Speed 6 factory rebuilds, what year did they become ok?
Discussion
Finally I've decided on an s6 cerb. New chassis, all the nastys replaced.
However. It has had 2 rebuilds at the factory in its early life(as did a lot)
2002@ 24k for exhaust tappet failure returned to factory for reworked head and engine rebuild under warranty
2003@26k loss of compression on 5. Rtnd to factory again for rebuild.
My question is, would the factory have resolved the inherent issues in 2002 or is that too early?
I have spoken with the previous owner who had it for the last 5 yrs. he says the engine is brilliant and doesn't waste her oil.
It has required no more engine work other than services at bang on intervals since.
Is this normal. Am I being overly scared. You hear more of the bad press than good.
This is a boyhood dream of mine but I don't want to have a cerb sat in my garage waiting for me to have funds for an engine rebuild.
Any help please guys.
However. It has had 2 rebuilds at the factory in its early life(as did a lot)
2002@ 24k for exhaust tappet failure returned to factory for reworked head and engine rebuild under warranty
2003@26k loss of compression on 5. Rtnd to factory again for rebuild.
My question is, would the factory have resolved the inherent issues in 2002 or is that too early?
I have spoken with the previous owner who had it for the last 5 yrs. he says the engine is brilliant and doesn't waste her oil.
It has required no more engine work other than services at bang on intervals since.
Is this normal. Am I being overly scared. You hear more of the bad press than good.
This is a boyhood dream of mine but I don't want to have a cerb sat in my garage waiting for me to have funds for an engine rebuild.
Any help please guys.
I seem to recall someone saying that power did the warranty engine rebuilds, or is that rubbish?
Last rebuild was 2003 April. Henley removed the engine and it was returned to the factory. That's all I know.
She's now done 42k without a glitch. Clutch has just been done. Everything on it is mint but I want to be sure on the rebuild as it is one if the prerequisites now.
Last rebuild was 2003 April. Henley removed the engine and it was returned to the factory. That's all I know.
She's now done 42k without a glitch. Clutch has just been done. Everything on it is mint but I want to be sure on the rebuild as it is one if the prerequisites now.
Feel the heat from the exhaust manifolds when running, from start up, making sure even, if you have a IR gun take it and watch the cans, feel the exhaust and smell it as well. I put the palm of my hand over the can and let the gases lightly push it away, then smell your hand, the other should be the same (two cans two hands). Not sweaty or sooty just warm and puffing strong and even with a smell of un burnt fuel from cold. Listen to the timing case and exhaust side for rattles, you will start to imagine them after a while. If you hear a light clackty clack from the timing case at idle that sounds like an AC clutch engaging it is most likely half time bearing, not good. If you can get the software on a lap top plug it and check. Look at the max temp and engine speed graphs. The adaptives can be misleading but should be very similar/close on a car in good tune.
Service history? Who did shims/valve clearances and are they recorded.. long shot.
After all this you wont want to buy it, do it anyway and forget about the money... it'll be fine and if it isn't you're hooked anyway and will find rebuild money from behind the sofa.
J
Service history? Who did shims/valve clearances and are they recorded.. long shot.
After all this you wont want to buy it, do it anyway and forget about the money... it'll be fine and if it isn't you're hooked anyway and will find rebuild money from behind the sofa.
J
wurzlegummage said:
I seem to recall someone saying that power did the warranty engine rebuilds, or is that rubbish?
Last rebuild was 2003 April. Henley removed the engine and it was returned to the factory. That's all I know.
She's now done 42k without a glitch. Clutch has just been done. Everything on it is mint but I want to be sure on the rebuild as it is one if the prerequisites now.
16000 miles and 12 years later and you're worrying if the last rebuild is okay, am I missing something?Last rebuild was 2003 April. Henley removed the engine and it was returned to the factory. That's all I know.
She's now done 42k without a glitch. Clutch has just been done. Everything on it is mint but I want to be sure on the rebuild as it is one if the prerequisites now.
No. Not missing anything. I've always tried to do my research to the best I can.
Good ones are out there, I know that. This sounds like one of them. All documented. Outstanding service history and records. It has everything.
