt perfect or the linkage a bit worn then it runs out of room. In effect you have moved the lever but it hasnt quite moved the selector enough. I sometimes have to hold the lever while gently engaging the cluth. The business about engaging another gear first is just so you move the teeth in the box a little bit and that can make the engagement a touch easier, but it isnt the real solution. What I would do is to check if the seal below the gear lever gaiter is folding and fouling between lever and bodywork, or if you can see a clear contact point which could be cured by a bit of careful filing of the transmission tunnel.
Just to be absolutely precise. The 5 speed box fitted to the 2.8 and most 2.9 engines is the Ford N3 box. Ford then changed to the MT75 gearbox in 1989, which is a little smaller and lighter, but TVR didnt get this box until close to the end of S production.* So a minority of later 2.9s had the Ford MT75 from new. The parts list doesnt advise when the change was made but the info I have indicates it cannot have been before Jan 1992 and probably a good deal later. The N3 has slightly lower ratios to the MT75 so perhaps TVR stayed with it as much for acceleration as supply reasons?
As far as reverse is concerned the problem isnt normally the box but the TVR S bodywork. To find reverse the lever has to go to the extreme left and front of the aperture. If the alignment isnt perfect or the linkage a bit worn then it runs out of room. In effect you have moved the lever but it hasnt quite moved the selector enough. I sometimes have to hold the lever while gently engaging the cluth. The business about engaging another gear first is just so you move the teeth in the box a little bit and that can make the engagement a touch easier, but it isnt the real solution. What I would do is to check if the seal below the gear lever gaiter is folding and fouling between lever and bodywork, or if you can see a clear contact point which could be cured by a bit of careful filing of the transmission tunnel.
- I have an N3 in mine. I believe the way to tell is that the N3 uses a prop shaft with both ends of the traditional type using 4 bolts, the MT75 has a tripoid type with 3 bolts at the gearbox end.
HvdWeerden said:
Quite correct. TVR never produced an S fitted with an MT75 gearbox.TVR intended to use it, but never did. I suspect that Steve Heath was unintentionally mislead by the factory.
thanks all ordered the gear bit,the exhaust was fitted by last owner ,he got it second hand from his local garage as it was in better condition than the perforated one he took off,it looks very old.Does not have a nice noise just a loud one I think a new one is on the cards.Gearbox has a long travel, is it a remote change and if so can it be uprated or improved thanks for the welcome apologies for flock of questions coming your way.Silly question but does anyone live in the northeast or am I Billy no mates as usual up here cheers Keith
keith-vznby said:
Silly question but does anyone live in the northeast or am I Billy no mates as usual up here cheers Keith
check out the ownership map at the top of the S forum: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a......I'm pretty sure "magpies" does...cant think why I know that..some obscure football reference perhaps?
PS - Welcome to the team Keith
I should know by now that although Steve Heaths book is the 'bible' it isnt infallible. Nothing about TVR is that easy. And yet I am sure I have seen reference somewhere other than PH to TVR getting a supply of MT75's, maybe I was completely mistaken? Thanks for putting me right on that one. Mind you, knowing TVR, somewhere out there may be the odd one that got away?
The gear lever on the S is not a 'remote' as such, just a standard lever cut with a rather over engineered and inelegant chunk of metal welded in to bring the top of the lever forwards. That does make for a longer lever and hence a longer lever movement. The change in mine however is good and doesnt feel at all sloppy, and that is after 100k+ miles.
Keith, is your exhaust stainless or mild steel? If it is a standard pattern stainless then there is experience of sorting out an older system if you dont want the cost of a new one. If is mild steel then it isnt worth it.
The gear lever on the S is not a 'remote' as such, just a standard lever cut with a rather over engineered and inelegant chunk of metal welded in to bring the top of the lever forwards. That does make for a longer lever and hence a longer lever movement. The change in mine however is good and doesnt feel at all sloppy, and that is after 100k+ miles.
Keith, is your exhaust stainless or mild steel? If it is a standard pattern stainless then there is experience of sorting out an older system if you dont want the cost of a new one. If is mild steel then it isnt worth it.
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