First drive in Tam...help please
Discussion
OK ¡V So my first experience driving the Tamora. It has left me excited and scared in equal measures!
I picked up the car from my friends house having bought it last week and parking it there whilst I sort out the insurance etc.
Walking up to it, I though ¡¥¡¦Wow ¡V I finally did it!¡¦¡¦.
So, I open the door, take off the roof and after 15 minutes of messing around, manage to figure out how it fits into the boot.
I get into the car now and eventually figure out how to immobilise it¡Ktry to start it (without gas). NO.
Try again ¡V No. Try again, with gas ¡V kind of starts (very loud)¡K.then fizzles out. Lots of (white) smoke, probably due to my previous failed attempts.
Again¡K.and it¡¦s alive! Sounds great! Lots of beeps from the dash, but I can barely read it because it needs replacing.
The accelerator is VERY sensitive and the breaks are hard, the clutch is heavy.
Get out of the drive and over the speed bumps, everything is fine¡Kmore beeps.
I can just about read the temperatures and I am taking it nice and easy while the car warms up. Eventually the oil warms up to 70 degrees and I get a clear stretch and I put my foot down on a straight.
I am thrust back and the driver seat is thrown back!!! I can¡¦t reach the pedals now, so I have to pull myself forward again!
I keep driving and the beep is less frequent now as the car is warmed up¡Kit is an oil warning, but I can¡¦t read it fully.
I park up at home and turn it off. There is an EFI warning about oil ¡V but I can¡¦t read it due to the dash.
I then start it up to show my brother and again there is white smoke on starting, but this stops straight away. He things the car sounds like its ¡¥puffing a bit¡¦¡K
I am now quite scared about what lies ahead for me, but as I put the cover on her, I am not deterred¡KI will fix her ƒº
So, guys, In your infinite wealth of knowledge of the speed six engine and TVRs, could you help me answer the following questions please ¡V they will make me feel much better once I know.
1. Should I have to give a little gas to start the car¡Kand even then this may only be successful on the 2nd attempt.
2. Is it ¡¥normal¡¦ for there to be white smoke on starting¡Kwhich then goes away
3. Should the car sound like its ¡¥puffing¡¦ a little bit
4. What could this EFI Oil warning be? ¡V the temperatures and everything else (I could read) appear to be OK).
I picked up the car from my friends house having bought it last week and parking it there whilst I sort out the insurance etc.
Walking up to it, I though ¡¥¡¦Wow ¡V I finally did it!¡¦¡¦.
So, I open the door, take off the roof and after 15 minutes of messing around, manage to figure out how it fits into the boot.
I get into the car now and eventually figure out how to immobilise it¡Ktry to start it (without gas). NO.
Try again ¡V No. Try again, with gas ¡V kind of starts (very loud)¡K.then fizzles out. Lots of (white) smoke, probably due to my previous failed attempts.
Again¡K.and it¡¦s alive! Sounds great! Lots of beeps from the dash, but I can barely read it because it needs replacing.
The accelerator is VERY sensitive and the breaks are hard, the clutch is heavy.
Get out of the drive and over the speed bumps, everything is fine¡Kmore beeps.
I can just about read the temperatures and I am taking it nice and easy while the car warms up. Eventually the oil warms up to 70 degrees and I get a clear stretch and I put my foot down on a straight.
I am thrust back and the driver seat is thrown back!!! I can¡¦t reach the pedals now, so I have to pull myself forward again!
I keep driving and the beep is less frequent now as the car is warmed up¡Kit is an oil warning, but I can¡¦t read it fully.
I park up at home and turn it off. There is an EFI warning about oil ¡V but I can¡¦t read it due to the dash.
I then start it up to show my brother and again there is white smoke on starting, but this stops straight away. He things the car sounds like its ¡¥puffing a bit¡¦¡K
I am now quite scared about what lies ahead for me, but as I put the cover on her, I am not deterred¡KI will fix her ƒº
So, guys, In your infinite wealth of knowledge of the speed six engine and TVRs, could you help me answer the following questions please ¡V they will make me feel much better once I know.
1. Should I have to give a little gas to start the car¡Kand even then this may only be successful on the 2nd attempt.
2. Is it ¡¥normal¡¦ for there to be white smoke on starting¡Kwhich then goes away
3. Should the car sound like its ¡¥puffing¡¦ a little bit
4. What could this EFI Oil warning be? ¡V the temperatures and everything else (I could read) appear to be OK).
K12AN said:
OK ¡V So my first experience driving the Tamora. It has left me excited and scared in equal measures!
