Am I worrying unnecessarily ?
Discussion
Afternoon Chaps ..
I've only had the Cerb since Saturday so please bear with me if i sound like Mr new pants
The car has been kept in a garage by the previous owner whereas its just left on the drive outside my house, its been raining for the past few days and is quite damp indeed. I didn't use the car yesterday at all, got in this morning and started it up and all fine. Headed out onto the road and the oil pressure went bonkers, needle dropped from 65/70 down to about 25 whilst the car was idling at 1000rpm, warning light came on for a split second but dissapeared and the pressure went straight back up again once the car was under load. Once the car was warm it seemed fine after this but pressure was dropping to 40ish when at idle and back up to 60ish once under load ?
Do you think it could be that its been left out in the rain ? .. I've done a little search and i've read that water can get into the coils ?
Many thanks guys
Steve
I've only had the Cerb since Saturday so please bear with me if i sound like Mr new pants
The car has been kept in a garage by the previous owner whereas its just left on the drive outside my house, its been raining for the past few days and is quite damp indeed. I didn't use the car yesterday at all, got in this morning and started it up and all fine. Headed out onto the road and the oil pressure went bonkers, needle dropped from 65/70 down to about 25 whilst the car was idling at 1000rpm, warning light came on for a split second but dissapeared and the pressure went straight back up again once the car was under load. Once the car was warm it seemed fine after this but pressure was dropping to 40ish when at idle and back up to 60ish once under load ?
Do you think it could be that its been left out in the rain ? .. I've done a little search and i've read that water can get into the coils ?
Many thanks guys
Steve
Edited by brooksie on Wednesday 14th February 13:56
Hiya,
I'd check the oil is topped up, and make sure you're no on a slope the they can use a bit, make sure you don't overfill. Also the pressure will drop when it warms up so as long as it's above 35ish youre ok. 65-70 at startup is perfik.
Paranoia is commonplace for the first few years, after that you'll just get used to every single clatter and pop.
You'll soon notice any changes in sound and feedback, don't over worry they are very hardy, and rarely faulter with correct maintennence and care when warming up.
nb, that said i can only speak for AJPv8 cerbs, I know 3/5ths of F'all about S6 stats.
Enjoy
I'd check the oil is topped up, and make sure you're no on a slope the they can use a bit, make sure you don't overfill. Also the pressure will drop when it warms up so as long as it's above 35ish youre ok. 65-70 at startup is perfik.
Paranoia is commonplace for the first few years, after that you'll just get used to every single clatter and pop.
You'll soon notice any changes in sound and feedback, don't over worry they are very hardy, and rarely faulter with correct maintennence and care when warming up. nb, that said i can only speak for AJPv8 cerbs, I know 3/5ths of F'all about S6 stats.
Enjoy
Chill Steve, all part of the fun!
To be honest, sounds more like your oil is a little low - mine used to do exactly that when it was getting low, dropping to zilch and flashing lights at me when idling, running up to normal pressure at decent revs. Top her up!
As for the water ingress, get your indie to check which window seals it has and also if there's water coming through the drivers footwell down the pedals (just needs a few blobs of sealant on the firewall to cure. The later model seals are worth fitting as the window slides more easily, they're more watertight and a heck of a lot quieter with less wind noise.
To be honest, sounds more like your oil is a little low - mine used to do exactly that when it was getting low, dropping to zilch and flashing lights at me when idling, running up to normal pressure at decent revs. Top her up!
As for the water ingress, get your indie to check which window seals it has and also if there's water coming through the drivers footwell down the pedals (just needs a few blobs of sealant on the firewall to cure. The later model seals are worth fitting as the window slides more easily, they're more watertight and a heck of a lot quieter with less wind noise.
brooksie said:
Afternoon Chaps ..
I've only had the Cerb since Saturday so please bear with me if i sound like Mr new pants
The car has been kept in a garage by the previous owner whereas its just left on the drive outside my house, its been raining for the past few days and is quite damp indeed. I didn't use the car yesterday at all, got in this morning and started it up and all fine. Headed out onto the road and the oil pressure went bonkers, needle dropped from 65/70 down to about 25 whilst the car was idling at 1000rpm, warning light came on for a split second but dissapeared and the pressure went straight back up again once the car was under load. Once the car was warm it seemed fine after this but pressure was dropping to 40ish when at idle and back up to 60ish once under load ?
Do you think it could be that its been left out in the rain ? .. I've done a little search and i've read that water can get into the coils ?
Many thanks guys
Steve
I've only had the Cerb since Saturday so please bear with me if i sound like Mr new pants
The car has been kept in a garage by the previous owner whereas its just left on the drive outside my house, its been raining for the past few days and is quite damp indeed. I didn't use the car yesterday at all, got in this morning and started it up and all fine. Headed out onto the road and the oil pressure went bonkers, needle dropped from 65/70 down to about 25 whilst the car was idling at 1000rpm, warning light came on for a split second but dissapeared and the pressure went straight back up again once the car was under load. Once the car was warm it seemed fine after this but pressure was dropping to 40ish when at idle and back up to 60ish once under load ?
Do you think it could be that its been left out in the rain ? .. I've done a little search and i've read that water can get into the coils ?
Many thanks guys
Steve
Edited by brooksie on Wednesday 14th February 13:56
Never buy a Cerb that's "always been garaged", unless you don't intend taking it out in the rain that is. It probably stinks of piss as well. If you're getting zero oil pressure on a sharp left turn, you're oil level is low (strangely, that'll be around the middle mark on that amazingly accurate picks dick of a dip stick)
If it wasn't on a left bend, your oil pressure relief spring / valve is on it's way out. It's only cheap, so panic ye not. But get it fixed ASAP.
Revving the engine will actually open it back up, but everything in your head is telling you not to rev the engine with no oil pressure.
