The AJP 8 died yesterday - But only half ? Rebuild - LS ?
Discussion
The car yust a couple of weeks on dutch licinse plates. I had a nice drive of one hour or so, and yust 50 meters from my home the AJP engine died 
. It seems to be that What had to happen, happend to me (and my cerb) yesterday.
That is, i now have only one side of the engine that is alive. Pretty silly you know. I can start the engine but only one site is working. The other site doesn't go with it. No heat, no noice, no smoke. So i don't know yet what is wrong in it, but it seems to be not so good. Will give my servicepoint a call tomorrow who had it fully serviced a couple of weeks a go.
The thing now is that i have to make a decission for a transplant or (i think) a rebuild. The engine had 64K and had a 1/2 rebuild in his early live (cam shafts and things like that). What shall i do?
The LS route seems to give verry good results. Is there anybody who know if there are any 'do-it-yourself-rebuild-kits' available? I buy the engine and some other company provide me the additional parts and a brief 'how to' guide. If not, then i have to bring the car to the UK. Maybe i have to do that also for a rebuild.
Otherwise, because of the trouble of getting the car serviced over here, the LS route seems to be the most logical. If it is not because of the money, than it is because of no-one i know here (NL) has the right skills for servicing the AJP as it should be. They don't know how to synchronise - throttle potts etc... I know, the AJP is THE original, but i have to look if i can keep it alive know and in the future and not by putting it in the garage for conservation but by driving it sometimes.
I would like to know what are common price for my AJP 4.2 engine if i sell it in this (half functioning) condition. I want to know my chances of getting a trouble free live after a full rebuild and the cost's of that and who should do it. Is there anyone who know if there is a LS transplant kit?
I hope i can have it running again as soon as possible because i fell in love with my Cerbera.
Please feel free to give your opinion guys. It would probeply help me making my decision what to do with my cerb and his engine.
. It seems to be that What had to happen, happend to me (and my cerb) yesterday.That is, i now have only one side of the engine that is alive. Pretty silly you know. I can start the engine but only one site is working. The other site doesn't go with it. No heat, no noice, no smoke. So i don't know yet what is wrong in it, but it seems to be not so good. Will give my servicepoint a call tomorrow who had it fully serviced a couple of weeks a go.
The thing now is that i have to make a decission for a transplant or (i think) a rebuild. The engine had 64K and had a 1/2 rebuild in his early live (cam shafts and things like that). What shall i do?
The LS route seems to give verry good results. Is there anybody who know if there are any 'do-it-yourself-rebuild-kits' available? I buy the engine and some other company provide me the additional parts and a brief 'how to' guide. If not, then i have to bring the car to the UK. Maybe i have to do that also for a rebuild.
Otherwise, because of the trouble of getting the car serviced over here, the LS route seems to be the most logical. If it is not because of the money, than it is because of no-one i know here (NL) has the right skills for servicing the AJP as it should be. They don't know how to synchronise - throttle potts etc... I know, the AJP is THE original, but i have to look if i can keep it alive know and in the future and not by putting it in the garage for conservation but by driving it sometimes.
I would like to know what are common price for my AJP 4.2 engine if i sell it in this (half functioning) condition. I want to know my chances of getting a trouble free live after a full rebuild and the cost's of that and who should do it. Is there anyone who know if there is a LS transplant kit?
I hope i can have it running again as soon as possible because i fell in love with my Cerbera.
Please feel free to give your opinion guys. It would probeply help me making my decision what to do with my cerb and his engine.
Dave 500 said:
Have you checked the coil packs it sounds like one might not be working. They are under the purple pipes on top of the engine.
Will check it tomorrow but i don't think it is. The thing is, when the engine stopt, it stopt verry fast. Like if your not giving enough gas in a right gear and the engine stops (don't know exactly how to say in English but i hope you understand it). Then, when i tried to restart the engine, it was not possible. I have a brand new ACCU so that was not the cause. The whole engine was blokked. That was yesterday.
This morning i tried again starting the engine. And gues what, it starts emidiatly, but on one bank. So i realy think, something crashed yesterday. Don't know what it is yet, but because of the entyre engine was blokked i'm pretty sure something (bad) happend inside the engine.