I picked up the car from my friends house having bought it last week and parking it there whilst I sort out the insurance etc.
Walking up to it, I though ¡¥¡¦Wow ¡V I finally did it!¡¦¡¦.
So, I open the door, take off the roof and after 15 minutes of messing around, manage to figure out how it fits into the boot.
I get into the car now and eventually figure out how to immobilise it¡Ktry to start it (without gas). NO.
Try again ¡V No. Try again, with gas ¡V kind of starts (very loud)¡K.then fizzles out. Lots of (white) smoke, probably due to my previous failed attempts.
Again¡K.and it¡¦s alive! Sounds great! Lots of beeps from the dash, but I can barely read it because it needs replacing.
The accelerator is VERY sensitive and the breaks are hard, the clutch is heavy.
Get out of the drive and over the speed bumps, everything is fine¡Kmore beeps.
I can just about read the temperatures and I am taking it nice and easy while the car warms up. Eventually the oil warms up to 70 degrees and I get a clear stretch and I put my foot down on a straight.
I am thrust back and the driver seat is thrown back!!! I can¡¦t reach the pedals now, so I have to pull myself forward again!
I keep driving and the beep is less frequent now as the car is warmed up¡Kit is an oil warning, but I can¡¦t read it fully.
I park up at home and turn it off. There is an EFI warning about oil ¡V but I can¡¦t read it due to the dash.
I then start it up to show my brother and again there is white smoke on starting, but this stops straight away. He things the car sounds like its ¡¥puffing a bit¡¦¡K
I am now quite scared about what lies ahead for me, but as I put the cover on her, I am not deterred¡KI will fix her ƒº
So, guys, In your infinite wealth of knowledge of the speed six engine and TVRs, could you help me answer the following questions please ¡V they will make me feel much better once I know.
1. Should I have to give a little gas to start the car¡Kand even then this may only be successful on the 2nd attempt.
2. Is it ¡¥normal¡¦ for there to be white smoke on starting¡Kwhich then goes away
3. Should the car sound like its ¡¥puffing¡¦ a little bit
4. What could this EFI Oil warning be? ¡V the temperatures and everything else (I could read) appear to be OK).
1, NoI picked up the car from my friends house having bought it last week and parking it there whilst I sort out the insurance etc.
Walking up to it, I though ¡¥¡¦Wow ¡V I finally did it!¡¦¡¦.
So, I open the door, take off the roof and after 15 minutes of messing around, manage to figure out how it fits into the boot.
I get into the car now and eventually figure out how to immobilise it¡Ktry to start it (without gas). NO.
Try again ¡V No. Try again, with gas ¡V kind of starts (very loud)¡K.then fizzles out. Lots of (white) smoke, probably due to my previous failed attempts.
Again¡K.and it¡¦s alive! Sounds great! Lots of beeps from the dash, but I can barely read it because it needs replacing.
The accelerator is VERY sensitive and the breaks are hard, the clutch is heavy.
Get out of the drive and over the speed bumps, everything is fine¡Kmore beeps.
I can just about read the temperatures and I am taking it nice and easy while the car warms up. Eventually the oil warms up to 70 degrees and I get a clear stretch and I put my foot down on a straight.
I am thrust back and the driver seat is thrown back!!! I can¡¦t reach the pedals now, so I have to pull myself forward again!
I keep driving and the beep is less frequent now as the car is warmed up¡Kit is an oil warning, but I can¡¦t read it fully.
I park up at home and turn it off. There is an EFI warning about oil ¡V but I can¡¦t read it due to the dash.
I then start it up to show my brother and again there is white smoke on starting, but this stops straight away. He things the car sounds like its ¡¥puffing a bit¡¦¡K
I am now quite scared about what lies ahead for me, but as I put the cover on her, I am not deterred¡KI will fix her ƒº
So, guys, In your infinite wealth of knowledge of the speed six engine and TVRs, could you help me answer the following questions please ¡V they will make me feel much better once I know.
1. Should I have to give a little gas to start the car¡Kand even then this may only be successful on the 2nd attempt.
2. Is it ¡¥normal¡¦ for there to be white smoke on starting¡Kwhich then goes away
3. Should the car sound like its ¡¥puffing¡¦ a little bit
4. What could this EFI Oil warning be? ¡V the temperatures and everything else (I could read) appear to be OK).
2, No
3, No
4, Low or high oil temperature or pressure. Could be faulty sensor (common)
Sounds like it needs a service, sounds like youll be charged for a head gasket too. Hope you got a warranty or bought form a trader.
