These TVRs are so unreliable.....

[glenrobbo]

I suffered my first breakdown today

Austin & I were out playing on the wild & windy moors, when suddenly at the worst possible moment, pulling away from a busy junction up a steep hill, the accelerator pedal went straight to the floor.
Managed to get to a place of safety after much irate tooting of horns ( well, they deserved it ! )
Investigated, throttle cable end fitting socket snapped off .
The pedal has a ball end which snaps into a nylon socket and half of the socket had broken away.
Tried lashing it all together with wire, it failed after 1/2 a mile
Bicycle rear brake cable should fix it.....
Found a bike shop, "Open for business as usual 2nd Jan."
Br!
Soaked to the skin & chilled to the bone, I took the easy option.
Set the idle to 2500 revs to get me the 27 miles back home.
I was late for Monday Club, but they forgave me when they heard my heroic tale of survival against all the odds.

But secretly I know why it all went wrong.

It's because I had the by roof on !!!
ie Self-inflicted.

Can anyone tell me if the S1 throttle cable is the same as Mk III Cortina?
And where can I get a new one?


Quite honestly, to suffer this kind of component failure after a mere 26 years just beggars belief!
Totally unacceptable.....

Edited by glenrobbo on Tuesday 31st December 00:43

[Marc C]

It's probably still under warranty, just return it to the dealership

[glenrobbo]

It's a long way to Fernhurst with no throttle

[SJS357]

How do Glen
Shocked to see your head line post.
Thought you were giving thought to switching up the TVR ranks to the more
modern Tiv.

Back luck old bean. But glad you got back ok.
Sorry can't help with technical stuff but sure Mike or one of the other hands on guys.
Will advise.

Wishing you an early Happy New Year.
Catch up soon.

Simon.

[phillpot]

Does this look any good?

Providing it's long enough could be "made to fit", using just the inner with a clamp on nipple at the pedal end?

"Tenporary repair" a long time ago ....



That ball 'n socket arrangement was used on various Fords, your friendly local Motor Factor may have something you could utilise?

Bit like this, and it's got a metal end, none of that plastic rubbish that only lasts 26 years

[glenrobbo]

Thanks for the info Mike, I'll nip down to see Andy at Speedyparts, he's nearly as helpful as you. I've got a Burton catalogue somewhere as well.

Looking at your pics, have you drilled the pedal arm for the cable inner to pass through? I would think this would reduce the range of travel quite a bit. How do you get full throttle?
My cable has a socket at each end, the pedal & throttle arm have the balls, so I would have to modify as you suggest.
My cable outer is also past it's best, so I'll have to replace that as well.

I'll get my tape measure out & check the length. ( Oo-er Missus! )

Thanks Si for your moral support, & I hope everyone enjoys this evening's festivities.
May I also wish you all a brilliant New Year.

[phillpot]

glenrobbo said:

have you drilled the pedal arm for the cable inner to pass through? I would think this would reduce the range of travel quite a bit. How do you get full throttle?

Yes I have drilled the pedal arm, to improve the angle between cable and pedal. Still got more than enough range, in fact I've made a pedal stop so tension is not on cable when flooring it (not that I drive like that)


things aren't quite standard at the other end either.....

[Longers]

Sorry to hear of your problems Glen, hope it's soon sorted.

glenrobbo said:

...pulling away from a busy junction up a steep hill, the accelerator pedal went straight to the floor.

You've been in the Gentlemen's Touring Section too long, that happens to some of all of the time

[Speed.deman]

glenrobbo said:

And where can I get a new one?


Quite honestly, to suffer this kind of component failure after a mere 26 years just beggars belief!
Totally unacceptable.....

I'm not sure it serves your cause or rebutts the stereotype that surrounds TVRs, when you start an entire thread to say your car is reliable. Speaking as someone who like the marque.

Just carry on quietly?

[TvrJohn]

I had a throttle cable failure on a 400se i had a while ago, boy scout repair got me home. Piece of string attached to the engine butterfly and operated throttle control by pulling the string which ran diagonally across the windscreen through the drivers window.
Got me home but throttle control was interesting !

[Niiige]

Sorry to see Austin's difficulties Glen. Hope you get it sorted soon.

Niiige

[glenrobbo]

Speed.deman said:

I'm not sure it serves your cause or rebutts the stereotype that surrounds TVRs, when you start an entire thread to say your car is reliable. Speaking as someone who like the marque.

Just carry on quietly?

Sorry, it seems my irony got the better of me.

Ironic, that....

Did you read all of my post, or just the title?