But... i will have a look Dave.
Might be a silly question, but have you done much investigating into what has actually happened to the engine?
I take it there wasn't any signs of overheating prior to the malfunction?
Do you still have a spark on the dead side? Are the injectors still firing on the dead side.
Dont give up on the old girl yet!
I take it there wasn't any signs of overheating prior to the malfunction?
Do you still have a spark on the dead side? Are the injectors still firing on the dead side.
Dont give up on the old girl yet!
I am only familiar with the AJP race engine but I doubt the road engine is wired significantly differently. If the engine will start but is only firing on one bank then you could easily have an electrical fault. It could be the relay, fuse or wiring for the injectors or spark plugs on one bank, or as already suggested, a coil pack. I certainly wouldn't assume initially that you have a mechanical failure. Do the usual checks - do you have a spark, do you have fuel on the bank that is down....
peaktorque said:
If you want an LS engine in a car then buy a Corvette 
.
I Want a running Cerb and i want to keep it alive. The problem for people outside the UK is that they love your cars but in this case it's a hell of a problem to get things done well here if it's a Cerbera. So tnx to PH i already pm for a used AJP engine, but if your not living in the UK, the land of kid cars an TVR knowledge, we have some mind brakers if we have to make a decision on rebuilding or transplanting . It could be a never ending story you know. But i agree, it is a stunning engine and it should stay in a Cerb. But not at all costs. Sad there seems to be no economical future for it..P.s.
a corvette doesn't have "the looks" of my car. 
teamHOLDENracing said:
I am only familiar with the AJP race engine but I doubt the road engine is wired significantly differently. If the engine will start but is only firing on one bank then you could easily have an electrical fault. It could be the relay, fuse or wiring for the injectors or spark plugs on one bank, or as already suggested, a coil pack. I certainly wouldn't assume initially that you have a mechanical failure. Do the usual checks - do you have a spark, do you have fuel on the bank that is down....
I know, but as i said "The thing is, when the engine stopt, it stopt verry fast. Like if your not giving enough gas in a right gear and the engine stops (don't know exactly how to say in English but i hope you understand it). Then, when i tried to restart the engine, it was not possible. I have a brand new ACCU so that was not the cause. The whole engine was blokked. That was yesterday."
The engine was not able to rotate. We tried pussing it, and tried to let it 'fall' in it's second and in it's thirt gear. Doing this, the whole car stoppet-blokked on it's engine. Thats not normal.
I will check electrical because "she deserves" but a realy think something broke.
Just, after te engine cooled down, everything was rotating again. For me it looks like something badly overheated and jammed-broke. Mabey a chain has broken or some piston springs?
CVpeet said:
peaktorque said:
If you want an LS engine in a car then buy a Corvette .
I Want a running Cerb and i want to keep it alive. The problem for people outside the UK is that they love your cars but in this case it's a hell of a problem to get things done well here if it's a Cerbera. So tnx to PH i already pm for a used AJP engine, but if your not living in the UK, the land of kid cars an TVR knowledge, we have some mind brakers if we have to make a decision on rebuilding or transplanting . It could be a never ending story you know. But i agree, it is a stunning engine and it should stay in a Cerb. But not at all costs. Sad there seems to be no economical future for it..P.s.
a corvette doesn't have "the looks" of my car. The LS is a great engine........
And the Cerbera is a piece of automotive art.........
But......
The AJP is a PITA if it goes wrong (as yours has), but.....
IMO, a Cerb. isn't a Cerb. without a AJP (or Speed six for that matter).
To many people I will sound like the devil but for a person outside from TVR AJP mechanics the LS route is a good choice. It is a shame not to keep the original engine but in your circumstance it would be good for you. The Chevy engine is better understood in mainland europe and I'm sure you could get someone to convert for you.
2nd choice is to bring the car to the UK and have an expert mechanic to look at it who may see an easy fix for it. Look at the simple (less cost things) first.
I've had a beer or 2 so.... ?? But I have had an LS conversion and am very happy with it.
2nd choice is to bring the car to the UK and have an expert mechanic to look at it who may see an easy fix for it. Look at the simple (less cost things) first.
I've had a beer or 2 so.... ?? But I have had an LS conversion and am very happy with it.
