UEGENT HELP NEEDED NOW
UEGENT HELP NEEDED NOW
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UKBoB

Original Poster:

16,277 posts

294 months

Saturday 19th March 2005
quotequote all
I noticed a dribble of water after parking up today, coming from the middle of the car at the back. It was definitely water.

We could smell fish(?) and the temperature went crazy tonight, up near 110, with steam coming from the front passenger side area. Car drank 2 litres of water and still needs more. Let it cool down, came home and parked up (temp on its way up again)

Sooo... we are going to call the RAC, hopefully they might be able to patch it up

Questions

1) What is at the back of the car, central, which could leak water

2) Could having had the temp at between 105 and 110 mean any damage would have been done.

3) Possible outcome of RAC visit?

4) MOST importantly, I heard that if you jack up a cerbera with only one jack, the car bends a little, and you will bugger the windscreen seals (the black area will start turning white) What do I tell the RAC guy re: jacking, if he wants to jack it up and have a look/try to fix?

angusfaldo

2,831 posts

303 months

Saturday 19th March 2005
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Bob

If he needs to jack the car get him to use the central cross-brace as a lifting point. That way he lifts one side of the car rather than a corner.

Sorry not to be much help on the other stuff.

Mine was running up to 105 on the guage at the rolling road session last week. Fans would bring it back down swiftly. Can't comment on the dangers of running up to 110.

Good luck

andy4200

5,125 posts

302 months

Saturday 19th March 2005
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Fishy smell is most likely antifreeze, smells horrible, tastes not too bad....

Don't know what is at the back with water but maybe leaking and running down the tunnel...

If your capillary for the temp gauge is tie wrapped to the water pipe under the airbox then you will regularly see the temp that high. It's not really that much. If it's a one off then it's prob associated with the leak. Check the expansion tank and metal water pipes.

Meant to add... where's the heater matrix in the cerb. The g/f's old Punto had a leaking matrix and it stank like rotten haddock.

>> Edited by andy4200 on Saturday 19th March 21:20

UKBoB

Original Poster:

16,277 posts

294 months

Saturday 19th March 2005
quotequote all
andy4200 said:
antifreeze, smells horrible, tastes not too bad....


I was thinking eezeegeezer had thrown a fish under the bonnet after we'd finished up at a petrol station

Thanks for the posts guys, its going to be low loaded tomorrow. The RAC chap was fantastic, couldnt pinpoint the leak but was much faster, friendlier more helpful etc than the AA.

Another question: Apparently the leak was soaked up by the heat shielding/wadding stuff. Will the fish smell go in time, or should I ask dream machines to replace the heat insulation wadding stuff?

Either way this best be covered by warranty!

adiandvic

299 posts

264 months

Sunday 20th March 2005
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sorry to hear the news rob, where has she gone DM again, give me a call mate

Extra 300 Driver

5,282 posts

275 months

Sunday 20th March 2005
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Could be a number of things;

Coolant pipe fracture

Radiator gone

Head :gulp: Gasket

The fish smell should wear off. The insluation is like the stuff we use in Aircraft and will just dry out. Above the propshaft the insluation is sandwiched between the chassis and the body, so a difficult job to replave.

Let us know how you get on.

darreni

4,514 posts

299 months

Sunday 20th March 2005
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if its leaking somewhere central, check the head studs, next to the inlet manifold in the "V". These can snap (the stud actually threads in to a waterway), the coolant will appear to drain at the bottom middle of the engine.
Mine went, engine out, all atuds & headgaskets replaced!
Hope its not this, do check all of your hoses & replace with silicone ones, these cars are at an age where the original rubber ones will let go when you least need it.

budaholic

1,516 posts

264 months

Sunday 20th March 2005
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don't be too alarmed about the indicated temp.
I checked mine with a laptop, and the indicated temps on mine are about 12 degrees higher than actual temps shown by the ECU.

Bud

UKBoB

Original Poster:

16,277 posts

294 months

Monday 21st March 2005
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Dream Machines say its highly unlikely to be the head gasket, and if the fix is a quick one it'll be sorted before the easter break.

Yeah, I know Ive been unlucky with niggles and all cars end up sorted, eventually, but 5 low loaders and 15 dealer/indie visits in 8 months of TVR ownership is a lot for anyone to have to put up with

Just feeling pretty right now (at my string of what would seem to be 'bad luck' (not dream machines who have always been helpful) And breathe...

>> Edited by UKBoB on Monday 21st March 17:02

Vesuvius996

35,829 posts

300 months

Monday 21st March 2005
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"Meant to add... where's the heater matrix in the cerb. The g/f's old Punto had a leaking matrix and it stank like rotten haddock. "


Not a very nice thing to say about your other half....


Soz.

guydw

1,651 posts

312 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2005
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sounds about right to me bob - unfortunately Cerbs have niggles - but tell me what other car matches the looks and performance for even close money...

UKBoB

Original Poster:

16,277 posts

294 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2005
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guydw said:
sounds about right to me bob - unfortunately Cerbs have niggles - but tell me what other car matches the looks and performance for even close money...
A tuned up old countache perhaps Sorry I see you might be after a lambo yourself? I also noticed you've been reading PH for nearly 5 years? Ive been reading this very Cerbera forum for longer than that mate and am under no illusions whatsoever regarding cerberas, potential costs, and possibly reliability issues. I went in eyes wide open as everyone should, and merely felt frustrated at the time of writing knowing that with both my TVR's I have had more niggles than the 'average' buyer, but I didnt quit, Im not wealthy, and I paid to have every last niggle fixed sparing no expense, determined to whip my first car into tip top shape which is exactly what I did.

