High cabin temps

High cabin temps

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anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2018
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Took the Griffith out on Sunday and the temperature was unbearable inside. The cabin fan is blowing hot air really making things uncomfortable. I read on this thread that a tap could be used in the event of the servo operated valve not curing the issue? There seems a few that say 'don't do it', mine is a 96 serp so I am looking for a definitive yes or no as i'd rather just blank it off and know it's going to be cool!

Cheers all.

Rob_the_Sparky

1,000 posts

237 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2018
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I'd make sure that is your problem first, the TVR is pretty hot on any day let alone in this temperature. The rotary valve can be made to work (been there done that) and having had a look it does completely shot off flow when it is off (it is a ball valve like a plumbing isolation valve with a motor) so I don't see why a valve in series with this would be a problem.

phazed

21,844 posts

203 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2018
quotequote all
If the cabin runs cool in cool weather then it is just a TVR thing . Hot air is produced from the warm transmission tunnel and can even come through from the top of the pedal box from the void in the inner wings which are heated up by the exhaust manifolds running right next to them.

I never use my car when it is really hot and I have fitted extra sound and heat insullation to the inside of the cabin. I have lined the transmission tunnel, the floor and the pedal box upstand. If I’m honest, it hardly made any difference!

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2018
quotequote all
The fan is blowing really warm air, i'm sure the valve is at fault. I just want to know for sure if I blank it will all be well?

BIG DUNC

1,918 posts

222 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2018
quotequote all
The only way to tell will be to blank it and see. Or to get an infra red thermometer and measure the temperature of the pipes.

But, if that is your problem, why blank it? Why not replace it so the heater works as it should, hot and cold?

I can understand blanking it on a temporary basis to prove the fault, but not as permanent solution.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2018
quotequote all
BIG DUNC said:
The only way to tell will be to blank it and see. Or to get an infra red thermometer and measure the temperature of the pipes.

But, if that is your problem, why blank it? Why not replace it so the heater works as it should, hot and cold?

I can understand blanking it on a temporary basis to prove the fault, but not as permanent solution.
Even when set up correctly the word is it still doesn't work?

BIG DUNC

1,918 posts

222 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2018
quotequote all
The Giff 500 owners I know say it does work.

Mine is a 400 so different.

I am sure that they worked when they came out the factory, and therefore there should be no reason that they cannot be made to work now. If they really didn't work, does that mean that all 500s drive round with it blanked off and no heater?

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2018
quotequote all
BIG DUNC said:
The Giff 500 owners I know say it does work.

Mine is a 400 so different.

I am sure that they worked when they came out the factory, and therefore there should be no reason that they cannot be made to work now. If they really didn't work, does that mean that all 500s drive round with it blanked off and no heater?
Having worked on this car for the last year, I am not sure the factory could actually assemble a ham sandwich biggrin

It's a dated design, many owners report the same issue.

phazed

21,844 posts

203 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2018
quotequote all
The heater valve probably works fine.

The reason the incoming air is very warm is because the air inlet for the heater is in the nearside inner wing. The heater unit draws air through the inner wing where the air warms up due to the close proximity of the exhaust manifold running 2 inches from the fibreglass in the wing, also due to the immense heat in the engine compartment as a whole, transferring that heat again through the relatively thin fibreglass inner wing.

This happens to mine in summer, especially when using the car in slow moving or stationary traffic. In winter the heater blows stone cold , Hence my point.

Of course, the heater valve may not be turning off 100% and therefore exacerbating the above.

Podie

46,630 posts

274 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2018
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After 6 hours driving through Spain a few years ago, the soles of my shoes fell apart as the glue had melted.... they do get warm.

BIG DUNC

1,918 posts

222 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2018
quotequote all
Nothing about the TVR engineering quality or standards would amaze me.

However, these cars sold in reasonable numbers at a premium price. I am sure that there would have been some form of temperature control which worked (possibly abeit crudely) when new. & I simply cannot believe that of all the Griff 500's driving around today, that the majority of them do not have a heater that is possible to control to set either hot or cold air to blow out the vents. I accept it may be crude, and I am well aware that even when blowing cold, cabin temps may be high due to exhaust and transmission temps close to the tunnel.

