Oil Change on transplanted TVR V8

[tch911]

I have a TVR Chimaera engine transplanted into my Datsun 240Z. Yes, it's highly entertaining!

It is a standard Chimaera 400 engine with a big exhaust but no other mods.

I want to change the oil

-What Oil should I use (I use the car for fast road blasts and track days - it's a toy)?
-How much oil do I need?
-I have changed the oil on straight sixes a lot but are there any querks to changing the oil on a TVR V8?
-I operate a remote oil filter, will this make any difference.

Many thanks for help with my first post on the PH forum!

Tom

[Bob the Planner]

Original spec was Mobil 1 5-40 however this became unavailable in the UK and as replaced by 0-40 which many people think is a bit thin.

I am currently using 15-50 in mine as it is beginning to show its age and this gives better oil pressure.

Basically any good quality synthetic or semi-synthetic replaced every 6k miles (or less) should be OK IMO.

[edit] An oil change takes about 6 litres IIRC. Take care not to drain the oil pump otherwise its pack with vaseline and try again.
DOH ! Missed the remote bit but I suppose the issue with the pump still exists[/edit]

Edited by Bob the Planner on Monday 18th September 18:37

[the dodger]

I'm with Bob here - Mobil 1 15W-50.

V8 is no different to any other car for oil change. Is your filter upside down? - otherwise should be no problems.

[GreenV8S]

Spend as little time as possible with the filter off (couple of minutes OK but don't go have a cup of tea) and monitor the oil pressure when you start it afterwards. If the oil pressure comes up straight away, you're sorted. If it doesn't you can try revving the engine for a few seconds. If it still doesn't come up, switch off and figure out how you're going to prime the pump. Luckily with the remote filter you have the option of just pouring oil down the hose.

[biggiles]

Tom, you need about 5 or 6 litres of oil (I've used 10-40W Castrol GTX Magnatec), but you need to be really careful about the process. I can let you borrow my "TVR bible" at the weekend to see how to do it.

G

[tch911]

My remote filter is positioned at about the same height as the head covers with the filter entrance pointing downwards, is this bad?

Could I just un bolt the remote resevoir and ensure it is low and the right way up?

I was thinking that I would just undo the sump bolt, let all the oil drain for half an hour. Replace the bolt (Do I need to replace the washer?)

Then fill the engine with oil through the cap in the rocker cover. Do I fill it from one side or both for a V8?

Where is the oil pump and why does the oil run out of it?

Sorry about all the questions, I'm not a bad mechanic I just haven't dealt with servicing a V8 before.

Thanks

[GreenV8S]

tch911 said:

My remote filter is positioned at about the same height as the head covers with the filter entrance pointing downwards, is this bad?

Could I just un bolt the remote resevoir and ensure it is low and the right way up?

I was thinking that I would just undo the sump bolt, let all the oil drain for half an hour. Replace the bolt (Do I need to replace the washer?)

Then fill the engine with oil through the cap in the rocker cover. Do I fill it from one side or both for a V8?

Where is the oil pump and why does the oil run out of it?

Sorry about all the questions, I'm not a bad mechanic I just haven't dealt with servicing a V8 before.

Thanks

That filter position is fine. Having the filter head pointing downwards is good as it means you don't dump half a liter of oil on the floor every time you take the filter off.

Personally I don't bother replacing the washer every time I change the oil.

You only need to fill the oil from one rocker cover, it only has one sump.

The oil pump is low down at the front of the engine, inside the front cover. The pump consists of a couple of gears that mesh together inside a close-fitting housing. Once it's full of oil it is extremely effective because oil is incompressible and relatively thick so it doesn't leak past the edges of the gears. The problem is that if air gets in there it leaks through the gaps and is compressible so the pump struggles to create any pressure. Once it has created enough pressure to suck the first bit of oil up from the sump it's fine, but it's that initial bit which is the problem. You're relying on the gears being damp with oil to help them seal, and the less oil there is left in there the harder it is to get it to prime. Since you have the remote filter head you can simply pump oil down the hose (you need to follow the hose back to the filter head on the engine to make sure you have got the hose connected to the pump outlet - the one on the 'outside' of the filter head).