TVR_owner said:
1, No
2, No
3, No
4, Low or high oil temperature or pressure. Could be faulty sensor (common)
Tell it how it is2, No
3, No
4, Low or high oil temperature or pressure. Could be faulty sensor (common)
.ETA: Does the EFI oil error code flash up for just a second when starting the car? obviously oil needs to pass the sensor for it to register but it should only take a second and not remain on.
Edited by thainy77 on Thursday 2nd July 10:50
Did you buy this car without looking, or at least with your Stevie Wonder glasses on? Get it to a TVR specialist NOW! (not just any backstreet garage).
No throttle to start, may require a small tickle of gas to keep it running once started (depending on how far out of tune it is). Be sure to treat it gently and don't rev it until the car is fully warmed through.
Edited to say: The clutch should not be heavy. What car are you used to? The gearchange and clutch are 'positive' and not fluffy, but compared to many sports cars the actual pedal is Micra light.
No throttle to start, may require a small tickle of gas to keep it running once started (depending on how far out of tune it is). Be sure to treat it gently and don't rev it until the car is fully warmed through.
Edited to say: The clutch should not be heavy. What car are you used to? The gearchange and clutch are 'positive' and not fluffy, but compared to many sports cars the actual pedal is Micra light.
Edited by Targarama on Thursday 2nd July 10:55
K12AN said:
I don't need to pump the gas...it is more of a tickle.
The clutch isn't heavy as such, it just feels strange, as I have to have the seat quite forward to fully depress it. But with the seat so forward the accelerator is too close.
Like Targarama has said it isn't uncommon to have to give it some gas to start and hold it for a few seconds until the engine settles down. If it is well maintained though you should be able to just turn the key and the engine will fire and maintain idle revs.The clutch isn't heavy as such, it just feels strange, as I have to have the seat quite forward to fully depress it. But with the seat so forward the accelerator is too close.
K12AN said:
Any recommendations for the the work? I was looking at Castle TVR or TVR Barnet.
I may also need a decent hospital to remove the Kidney I will need to sell to pay for it!
Castle are cheaper than Barnet but both have good reps. I've used Castle (bought mine from them) and wouldn't hesitate to recommend them.I may also need a decent hospital to remove the Kidney I will need to sell to pay for it!
As for your car, there should be little need to throttle it to start up. Mine fires on key alone, then I hold throttle to 2k for a few seconds to push the oil round.
White smoke sounds very worrying - there should be none. Whats your oil & water levels like? Have you been shown how to check the oil level? Can you see your oil pressure reading on the dash?
As others have said get it to a specialist NOW and get them to hook it up on the diagnostics, especially as you have a fault code you can't read properly.
I know you probably don't want to hear it right now but rarely is there any such thing as a cheap TVR, especially when you start getting non-standard! Good luck anyway & I hope it is something simple - keep us posted.
What did you pay? If you don't mind me asking. White smoke at start-up normally suggests badly worn valve guides (when the engine is switched off oil seeps past the seals into the cylinders, which is then instantly burned off and out the exhaust as soon as you start the engine, hence the white smoke that disappears straight away.
smithyl23 said:
What did you pay? If you don't mind me asking. White smoke at start-up normally suggests badly worn valve guides (when the engine is switched off oil seeps past the seals into the cylinders, which is then instantly burned off and out the exhaust as soon as you start the engine, hence the white smoke that disappears straight away.
So if you're right, does that mean I need a rebuild or just the valves adjusted asap...smithyl23 said:
What did you pay? If you don't mind me asking. White smoke at start-up normally suggests badly worn valve guides (when the engine is switched off oil seeps past the seals into the cylinders, which is then instantly burned off and out the exhaust as soon as you start the engine, hence the white smoke that disappears straight away.
I dont want to worry that chap but probably did. I thing he's in for a 2K+ bill sadly and I think I'm correct with my diagnosis. You however may have him reaching for the surgical knife for Kidney extraction (x2....) 
Oil past the stem seals when burned is blue, not white. I doubt if your suggestion of top end wear is correct based upon what has been said (although when inspected to do the head gasket all may not be well)...
Edited by TVR_owner on Thursday 2nd July 11:55
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