Happy motoring
Of course checking the oil isn't that straightforward! Fortunately when I got mine someone else asked about it on the forum. For example, having to leave the dipstick out for a while before taking the level, I usually leave mine out overnight. Even now I'm not totally convinced if I am getting an accurate reading!
Week after picking up my Cerb back in September, the Oil Pressure light came on at anything below 2k revs! That was scary, but the gauge was still reading ok, above 35. Was told nothing to worry about, as long as the gauge was showing pressure.
Don't you just luv 'em!
Week after picking up my Cerb back in September, the Oil Pressure light came on at anything below 2k revs! That was scary, but the gauge was still reading ok, above 35. Was told nothing to worry about, as long as the gauge was showing pressure.
Don't you just luv 'em!
god i love this car 
.. still not managed to find the adjustable steering column thingy yet either (despite reading the oh so helpful manual )
so .. checking the oil involves leaving the dipstick out overnight ?!?!?!?!? eh ?!?!?!? will have a search just to make sure im doing it right.
all part of the fun
.. still not managed to find the adjustable steering column thingy yet either (despite reading the oh so helpful manual ) so .. checking the oil involves leaving the dipstick out overnight ?!?!?!?!? eh ?!?!?!? will have a search just to make sure im doing it right.
all part of the fun
brooksie said:
god i love this car .. still not managed to find the adjustable steering column thingy yet either (despite reading the oh so helpful manual )
so .. checking the oil involves leaving the dipstick out overnight ?!?!?!?!? eh ?!?!?!? will have a search just to make sure im doing it right.
all part of the fun
.. still not managed to find the adjustable steering column thingy yet either (despite reading the oh so helpful manual ) so .. checking the oil involves leaving the dipstick out overnight ?!?!?!?!? eh ?!?!?!? will have a search just to make sure im doing it right.
all part of the fun
Hang upside down in the drivers footwell with a ninety-gazillion watt torch, should find it..... or maybe not..... TVR insist that all bar the very first couple of Cerbs had an adjustable column, but no one could ever find it on mine...
The other poster was right - the more you drive it and get to know your particular car's foibles, he easier it will become. After a few thousand miles or so I felt more able to tell the cars temperament from the noises it made rather than anything the gauges said.
Might I suggest keeping a litre or two of oil in the boot, to save panic moments? That way you can lob in half a litre the minute the light comes on and worry about checking levels at a later stage.
Enjoy, and ask anything and everything you want, as you say, that's what the forums are for.
Oh, and track it!
redleicester said:
As for the water ingress, get your indie to check which window seals it has and also if there's water coming through the drivers footwell down the pedals (just needs a few blobs of sealant on the firewall to cure. The later model seals are worth fitting as the window slides more easily, they're more watertight and a heck of a lot quieter with less wind noise.
Where do you get these from?
brooksie said:
god i love this car .. still not managed to find the adjustable steering column thingy yet either
.. still not managed to find the adjustable steering column thingy yet either Errr, quick word of warning before you do find it.
When I found mine, and dropped the steering column down, it pulled one of the ribbons out of the PCB.
The ribbon was tight under the column in the up position..... it was lying on the floor in the down position
It's the only car I've ever had where adjusting the steering wheel caused the lights to stop working. I've learnt not to touch anything in it again.
I keep meaning to close the air vent by my feet, but I'm worried the boot will fly off in a "Laurel & Hardy go driving" stylee
kojak said:
[quote=brooksie]
so .. checking the oil involves leaving the dipstick out overnight ?!?!?!?!? eh ?!?!?!? will have a search just to make sure im doing it right.
quote]
I always leave mine overnight and check it when cold next morning. Its the only sure way to check it.
so .. checking the oil involves leaving the dipstick out overnight ?!?!?!?!? eh ?!?!?!? will have a search just to make sure im doing it right.
quote]
I always leave mine overnight and check it when cold next morning. Its the only sure way to check it.
eh? really how come. does every body do this? I my dip stick has been moved from the rear of the engine to the front- does the rule still apply?
southendpier said:
kojak said:
[quote=brooksie]
so .. checking the oil involves leaving the dipstick out overnight ?!?!?!?!? eh ?!?!?!? will have a search just to make sure im doing it right.
quote]
I always leave mine overnight and check it when cold next morning. Its the only sure way to check it.
so .. checking the oil involves leaving the dipstick out overnight ?!?!?!?!? eh ?!?!?!? will have a search just to make sure im doing it right.
quote]
I always leave mine overnight and check it when cold next morning. Its the only sure way to check it.
eh? really how come. does every body do this? I my dip stick has been moved from the rear of the engine to the front- does the rule still apply?
4.2 AJPv8's have the dipstick towards the back of the engine, inbetween the fuel rail whilst the later 4.2's have it situated at the front. not sure if they ever moved 4.5's.
the fit in the tube is sometimes a bit tight so always ensure you push the stick home, although it is always best to check oil levels when cold, I'm not too sure about leaving it out overnight, I for one would prob forget to put it back.
kojak said:
FUBAR said:
Did I not read somewhere that Sp6s should be checked for oil levels when warm? (something to do with dry sumps or summat?) Or have I just made that up? 
You might be right. Assuned, rightly or wrongly, that it was a V8.
So did I Mick, I was just trying to pretend I knew something mechanically related
FUBAR said:
Did I not read somewhere that Sp6s should be checked for oil levels when warm? (something to do with dry sumps or summat?) Or have I just made that up?
Nope you're right. With some (don't know if this applies to all) dry sump engines you measure the oil level in the catch tank. You need to do it immediately after you turn the engine off, with the engine fully warm, before the oil drains back into the sump. You can end up over filling it otherwise. One of my motorbikes is like this.
Steve.
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