My V8S really was a nightmare to properly sort out. I spent no less than £1000 a month (a calculated average, including insurance but not obviously including petrol) EVERY month for the 6 months I had it. It was my first ever car, and after much pain and strife I finally/happily sorted the last niggle literally 2 days before I sold it and picked up the cerbera.

Naturally, after buying the cerb, and having the clutch, the boot mechanism, the door electrics, the wiper motor, the starter motor, the windscreen seals, the fuse, and the alarm go wrong, I felt in part as if I was starting again from scratch, and consider it my right to whinge a little online, as others have done in the past. Dream Machines have stood by me, and moved heaven and earth to get my cerb back to me in record time. This time around Im thankful for the warranty

For any potential buyers reading, Ive been unlucky with the number of niggles Ive had, and am the exception rather than the rule. I know some cerbera owners have had virtually no serious problems whatsoever in several years of ownership. Such is the nature of TVR.

Whatever happens, I'll always do whatever it takes to sort my Cerb, sparing no expense. As you say, what other car has the same looks and performance, for similar money?

Besides, there isnt another car on the planet which pops and bangs quite like an AJP

PHØENIX

719 posts

259 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2005
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Yeah there is, an old impala with a straight through x-flow system... pops and bangs that would shatter the cerbs chassis! and loosen ones grandmas teeth fillings!

Just playin....

Graham just done a 900 mile journey in his cerb this weekend gone, I wander if anyone has broken that record in a weekend?

oldred

3,764 posts

267 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2005
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UKBoB said:

Sooo... we are going to call the RAC, hopefully they might be able to patch it up



Rob is that right you have been invited to the RAC's Christmas do?

Sorry to hear of the latest prob, don't worry, like the V8S I'm sure you'll get all the bugs ironed out in time. Got the V8S taxed and back on the road, so will give you a bell one sunny Sunday, will pick the plugs up and we can go for a hoon. Was down in Brighton on Sunday, blatting along the A27, then onto Lewes and through the Culfeil tunnel, fantastic! Was going to ring, but forgot to take your mobile number with me.

UKBob

Original Poster:

16,277 posts

294 months

Wednesday 23rd March 2005
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oldred said:
Rob is that right you have been invited to the RAC's Christmas do?

Sorry to hear of the latest prob, don't worry, like the V8S I'm sure you'll get all the bugs ironed out in time. Got the V8S taxed and back on the road, so will give you a bell one sunny Sunday, will pick the plugs up and we can go for a hoon. Was down in Brighton on Sunday, blatting along the A27, then onto Lewes and through the Culfeil tunnel, fantastic! Was going to ring, but forgot to take your mobile number with me.
Xmas dinner? Bah, we own the RAC, and the AA!! Joy suggested we buy our own low loader and so we did Having a flatbed has its advantages We can join in hoons across the Sussex countryside without fear of breakdown and the added height/visability advantage, we can recover the vehicle ourselves again and again without fear of pushing membership privaleges to their limits! Why we can even sneak in and tag along beind the rear float at the notting hill carnival and other events, taking the cerbera where no cerbera has gone before!

I got what was coming to me though, bought another TVR which had not been used regularly, same as the V8S and whether coincidence or ... the usual niggles did arise

Yes, do call next your in this next of the woods, we can grab some lunch and for afters green flag will take us home

ps, my got a new mobile no. yhm

towman

14,938 posts

268 months

Wednesday 23rd March 2005
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You boys coming on the Beachy Blatt in a month or so? Mmmmmmmm Tunnels!

Was that serious about your own flatbed?

andy4200

5,125 posts

302 months

Wednesday 23rd March 2005
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Vesuvius996 said:


andy4200 said:
"Meant to add... where's the heater matrix in the cerb. The g/f's old Punto had a leaking matrix and it stank like rotten haddock. "



Not a very nice thing to say about your other half....


Soz.


Cheeky

In reply to Ash, 900 miles in a weekend isn't too bad. We covered about 800 in a day coming back from France. The cerb isn't quite as comfortable as the Audi which was fine for about 1400 miles a day and still able to walk at the end.

UKBob

Original Poster:

16,277 posts

294 months

Wednesday 23rd March 2005
quotequote all
towman said:
You boys coming on the Beachy Blatt in a month or so? Mmmmmmmm Tunnels!

Was that serious about your own flatbed?
No, not being serious about our own flatbed, although I do like the idea of being able to sneak the cerb into carnivals and have hula hula honies dancing around the car

The beachy blatt? As in beachy head?

towman

14,938 posts

268 months

Wednesday 23rd March 2005
quotequote all
Yep. Pease Pottage - Devils Dyke - Southwick Tunnels - Ditchling Beacon - Lewes Tunnel - Firle Bostal - Deans Place, Alfriston (Lunch) - Seaford - Beachy Head - Filching Manor (Karting)

We got snowed off last time! Interested?

UKBoB

Original Poster:

16,277 posts

294 months

Wednesday 23rd March 2005
quotequote all
towman said:
Yep. Pease Pottage - Devils Dyke - Southwick Tunnels - Ditchling Beacon - Lewes Tunnel - Firle Bostal - Deans Place, Alfriston (Lunch) - Seaford - Beachy Head - Filching Manor (Karting)

We got snowed off last time! Interested?
Yup, for sure. Can you email me the link to the thread please mate

Good news from dream machines, who as always responded in record time (despite being told by 4 people that fixing my car this week was unlikely re: the short week) and have fixed my car (reconditioned the rad) - Im off there to pick it up any second when the taxi arrives. Good thing too, girlfriends now got engine failure light coming up on her car

Again, big thanks to james, its times like these having bought from a dealer is a big relief