. Peter,
If you want to go the LS route, then talk to Steve Heath (shpub here on PH). A really lovely sorted out conversion and the conversion leaves every upgrade open.
I also asked Steve if there was a do-it-yourself-kit. But with his conversion they do a chassismodification, so a camchange is an 1 hour job. They know how to do it and which parts need to be machined etc. Steve did put a couple hours thinking in how to do it right and in the most cost effective way.
As I wrote to you on your email, he has three LS2/LS3 engines coming over and one of them has not been sold. That is when I called Steve last week. I'll have to warn you though....you will be creating a MONSTER!
Visit Steve's website and you'll find the whole story of the conversion.
If you want to go the LS route, then talk to Steve Heath (shpub here on PH). A really lovely sorted out conversion and the conversion leaves every upgrade open.
I also asked Steve if there was a do-it-yourself-kit. But with his conversion they do a chassismodification, so a camchange is an 1 hour job. They know how to do it and which parts need to be machined etc. Steve did put a couple hours thinking in how to do it right and in the most cost effective way.
As I wrote to you on your email, he has three LS2/LS3 engines coming over and one of them has not been sold. That is when I called Steve last week. I'll have to warn you though....you will be creating a MONSTER!
Visit Steve's website and you'll find the whole story of the conversion.
Peter
Holland is only a couple of hours away from the UK!!
You could hire a trailer and bring it over and leave it with an AJP engine expert, someone like Andy at APM??
He could diagnose the problem, and give you a price to fix it.
Or if the engine is totally wrecked, then onto an LS installer if you want too??
Holland is only a couple of hours away from the UK!!
You could hire a trailer and bring it over and leave it with an AJP engine expert, someone like Andy at APM??
He could diagnose the problem, and give you a price to fix it.
Or if the engine is totally wrecked, then onto an LS installer if you want too??
If 'one side is alive' you need to rule out the basics before you start engine transplants. Rule out mechanical damage first (stressful & expensive) and download the diagnostic software (easy and most of all, free), plug a laptop into the ecu 9 pin serial port ( ecu in passenger footwell, you may need a usb to serial converter) and see what's what. Post a screenshot if possible and I'm sure certain the Cerb forum will rise to the challenge. Or you could go the LS route now and sell me the AJP lump and associated ancillaries for let's say £100 ? 
teamHOLDENracing said:
I am only familiar with the AJP race engine but I doubt the road engine is wired significantly differently. If the engine will start but is only firing on one bank then you could easily have an electrical fault. It could be the relay, fuse or wiring for the injectors or spark plugs on one bank, or as already suggested, a coil pack. I certainly wouldn't assume initially that you have a mechanical failure. Do the usual checks - do you have a spark, do you have fuel on the bank that is down....
And if all that is OK then take the cam cover off and see it the cam is turning...remember what happened to Rodders/Jans car at Thruxton Andy ?The long term future of the AJP8 looks brighter than it has for a while now that all of the parts are again being manufactured. http://www.mellingwildcat.blogspot.com/
If you go the LS route then Boosted can source parts and is familiar with installation into TVRs.
If you go the LS route then Boosted can source parts and is familiar with installation into TVRs.
Ok Guys, this is realy good support, especialy because there is now support at all for this engine over here. Thank you all for the great input you given me so far.
Meanwhile i did not managed yet to find the time to sort things out. But.... all the tips you gave me are worth trying and because i have no one nearby to do these sort of things for me, i will have to do it myself.
But why do day's only have 24hrs.
In a couple of days i will find the time to check the engine. I will let you know what is the problem causing the engine running half.
Till that, i keep my options open. And lets see what is tru about all those rumors of new AJP production and parts supply for old/new AJP. I realy hope it's true.
Meanwhile i did not managed yet to find the time to sort things out. But.... all the tips you gave me are worth trying and because i have no one nearby to do these sort of things for me, i will have to do it myself.
But why do day's only have 24hrs
.In a couple of days i will find the time to check the engine. I will let you know what is the problem causing the engine running half.
Till that, i keep my options open. And lets see what is tru about all those rumors of new AJP production and parts supply for old/new AJP. I realy hope it's true.
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