Picked up my new one tonight,but.....
Discussion
Well been and picked the car up tonight, now I haven't driven many, well this one and my last 450 5 years ago to be exact! Definately not as quick as I remember my 450 being but I also remember being a bit disappointed with the 450 originally as I had a bike engined westfield before that which was mental, does make a cool noise though so Iam not too bothered about the performance.
Now the the problems, well on the test drive I originally noticed the temp gauge generally just below 70. On the way home today at dual carriagway/motorway speeds it was down to 60. The fans kick in at 80. Ive searched around the forum and remember my last one sitting at 80 then fan kicking in at 90, so Iam wondering is it just the gauge reading 10 degrees low all the time or is it running cool???
It's had a new handbrake cable but the handbrake still seems crap, is this easy to adjust?
There is a small open ended rubber pipe sticking through the drivers inner wing and Iam not sure what its for so think I may have to post a picture of this, wondering if its something to do with carbon canister as there is quite a noticeable hiss when releasing the fuel cap, only a second but you can feel the pressure and not sure if my old one did this.
Anyway generally pleased to be back in a TVR, the lack of power steering isn't an issue which I was originally worried about and so far my niggles list isn't to long. One of my first jobs is to increase the noise though!
Now the the problems, well on the test drive I originally noticed the temp gauge generally just below 70. On the way home today at dual carriagway/motorway speeds it was down to 60. The fans kick in at 80. Ive searched around the forum and remember my last one sitting at 80 then fan kicking in at 90, so Iam wondering is it just the gauge reading 10 degrees low all the time or is it running cool???
It's had a new handbrake cable but the handbrake still seems crap, is this easy to adjust?
There is a small open ended rubber pipe sticking through the drivers inner wing and Iam not sure what its for so think I may have to post a picture of this, wondering if its something to do with carbon canister as there is quite a noticeable hiss when releasing the fuel cap, only a second but you can feel the pressure and not sure if my old one did this.
Anyway generally pleased to be back in a TVR, the lack of power steering isn't an issue which I was originally worried about and so far my niggles list isn't to long. One of my first jobs is to increase the noise though!
The rubber pipe sticking through the inner wing should lead to a carbon canister inside said wing, and the intake trumpet base on the other end. If it's not connected on that end with the fitting not plugged, it's a miracle the car is running in the first place. 
Sounds like the canister or the hose has a leak, and the prior owner 'sorted' the resulting vacuum leak by disconnecting the hose, and replacing the trumpet base vacuum fitting with a bolt or something...
Sounds like the canister or the hose has a leak, and the prior owner 'sorted' the resulting vacuum leak by disconnecting the hose, and replacing the trumpet base vacuum fitting with a bolt or something...
Well theres no decat Y piece although I had been thinking about investing in one of clives. Cant find any receipt for a different thermostat but suppose doesn't mean its not been changed.
Regarding the mystery pipe, that was my fear that it was from the carbon canister and had been disconnected to get around a problem. There is a definite hiss when releasing the fuel cap but doesn't seem to be effecting the running(I don't think it is anyway!)
Think Iam gone a have to spend a bit of time the next few days trying to see if the stat is stuck open, trying to check the actual engine temp and trying to work out what the hell this pipe is for and where it should be going. Oh Iam so glad I bought another TVR! I'll try and upload a picture later.
Regarding the mystery pipe, that was my fear that it was from the carbon canister and had been disconnected to get around a problem. There is a definite hiss when releasing the fuel cap but doesn't seem to be effecting the running(I don't think it is anyway!)
Think Iam gone a have to spend a bit of time the next few days trying to see if the stat is stuck open, trying to check the actual engine temp and trying to work out what the hell this pipe is for and where it should be going. Oh Iam so glad I bought another TVR! I'll try and upload a picture later.
Oh, and I wouldn't take too much notice of the actual temperature reading of the dash gauge as long as the readings are consistent, stable and well off the overheating range. Due to the 'air cooled' location where the temp gauge sensor sits, the readings will be fair bit lower on the move than when, for instance, one takes a probe to the contents of the expansion tank/swirl pot...
My fuel tank hisses everytime Ive released it so far! I think the temp thing is probably just the gauge reading 10degrees low all the time as it did seem strange for the fans to kick in at 80 instead of 90 but just wanted to run it past some of you better informed people!
