1600M missing dipstick

[ColG]

I am planning to look at a 1600M at the weekend with a view to buying it. The vendor has said that the dipstick is missing, I thought nothing of it except "how do you check the oil level".

I mentioned the missing dipstick to a friend who races Midgets and he told me that he has a spring holding the dipstick in place on his race engine because the engine was not originally designed to rev to the level it does now and the raised compression can blow the dipstick out. He feels the missing dipstick could be sign of a problem with the engine.

Is this something I should worry about?

Are there any problems associated with this engine/model I should be looking for?

Thank you in advance for any advise you can give

[Alan Snowling]

Hello Col,

I'm a 1600M owner myself and I have recently re-built the engine on mine due to various problems. Some of these problems had symptoms such as oil blowing out of the dipstick hole, filler cap and lots of vapour being blown out of the crankcase filter outlet etc. due to bad compression through worn rings and various other things as it turned out.

I would have thought that your seller would have spent the small amount of time (and money) to get a dipstick from Burtons or the scrappy, rather than cast doubts in the mind of a potential purchaser and risk being knocked down on price severely, just in case a new engine is required. If the car is good, he should be prepared to prove it. If the car is dodgy - let the buyer beware!

Alan

[ColG]

Alan Snowling said:

Hello Col,

I'm a 1600M owner myself and I have recently re-built the engine on mine due to various problems. Some of these problems had symptoms such as oil blowing out of the dipstick hole, filler cap and lots of vapour being blown out of the crankcase filter outlet etc. due to bad compression through worn rings and various other things as it turned out.

I would have thought that your seller would have spent the small amount of time (and money) to get a dipstick from Burtons or the scrappy, rather than cast doubts in the mind of a potential purchaser and risk being knocked down on price severely, just in case a new engine is required. If the car is good, he should be prepared to prove it. If the car is dodgy - let the buyer beware!

Alan

Hi Alan,

Thank you for your comments, they have helped me confirm it is a problem to look out for. Apparently if you hold your thumb over the dipstick hole you can feel the pressure if there is a compression problem.

I also find it odd that he has not replaced the dipstick.

Regards, Colin

[Alan Snowling]

Col,

Let us know if you buy it - it would be good to see another 1600M at the pre 80s meet in September.

Alan

[ColG]

Alan Snowling said:

Col,

Let us know if you buy it - it would be good to see another 1600M at the pre 80s meet in September.

Alan

Hi Alan,

I will do. I have two lined up to see and they both seem good cars (as best as I can tell without seeing them yet), so I will most likely buy one of them.

Colin

[Harry1972M]

Col,
Which ones are you looking at as I know one of the ones in the classifieds very well as it is my old car which I restored.

Graham

[ColG]

Harry1972M said:

Col,
Which ones are you looking at as I know one of the ones in the classifieds very well as it is my old car which I restored.

Graham

Hi Graham,

I went on Sunday to look at:-

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/213682.htm

The owner, Iain, did say he had collected it from Newcastle. It is a nice car, just a bit too rough round the edges now.

I ended up buying a 1977 Taimar in the end (see picture on my profile).

[Harry1972M]

Hi Col,

Looks like you got a lovely looking Taimar there mate - the blue one you looked at was my old pride & joy so I'm dissapointed to hear you say "rough around the edges" as when I sold it to Iain a couple of years back it was immaculate (and it had a dipstick!!!) - care to expand on "rough" - obviously I don't wish to jeapordise the sale so private mail me through my profile if you don't wish to post comments on the forum.

Cheers
Graham

Edited by Harry1972M on Thursday 9th August 13:46

Edited by Harry1972M on Thursday 9th August 13:47

[ColG]

Harry1972M said:

Hi Col,

Looks like you got a lovely looking Taimar there mate - the blue one you looked at was my old pride & joy so I'm dissapointed to hear you say "rough around the edges" as when I sold it to Iain a couple of years back it was immaculate (and it had a dipstick!!!) - care to expand on "rough" - obviously I don't wish to jeapordise the sale so private mail me through my profile if you don't wish to post comments on the forum.

