The ultimate service

[LawrieS]

Not wanting to be over prepared, but with a certain trip looming this year, and spending the majority (all) of last winter rectifying chassis issues, what items would you look to replace for an ultimate service, didn't get much in line of service history other than the usual plugs, leads oil etc. I now have some time and space to give the S a good going over.

Brake pads and discs, radiator, swirl pot, coolant pipes and hoses, oil, filter, suspension, bushes all round and all related nuts and bolts were renewed last winter, I have new engine mounts ready to fit, along with a pair of stainless manifolds and (correctly sized) de-cat pipes, and a new oil pressure sender.

So now I have the opportunity, just wondering what I should be doing this time round, plan so far is;

Manifolds
Engine mounts
Oil & Filter
Plugs
Leads
Coil (and relocate)
Dizzy cap and rotor arm
Rocker cover gaskets
Fuel filter
Still need to fix radiator fan

+ A trip to Mat Smiths

A few more cosmetic things time permitting, but mechanically, anything else I should be looking at?

Lawrie

[Alan461]

Bonnet hinge mod with Steve's adapter brackets
Then you can live in the engine bay while detailing it

[Marc C]

Vacuum hoses unless already done...

And seeing as we're spending your money and you mentioned de-cat pipes maybe new lambda sensors if the old ones are cheap universal style ones

[phillpot]

Any other perishable items you've not covered? Fuel pipes, fan belt......?


Trying to think back to "issues" people have had on previous tours...

Loose battery terminal
Leaky clutch slave
Dodgey connections on back of alternator
Ignition coil..... (did I ever get my spare back?)
leaking swirl pot cap
.... and so on

Generally quite minor things, if you have the spares/tools/tie wraps/gaffer tape/rad weld etc. with you to repair/bodge/codge to get home

[Bobhon]

Is it worthwhile getting geo check and reset done?

[drak ula]

brake shoes, pads, discs, flexies (goodridge upgrade, i junked my hard lines and went goodridge all the way from new m/c to calipers and same with clutch line)

[AutoAndy]

..a splash of fuel and save up the beer tokens...job done...

[Barry S1]

Mat Smith is the man for geo check
and setup, made a big difference to
my cars, and he's got an S

[drak ula]

where is mat smith? do you have a contact/link/business name? i could do with mine being checked and set up by someone who knows these cars.

Barry S1 said:

Mat Smith is the man for geo check
and setup, made a big difference to
my cars, and he's got an S

[AutoAndy]

drak ula said:

where is mat smith?

Downham Market in Norfolk, about 1 to 1.5 hours up form the big smoke

http://www.matsmithsportscars.com/

[catretriever]

If you need someone closer to home I can highly recommend http://www.kimberleymotors.co.uk/motorsport.html

Jason has been looking after my TVR's for over 10 years now.

[drak ula]

thanks both of you.

[LawrieS]

Alan461 said:

Bonnet hinge mod with Steve's adapter brackets
Then you can live in the engine bay while detailing it

Did you not approve of my non portable wide open mod? It's on the list, after the welder. Do you still have the pair of spare rocker covers? If it's ok with you, I'd like to get those powder coated and you can have mine in return?

Marc C said:

Vacuum hoses unless already done...

And seeing as we're spending your money and you mentioned de-cat pipes maybe new lambda sensors if the old ones are cheap universal style ones

Will check all hoses. The lambdas I have 'seem' ok, think they are original, might be one for the spares bag.

phillpot said:

Any other perishable items you've not covered? Fuel pipes, fan belt......?


Trying to think back to "issues" people have had on previous tours...

Loose battery terminal
Leaky clutch slave
Dodgey connections on back of alternator
Ignition coil..... (did I ever get my spare back?)
leaking swirl pot cap
.... and so on

Generally quite minor things, if you have the spares/tools/tie wraps/gaffer tape/rad weld etc. with you to repair/bodge/codge to get home

Thanks for that Mike, I'll add those to the inspection list, definitely replacing and relocating the coil, that's been on the list since a particular Wellesbourne morning. Hadn't thought about the fan belt.

Bobhon said:

Is it worthwhile getting geo check and reset done?

Barry S1 said:

Mat Smith is the man for geo check
and setup, made a big difference to
my cars, and he's got an S

Plan is to book in at Mat Smiths for a full geo, had a conversation with him yesterday, seems like a nice chap.

drak ula said:

brake shoes, pads, discs, flexies (goodridge upgrade, i junked my hard lines and went goodridge all the way from new m/c to calipers and same with clutch line)

Brakes all sorted, will inspect clutch stuff but maybe another time for improvements there.

AutoAndy said:

..a splash of fuel and save up the beer tokens...job done...

All sorted

Regarding coil, dizzy cap, rotor arm, spark plugs, leads etc, am I best just taking mine into my local motor factors and asking for replacements?

Lawrie

[steve j]

Waterpump, fuel pump and coil would be on my list.

[phillpot]

steve j said:

Waterpump, fuel pump and coil would be on my list.

All these things can (and thinking about it have) fail but how far do you go..... alternator, starter motor, the module thing on the dizzy, throttle pot, AFM's?

Sods law says the one thing you don't take will be the thing you need!

LawrieS said:

Regarding coil, dizzy cap, rotor arm, spark plugs, leads etc, am I best just taking mine into my local motor factors and asking for replacements?

Yes but first thing most places ask for nowadays is a Reg. number.. that won't work!

You'll need a sympathetic, old skool guy who's prepared to rummage through his catalogues or whatever for Granada 2.9 bits.


Top Tip .... go in when they're quiet, maybe mid afternoon?

[Barry S1]

I can't believe you'd need a water pump at
the first stop

[steve j]

Barry S1 said:

I can't believe you'd need a water pump at
the first stop

Hell yeah, it happened

[Barry S1]

And I think you finally got the air
out at the third hotel

[AutoAndy]

steve j said:

Barry S1 said:

I can't believe you'd need a water pump at
the first stop

Hell yeah, it happened

...yep, it did.....Calais...

[steve j]

AutoAndy said:

...yep, it did.....Calais...

I remember that like it was yesterday, I was in the process of getting the car recovered back to blighty, when the rest of the gang arrived. There was a big puddle of fluid around my S and me with a real glum look on my face. A brand new water pump appeared and I got stuck in, a short while later all was well, apart from a bit of air in the system. It was a very memorable trip with three breakdowns, a water pump problem for me, a starter motor for another V6 and a fuel pump for a V8S. We got all three going again , what a truly fantastic trip, would I go through it all again ? Hell yeah.