TVR built / Rover engine ?

[SRAPUBLIC]

As the forum is so useful, can I run this past those that know. I was discussing buying a Chim with a current Griff (2000 plate)owner and he told me to steer clear of earlier years becuase the engine is TVR built and that only TVR can work on them and they charge a fortune. Does this sound right to you guys ? When did the Chimaera change engine manufacturer (if it did). Thanks.

[T88CAN]

I think you will find that all chim/griff engines are rover v8 built at rover then shipped to TVR power were they are stripped and basicly rebuilt to TVR spec then shipped up to Blackpool for fitting to the cars.
The cerbera,tuscan,tamora, and t350 have TVR designed and built engines, maybe mr "griff" is getting mistaken for them
Tony

[dannyboyo]

I think it was about '97 or '98 that TVR stopped using the rover engines in the Griffs and Chimaeras and put their own AJP engines that are 4.5l and 5.0l.

If the engine is 4.0l or 4.3l then it's my understanding that it's a rover engine. And if anything I would've thought the rover engine would be cheaper to have work done to as the parts are more readily available.

I can vouch for the reliability of the rover engine anyway (if not for the rest of the car!! - but i still love it!! )

>> Edited by dannyboyo on Tuesday 27th May 02:13

[chimi500]

I have a 99 chim 500 , it certainly is not an ajp motor, no flat plane crank etc...and it sounds nothing like a cerbera......... was under the impression all chim . griffs had rover based engines

[Steve_T]

All Griffiths and Chimaeras are Rover V8 engined. TVRs from the Cerbera onwards are AJP powered.

Steve.

[dannyboyo]

Steve_T said: All Griffiths and Chimaeras are Rover V8 engined. TVRs from the Cerbera onwards are AJP powered.Steve.

Sorry, read my bible after I posted that and realised I was totally wrong!!

[Incorrigible]

Good job you got that reply in Dannyboyo, was about to give you a roasting

I think what Mr Griff is trying to tell you, it that the Rover engine had a bit of a facelift going to the "Serpentine" engine post 97 (although earlier cars had the Serpentine engine and later ones had the original one )

Serpentine is better (allegedly) quite a lot of the internals were upgraded, someone will post and either list the chages or put me straight

[jigs]

Dannyboyo and Incorrigible - You're both ready for the old folks home - misinformation overload.

[Incorrigible]

Jigs

Put me straight then

[ATG]

Agree with incorrigible ... bloke was probably confused about pre/post serpentine engines. All the Chims and Griffs had TVR Power modified Rover V8s.

[2 sheds]

TVRs pre 95 ish had pre-Serpentine engines, from 95 on serpentine , both are good engines although serpentine slightly better.
tim

[Incorrigible]

Tim,

Do you know the precise differences IIRC there
were

Small changes to the oil ways
Different oil pump and presuure sender, water pump housing
Ancilary, possitions changed but no change to the bolt holes on the block ?

Is that about it ??

[boosted ls1]

Serpentine engines have much nicer pistons with shorter ring lands and thinner rings. Solid skirt items with no thermal slot in them. The rods are longer and fitted with a nice sps rod bolt, no nuts. The crank has bigger diameter main bearings and bigger diameter crank pins. The piston pin diameter is also greater. Crank has a longer nose to drive the G-rotor type oilpump which is a good improvement plus the block is cross bolted. There are other changes to. The block oilway pick tube in the gallery is a slightly bigger bore but once they went to a proper serp fron end the pick up goes straight into the front cover. What else, several smaller improvements but the above are the main improvements. You can use the cross-bolted block for most applications and fit older stuff to it but you need to drill and tap holes to mount a windage tray. Oh, serp engines use 4 bolts per cylinder on the heads. Why oh why didn't they do a proper re-vamp on the heads!!

[jigs]

Incorrigible - Reckon that 2Sheds & Co just have. You were getting your pres and posts mixed up. Dannyboyo was completely away with the fairies. Sign of old-age or too much G-forces.

[ATG]

(think you'll find incorrigible was saying that, as per usual for these cars, the switch to the serpentine engine wasn't neatly implemented as of a single day)

[dannyboyo]

jigs said: Incorrigible - Reckon that 2Sheds & Co just have. You were getting your pres and posts mixed up. Dannyboyo was completely away with the fairies. Sign of old-age or too much G-forces.

Sign of to much beer and not enough paying attention!!
It's weird, I'd had this notion stuck in my head since before I bought my Chimaera!! I guess I was getting confused with the pre and post thing too! I remember reading about different type engines in Griffs and Chimaeras and guess I assumed that it meant AJP and Rover.

Don't worry, I've slapped myself on the wrist and it'll never happen again!!

[Incorrigible]

ATG said: (think you'll find incorrigible was saying that, as per usual for these cars, the switch to the serpentine engine wasn't neatly implemented as of a single day)

Re-reading my post, yes, problem with the English rather than the engine knowledge

Boosted LS1, thanks

[boosted ls1]

Incorrigible said:

ATG said: (think you'll find incorrigible was saying that, as per usual for these cars, the switch to the serpentine engine wasn't neatly implemented as of a single day)

Re-reading my post, yes, problem with the English rather than the engine knowledge

Boosted LS1, thanks

Your welcome. IIRC Pre crossbolted engines got the intermediate serp front end but with a dizzy. The innards stayed the same as on the earlier engines