I really love the marque, but it's impossible to carry on quietly in a TVR

[glenrobbo]

Longers said:

Sorry to hear of your problems Glen, hope it's soon sorted.

glenrobbo said:

...pulling away from a busy junction up a steep hill, the accelerator pedal went straight to the floor.

You've been in the Gentlemen's Touring Section too long, that happens to some of all of the time

Yeah but no but... this time nothing happened !
For an instant I thought I'd gone deaf, then I realised there was no surge pushing me back in my seat.

I blame the French.

[Oldred_V8S]

Speed.deman said:

I'm not sure it serves your cause or rebutts the stereotype that surrounds TVRs, when you start an entire thread to say your car is reliable. Speaking as someone who like the marque.

Just carry on quietly?

Maybe a little closer reading of the post will reveal to you that Glen's tongue is firmly in his cheek, unless you do not get irony.

Oh and he named the thread unreliable not reliable as you stated above.

Out of all the different models of TVR, I have never found one held in so much affection as the S, even by ex-owners who would switch back in an instant if they could get their hands on their old car again.

You will not find a closer group of owners, intent on highlighting what great cars these are on any of the other TVR forums; all willing to help one another out when they are needed.

If you knew Glen better you would realise he is one of the last people to knock the reputation of these cars, he is one of the few people I know that use his car all year round, regardless of the weather. Those of us that know him and know how much use and enjoyment he gets from using Austin all understood the irony in his post.

[glenrobbo]

Thanks Mike, I'll get the pedal out & drill it in the appropriate place. Always handy to have alternative means of attachment.

TVR John, thanks for the tip, I did think about trying that, but on an S1, the routing is not really viable for string- operated throttle with the bonnet closed.

I'm sure normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.

Cheers Niiige, see you all next year.

Dunno about Barry though, he seems to be hell bent on reducing his S1 to every last one of it's component parts

[Speed.deman]

Oldred_V8S said:

Maybe a little closer reading of the post will reveal to you that Glen's tongue is firmly in his cheek, unless you do not get irony.

Oh and he named the thread unreliable not reliable as you stated above.

Out of all the different models of TVR, I have never found one held in so much affection as the S, even by ex-owners who would switch back in an instant if they could get their hands on their old car again.

You will not find a closer group of owners, intent on highlighting what great cars these are on any of the other TVR forums; all willing to help one another out when they are needed.

If you knew Glen better you would realise he is one of the last people to knock the reputation of these cars, he is one of the few people I know that use his car all year round, regardless of the weather. Those of us that know him and know how much use and enjoyment he gets from using Austin all understood the irony in his post.

It's ok. Glenn isn't as upset as you, but you are so very gallant and righteous. But honestly, it's really ok.

Best of luck with the next 26 years Glenn. Drive safe into 2014!

[v8s4me]

I'm sure this is a minor problem to a man of your ability Glen.

I used a piece of "U" section bar to make the fork which is connected to the throttle linkage. The little brass bit from a choc-connector is soldered into the "U" section and this enables the cable to be connected to the fork.



Or maybe these fittings could be adapted.

http://www.clasohlson.co.uk/Product/Product.aspx?i...

Here's an ancient thread on the subject..

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[glenrobbo]

Speed.deman said:

It's ok. Glenn isn't as upset as you, but you are so very gallant and righteous. But honestly, it's really ok.

Best of luck with the next 26 years Glenn. Drive safe into 2014!

No worries mate Although I'm not sure I'll still be able to get in & out of an S at the age of 92 given my current exponential growth rate.

Thanks Paul for the amazing eulogy, I feel unworthy now

Good luck to you all for 2014, have a good one, and don't drink & drive, you might spill some.
No driving for me until I get a new cable fitted, so tonight I'm gonna get absolutely AutoAndy'd !

[AutoAndy]

glenrobbo said:

so tonight I'm gonna get absolutely AutoAndy'd !

!!!!!...Hey....are you implying something?

[glenrobbo]

v8s4me said:

I'm sure this is a minor problem to a man of your ability Glen.

I used a piece of "U" section bar to make the fork which is connected to the throttle linkage. The little brass bit from a choc-connector is soldered into the "U" section and this enables the cable to be connected to the fork.



Or maybe these fittings could be adapted.

http://www.clasohlson.co.uk/Product/Product.aspx?i...

Here's an ancient thread on the subject..

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Thanks for the info Joe, I was looking at the old threads this morning.
There are no fork ends on my S1, each end of the cable connects onto balls.
( not as painfull as it sounds! )

I'm sure I'll sort something using skill, ingenuity, inventiveness & bits & bobs from my vast selection of oddments.

Or I might buy a cable.