I was asking when the rebuilds actually addressed the issues with the heads. In 2002 the records say it has a re worked head. Does anyone know when we saw progress on reliability of the engine?
The milage and time does lend itself to the obvious answer of yes.
Good ones are out there, I know that. This sounds like one of them. All documented. Outstanding service history and records. It has everything.
I was asking when the rebuilds actually addressed the issues with the heads. In 2002 the records say it has a re worked head. Does anyone know when we saw progress on reliability of the engine?
The milage and time does lend itself to the obvious answer of yes.
Yes, as M4tti said, the problem was not with TVR Power's skills or capability but if you rebuild an engine with the same sub-standard parts the same thing is going to happen again. Until the factory figured out it was Wheeler's wheeler-dealering with dodgy suppliers that was the primary cause (not opening up the can of worms on the S6 valve actuation geometry by design), a lot of waste of time engine builds got done.
If your has been problem free for those years and miles since the 2003 rebuild, chances are they used decent parts second time around but hard to be sure unless Dom has forensic evidence. Sagi B's advice is good, particularly if you can get a record of the shim checks but unless you really know what you are looking at (and more importantly hearing) you can get real confused. The valvetrain SHOULD sound like a bag of spanners when cold then go quieter when warm, except the half-time bearing SHOULD NOT be making a noise at all......
If you can't get the car to Dom before you commit, try to get another owner with a good strong engine (say post 10k post recent rebuild or a late T350/Sag/Tuscan) to join you so you can compare noises. If you can arrange that, make sure you hear the other car cold.
If your has been problem free for those years and miles since the 2003 rebuild, chances are they used decent parts second time around but hard to be sure unless Dom has forensic evidence. Sagi B's advice is good, particularly if you can get a record of the shim checks but unless you really know what you are looking at (and more importantly hearing) you can get real confused. The valvetrain SHOULD sound like a bag of spanners when cold then go quieter when warm, except the half-time bearing SHOULD NOT be making a noise at all......
If you can't get the car to Dom before you commit, try to get another owner with a good strong engine (say post 10k post recent rebuild or a late T350/Sag/Tuscan) to join you so you can compare noises. If you can arrange that, make sure you hear the other car cold.
Speed 3 said:
Yes, as M4tti said, the problem was not with TVR Power's skills or capability but if you rebuild an engine with the same sub-standard parts the same thing is going to happen again. Until the factory figured out it was Wheeler's wheeler-dealering with dodgy suppliers that was the primary cause (not opening up the can of worms on the S6 valve actuation geometry by design), a lot of waste of time engine builds got done.
OP, your approach in thinking that there is a certain date is not correct for TVR. As sort of hinted above, the people at TVR knew about the quality issue from pretty much day one. The quality of parts improved when a purchasing manager was replaced. TVR had the annoying habit of not binning defective parts - not only for engines. So when your engine was rebuilt it might have been by using substandard parts but the one rebuilt before yours and the one after both used the better parts. The factory initially did all of the rebuilds but there were so many, inc return visits, that they started sending them to Power as well. The engines with inferior parts generally bit the dust at 15K to 30K miles so if your potential car has done around 30K and shows very little wear then you should be OK statistically.Parts or install, if either were sub-standard you'd have a problem.
As said, statistically you should be okay, but in 09 I bought an V8 Cerb, as i'd been put off the Speed 6 by people on PH.
Go forwards 14 months and I sell the Cerb and buy a Tam without record of a rebuild, unfortunately 18 months after I sold the Cerb the engine went bang, yet the Tam is still running sweetly, could be luck, who knows!
As said, statistically you should be okay, but in 09 I bought an V8 Cerb, as i'd been put off the Speed 6 by people on PH.
Go forwards 14 months and I sell the Cerb and buy a Tam without record of a rebuild, unfortunately 18 months after I sold the Cerb the engine went bang, yet the Tam is still running sweetly, could be luck, who knows!
Yep, there's a bit of thatThe engine rebuild question can be best covered by the last 40s or so of this clip from the 70s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Xjr2hnOHiM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Xjr2hnOHiM
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