However, if you feel that the problem is otherwise incurable, then by all means blank it off.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2018
quotequote all
Podie said:
After 6 hours driving through Spain a few years ago, the soles of my shoes fell apart as the glue had melted.... they do get warm.
This.

phazed

21,844 posts

203 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2018
quotequote all
yonex said:
Podie said:
After 6 hours driving through Spain a few years ago, the soles of my shoes fell apart as the glue had melted.... they do get warm.
This.
Exactly.

Podie

46,630 posts

274 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2018
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I think the bonnet vents in the Chimaera helped quite a lot with reducing underbonnet temps.


Loubaruch

1,164 posts

197 months

Thursday 5th July 2018
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I fitted a tap in the heater return about 10 years ago ( 1996 500 Serp) and have experienced no problems other than a much cooler cabin. You still get some heat soak but things are much more comfortable.

A good test last Sunday attending the Shelsley Walsh Hill climb. I covered 500+ miles in sweltering heat and the temperature guage was never above 85
degrees while on the move and usually much less. In traffic it did rise to 90 but with the fans cutting in meant it never exceeded 90.

The Griffith cooling system is much criticised but if its in good condition I believe it is perfectly adequate ( for a standard engine)

Loubaruch

1,164 posts

197 months

Thursday 5th July 2018
quotequote all
I fitted a tap in the heater return about 10 years ago ( 1996 500 Serp) and have experienced no problems other than a much cooler cabin. You still get some heat soak but things are much more comfortable.

A good test last Sunday attending the Shelsley Walsh Hill climb. I covered 500+ miles in sweltering heat and the temperature guage was never above 85
degrees while on the move and usually much less. In traffic it did rise to 90 but with the fans cutting in meant it never exceeded 90.

The Griffith cooling system is much criticised but if its in good condition I believe it is perfectly adequate ( for a standard engine)

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Thursday 5th July 2018
quotequote all
Loubaruch said:
I fitted a tap in the heater return about 10 years ago ( 1996 500 Serp) and have experienced no problems other than a much cooler cabin. You still get some heat soak but things are much more comfortable.

A good test last Sunday attending the Shelsley Walsh Hill climb. I covered 500+ miles in sweltering heat and the temperature guage was never above 85
degrees while on the move and usually much less. In traffic it did rise to 90 but with the fans cutting in meant it never exceeded 90.

The Griffith cooling system is much criticised but if its in good condition I believe it is perfectly adequate ( for a standard engine)
That's exactly what I needed, thanks. Will 3 bar and 110c cover it, given that it is going to be sat over the rocker cover?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/16mm-5-8-Manual-Water-H...


The cooling system is working well in mine. I had the rad re-cored and an extra core fitted, it runs 80 degrees or less on the move and like your experiences is stable, never exceeding 90.

tivver500

369 posts

269 months

Thursday 5th July 2018
quotequote all
In the 18 years I've owned my 500 it has never had any issues with either heating or cooling!! Even sitting in traffic at a very hot (36+degC) Le Mans the cooling system behaved itself perfectly.
Also the heater controls work as they should - I get cold (well 'cool') air or hot air depending on where I set the controls...
The only thing that doesn't work is the ice detector and I just can't be arsed to change the thermister.

Having said all that I'm taking the tintop to Germany on holiday as, with 25+ forecast, at least I've got climate control

Loubaruch

1,164 posts

197 months

Thursday 5th July 2018
quotequote all
yonex said:
That's exactly what I needed, thanks. Will 3 bar and 110c cover it, given that it is going to be sat over the rocker cover?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/16mm-5-8-Manual-Water-H...


The cooling system is working well in mine. I had the rad re-cored and an extra core fitted, it runs 80 degrees or less on the move and like your experiences is stable, never exceeding 90.
I have a T7 Design heater in another car a great bit of kit So I am sure their tap will be OK, at £12.50 even if it fails its not the end of the world!

chris52

1,560 posts

182 months

Thursday 5th July 2018
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I have been sorting out the air con on my Griff so have had a temperature probe in the vents. Air Con off outside temperature 24c , vent temperature 32c that’s air going through the inner wing while driving, recirculating door open in the passenger footwell temps at the vent come down to 28c. Air Con on brings the temps down as low as 3c at the vents nice on your feet with the top down but no use from the front vents roof on and the cars like a fridge inside😝