Cheers
Graham

Edited by Harry1972M on Thursday 9th August 13:46

Edited by Harry1972M on Thursday 9th August 13:47

It's a sound car and worth every penny, the Taimar just seemed to tickle my fancy a bit more.

[Daftlad]

ColG said:

Harry1972M said:

Hi Col,

Looks like you got a lovely looking Taimar there mate - the blue one you looked at was my old pride & joy so I'm dissapointed to hear you say "rough around the edges" as when I sold it to Iain a couple of years back it was immaculate (and it had a dipstick!!!) - care to expand on "rough" - obviously I don't wish to jeapordise the sale so private mail me through my profile if you don't wish to post comments on the forum.

Cheers
Graham

Edited by Harry1972M on Thursday 9th August 13:46

Edited by Harry1972M on Thursday 9th August 13:47

It's a sound car and worth every penny, the Taimar just seemed to tickle my fancy a bit more.

It's had some funny old owners that blue 1600M, especially in its earlier days.

[ColG]

Daftlad said:

ColG said:

Harry1972M said:

Hi Col,

Looks like you got a lovely looking Taimar there mate - the blue one you looked at was my old pride & joy so I'm dissapointed to hear you say "rough around the edges" as when I sold it to Iain a couple of years back it was immaculate (and it had a dipstick!!!) - care to expand on "rough" - obviously I don't wish to jeapordise the sale so private mail me through my profile if you don't wish to post comments on the forum.

Cheers
Graham

Edited by Harry1972M on Thursday 9th August 13:46

Edited by Harry1972M on Thursday 9th August 13:47

It's a sound car and worth every penny, the Taimar just seemed to tickle my fancy a bit more.

It's had some funny old owners that blue 1600M, especially in its earlier days.

If i'd known Daftlad & MrsS had owned that car I would have snapped it up, what greater provinence (dodgy spelling I think) could a TVR have (I know it sounds like i'm sucking up, but I'd love a ride in that Sag of yours one day, oh and the S Turbo, oh and the Tamora )

Hope to see you tonight if your in the country.

[Daftlad]

Col,
Lots of chance of a ride out in them all - possibly Crioft on the 19th September with the Sagaris??

I wont get to the meeting, Lindas should be there but I'll be too busy earning another TVR or a race drive for next year.

Edited by Daftlad on Thursday 9th August 14:59

[Harry1972M]

Daftlad,
Did you own my old M at some point ??

Graham

[heightswitch]

Harry1972M said:

Daftlad,
Did you own my old M at some point ??

Graham

John never repaired the fume ingress problem Harry. This explains a hell of a lot to me All is beginning to come clear around our Mr Simpson

Neil.

[ColG]

Daftlad said:

Col,
Lots of chance of a ride out in them all - possibly Crioft on the 19th September with the Sagaris??

I wont get to the meeting, Lindas should be there but I'll be too busy earning another TVR or a race drive for next year.

Edited by Daftlad on Thursday 9th August 14:59

See you at Croft

We'll have to get together for meal and drinks sometime, I'm about 6 years behind returning yours and Linda's hospitality.

[Terminator]

Daftlad said:

Col,
Lots of chance of a ride out in them all

And once you've known John for 26 years, you may even get to drive one

[Daftlad]

Harry1972M said:

Daftlad,
Did you own my old M at some point ??

Graham

I did indeed Graham.

[Daftlad]

Terminator said:

Daftlad said:

Col,
Lots of chance of a ride out in them all

And once you've known John for 26 years, you may even get to drive one

But only around a big oval at 3mph

[Daftlad]

heightswitch said:

Harry1972M said:

Daftlad,
Did you own my old M at some point ??

Graham

John never repaired the fume ingress problem Harry. This explains a hell of a lot to me All is beginning to come clear around our Mr Simpson

Neil.

It's more than exhaust fumes that are responsible for my current state of mind........petrol fumes, beer, brake dust, beer, and er wine??

TVRs are enough to make anyone turn to drink!!

[b3ngo]

Hi,

i'd appreciate some feedback on the 1600M - before i part with my hard earned !!

Mike