The car is up at my dads garage at the minute as there's no space in my garage for a few weeks so cant check till later but iam sure the mystery hose came though the inner wing just behind the radiator is this where the carbon canister pipe comes through and where is it suppose to attatch on the inlet manifold???
The car is up at my dads garage at the minute as there's no space in my garage for a few weeks so cant check till later but iam sure the mystery hose came though the inner wing just behind the radiator is this where the carbon canister pipe comes through and where is it suppose to attatch on the inlet manifold???
BIGMIKE1 said:
iam sure the mystery hose came though the inner wing just behind the radiator is this where the carbon canister pipe comes through and where is it suppose to attatch on the inlet manifold???
There should be a brass fitting on the intake trumpet base, at the driver side. Though I'm pretty sure it would have been blanked off on your car as an air leak as small as 2 millimeters across would be enough to make the car barely run and make the exhaust glow bright red within a minute from a cold start...Temperature; Could be a lower temp thermostat and a lower temp operating otter switch. Some people tend to do both. i wouldnt worry about the running temp, when summer finally returns it will be a bonus running a bit cooler.
If the mysterious pipe is coming thru the front wing, drivers side, almost where one of the radiator rubber mountings are, this is a vent from the carbon canistor and should be open ended. If someone has blocked it with a screw , you should remove it. Hope this helps, Tom.
If the mysterious pipe is coming thru the front wing, drivers side, almost where one of the radiator rubber mountings are, this is a vent from the carbon canistor and should be open ended. If someone has blocked it with a screw , you should remove it. Hope this helps, Tom.
Edited by TJC46 on Wednesday 1st June 12:08
TJC46 said:
If the mysterious pipe is coming thru the front wing, drivers side, almost where one of the radiator rubber mountings are, this is a vent from the carbon canistor and should be open ended. If someone has blocked it with a screw , you should remove it. Hope this helps, Tom.
Ah, of course, there's another one... 
900T-R said:
Ah, of course, there's another one...
Found my old post complete with pics;http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Well spent hours this afternoon using cutting compound to sort out the mess the lazy bodyshop had left, looks and feels a lot better now. Decided while I was at it to clay,polish and wax it!
Looking at the other carbon canister post I think my mystery pipe may just be the fresh air pipe.
I also cant see any connections on the inlet manifold obviously blanked off, I assume the 2 going to the plenum from the inner wing are servo and carbon canister???
Not been out in it today so not done any further temp investigation, did have a quick look through the bible about how to adjust the handbrake so I'll try and do that at weekend. Really need to increase the noise though, cant decide yet- sleeve the pipes would be quickest and cheapest, but I suppose would be nearly as easy for me to weld in 2 cherry bombs, also really like the look of Clives Y piece and not heard anything bad about it.
Here it is anyway
Looking at the other carbon canister post I think my mystery pipe may just be the fresh air pipe.
I also cant see any connections on the inlet manifold obviously blanked off, I assume the 2 going to the plenum from the inner wing are servo and carbon canister???
Not been out in it today so not done any further temp investigation, did have a quick look through the bible about how to adjust the handbrake so I'll try and do that at weekend. Really need to increase the noise though, cant decide yet- sleeve the pipes would be quickest and cheapest, but I suppose would be nearly as easy for me to weld in 2 cherry bombs, also really like the look of Clives Y piece and not heard anything bad about it.
Here it is anyway
Edited by BIGMIKE1 on Wednesday 1st June 23:37
I wouldn't worry about the temperature showing on the gauge. Mine isn't a million miles off your readings; it runs cooler than a few years ago but then I have had a recored rad and put a lower opening otter switch in. The otter is rated at 92 opening, but the gauage shows about 80 when they kick in, accepting that they are in different parts of the cooling system. The main thing is looking for consistency in the readings. There are as many threads on here about running cool as there are about running hot
My tank hisses a bit as well, and has done for the 7 odd years that I've had it.
My tank hisses a bit as well, and has done for the 7 odd years that I've had it.
chris2002hk said:
My handbrake is similar, the gates are set too far apart, it's either on but not firm enough and the car rolls, or you pull it into the next gate, but need to built like Arnie to release it!
Good old fashioned British engineering ?
Mine is the same, it has never attracted any comments whatsoever come MOT time so I have learnt to live with it. Good old fashioned British engineering ?
Gassing Station | Chimaera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff