K666GRF - 4.3 pre-cat Griff (obvs)

K666GRF - 4.3 pre-cat Griff (obvs)

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ric p

Original Poster:

563 posts

268 months

Monday 7th March 2022
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It’s coming home, well this week hopefully.

I won’t say it’s not been a bit frustrating as away since Xmas but Cv19, incorrect supplied centre box, difficulty in obtaining materials, injury and my odd work patterns all meant delays.

Anyway a couple of workshop taster photos. The fabricator seems to have had a bit of mission creep with equal length stuff. Not planned by me as I was after like for like but he knows best! So he said. And he builds more than I do





More to follow once I get my hands on the car again. I know there is a flickering brake warning light to fix, electrical I believe as the hyd bit of the system is fine.

NicBowman

785 posts

237 months

Monday 7th March 2022
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Hi, sure it will work well, but the manifold gives me the creeps! I would have settled for unequal lengths!

Nic

ric p

Original Poster:

563 posts

268 months

Tuesday 8th March 2022
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Know what you mean and originally I was after just a like for like pre-cat set up. However, and I understand the science behind it - the individual pulses, scavenging effect etc, the guy used his better judgement. He does turbo and race car stuff so thought it was ridiculous to mirror TVR's original shortfalls. And who am I to question.

Will report back but TVR law is constant - having sat unused for 3 months in the workshop, would just start to load but now a flat battery! So being charged before I can really run it.

I would say it looks less snakes wedding and tidier in the flesh. And £1800 for full headder to exhaust system including fitting at the workshop so it actually fits together without stresses or needing ratchet straps to join. I thought that was very good value.

Will report back once a few miles have been done. And the MOT expires tomorrow! Ugh.

citizen smith

743 posts

180 months

Tuesday 8th March 2022
quotequote all
ric p said:
Know what you mean and originally I was after just a like for like pre-cat set up. However, and I understand the science behind it - the individual pulses, scavenging effect etc, the guy used his better judgement. He does turbo and race car stuff so thought it was ridiculous to mirror TVR's original shortfalls. And who am I to question.

Will report back but TVR law is constant - having sat unused for 3 months in the workshop, would just start to load but now a flat battery! So being charged before I can really run it.

I would say it looks less snakes wedding and tidier in the flesh. And £1800 for full headder to exhaust system including fitting at the workshop so it actually fits together without stresses or needing ratchet straps to join. I thought that was very good value.

Will report back once a few miles have been done. And the MOT expires tomorrow! Ugh.
Cost £1800 way back in 2001, for replacement cracked manifolds. So your manifold job sounds like good value to me.

ric p

Original Poster:

563 posts

268 months

Tuesday 8th March 2022
quotequote all
citizen smith said:
Cost £1800 way back in 2001, for replacement cracked manifolds. So your manifold job sounds like good value to me.
Same again, split at the tight inside radius as the manifold immediately bends 90 deg forwards on both front cylinders, actually the bend had kinked the pipe so weakening, split lenghways before the turn to the flange on a couple of pipes in a couple of places. And the underneath system was paper thin and un-weldable. It was really interesting how much internal erosion had taken place due to the gasses.

And Dolly Sprint owner, nice. Mine was Inca Yellow, UUM681T. Loved it.


Edited by ric p on Wednesday 9th March 09:17

ric p

Original Poster:

563 posts

268 months

Wednesday 23rd March 2022
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So it wasn't a flat battery but we couldn't get the engine to turn over on the starter. Clonk as the solenoid engaged but locked absolutely solid.

So began a week of head scratching and frustration. Initial thoughts were the starter stuck in. So tried rocking the car in gear to free with no joy. So up on axle stands and starter off. Not that but stamped 47/92. So the original starter, it has done well!

Next idea, seized water pump or alternator. Belt off but no.

Even with a socket on the end of the crank pulley, it was un-turnable. So plugs out to see if there was any debris. No but the car had definitely run since I took it apart as the clogged injectors had made the front 2 cylinders run lean. Now all the plugs were nice and sooty as it had been run at idle to test the exhaust.

Gearbox input shaft seized? No, with clutch in, car moves. By now we were beginning to struggle. I was fearing the worst and the exhaust chap was hoping for the best! However neither could really believe you could seize an engine solid at idle without any indications.

It had obviously been keeping him awake at night so he popped over yesterday with a boroscope but even that revealed noting in any cylinder. Next was to remove the inspection panel at the bottom of the front of the bell-housing. But again nothing to see.

So the next port of call was off to TVRS SW rather than start stripping down the engine. I was beginning to worry of a catastrophic failure. As it was on his watch as he last ran it in his workshop, so was he.

Then a moment of genius whilst under the car. The exhaust is supported by a bolt into the bottom of the bell-housing and he remembered replacing it as the thread was a bit rough during the fitting. Bolt removed and on the top a tell-tale witness mark of where it had caught the starter ring.



When it had been fitted and the car lowered, the bolt must have had a hair width's clearance. Thus started and ran fine. Just loading onto the car trailer and the movement and flex must have closed the gap sufficient to lock the starter ring.

He (and I) were mighty relieved. From rebuild to a shorter bolt in an hour. So now to just reattach everything I removed and we may actually be able to make some noise.

TR4man

5,207 posts

173 months

Thursday 24th March 2022
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That must have been a huge relief!

Granturadriver

574 posts

260 months

Thursday 24th March 2022
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Great, you could solve that! Congratulations!

ric p said:
From rebuild to a shorter bolt in an hour.
I know that feeling. It makes you still happy hours and days later! smile

ric p said:
So now to just reattach everything I removed and we may actually be able to make some noise.
You didn‘t do that yesterday night?!? I would not be that patient! smile


ric p

Original Poster:

563 posts

268 months

Saturday 26th March 2022
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Success. Back together, spins and fired straight away. After all the angst and fury, these little successes make old car ownership worth it!

Right, next one before the MOT on Tuesday, the i warning light is flickering then on. Suggesting low brake fluid. However level fine.

My understanding is it a simple float mechanism, with pressing the yellow cap as a test for the system, it makes the contacts inside, .except my float doesn’t float.

Pop the yellow top off and pull up the plunger, light out. Let go, light on. This should be an easy fix as just a Ford cap.

But a crafty little drive round the village, I’d forgotten how instant and revvy the non cat ones are. And the new exhaust is fantastic. No louder (I’m getting old) but definitely crisper.

Edited by ric p on Saturday 26th March 14:53


Edited by ric p on Saturday 26th March 14:54

ric p

Original Poster:

563 posts

268 months

Saturday 26th March 2022
quotequote all
Success. Back together, spins and fired straight away. After all the angst and fury, these little successes make old car ownership worth it!

Right, next one before the MOT on Tuesday, the i warning light is flickering then on. Suggesting low brake fluid. However level fine.

My understanding is it a simple float mechanism, with pressing the yellow cap as a test for the system, it makes the contacts inside, .except my float doesn’t float.

Pop the yellow top off and pull up the plunger, light out. Let go, light on. This should be an easy fix as just a Ford cap.

But a crafty little drive round the village, I’d forgotten how instant and revvy the non cat ones are. And the new exhaust is fantastic. No louder (I’m getting old) but definitely crisper.

Edited by ric p on Saturday 26th March 14:53


Edited by ric p on Saturday 26th March 18:04

ric p

Original Poster:

563 posts

268 months

Tuesday 29th March 2022
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Success. MOT passed with no problems. An advisory for an oil leak on the sheet.

But I think the TVR MOT forms have oil leak advisory pre-printed as any MOT without this is obviously fake. It is part of the active rust protection system fitted at the factory.

Now need to get some miles on it. Haynes on Sunday for coffee and a sausage bap. Weather permitting.

SFTWend

818 posts

74 months

Tuesday 29th March 2022
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Enjoy the fruits of all your hard work. Great timing getting it done in time for Spring.

Still get excited every time I have the opportunity to take my 430 out.

ric p

Original Poster:

563 posts

268 months

Friday 6th May 2022
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So car running and have been trying to put some miles on it using it to and from work. Fortunately my commute is the A303/A30 to Exeter so some quite TVR suitable roads.

Been running well although there is a very slight hesitation or misfire below 2000rpm when travelling slowly. Clears at speed so suggest heat build up and possibly a braking down HT lead or plug extender. So will need to track that down and get into the plug extender vs socks discussion.

More importantly, CD player is u/s. Pulling it out, the wires had been extended and badly soldered so some just pulled apart.



So a bit of time trimming and repairing the 30 year old wiring. Voila, 1990s CDs in my 1990s car. My son can’t grasp the concept of CDs with cases rattling round the passenger footwell but I have removed the last tape player from the VW camper so we are moving forward!

On my commute, I’d forgotten how instant the power is, possibly heightened by its, now, small size. I do feel that the modern 235/35 front tyres need to go though as the steering effort is too great.

Although the Lenso alloys are fine, I just feel it is a bit over wheeled and tyre-ed. So I’ll keep an eye out for some pre-cat alloys possibly and flog the Lensos I think a bit more tyre wall will improve the ride and I sort of prefer the original look.

SFTWend

818 posts

74 months

Friday 6th May 2022
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Still got the original radio cassette player in mine although not sure it has enough volume to hear it unless parked.

My precat has the original wheels and standard size tyres and I find the steering heavy but perfectly manageable in slow manoeuvres. Amil Gottis pop up for sale on TVR Fb groups on occasion but they appear to be at least £1k a set now. Not seen any OZs for sale.

citizen smith

743 posts

180 months

Friday 6th May 2022
quotequote all
ric p said:
So car running and have been trying to put some miles on it using it to and from work. Fortunately my commute is the A303/A30 to Exeter so some quite TVR suitable roads.

Been running well although there is a very slight hesitation or misfire below 2000rpm when travelling slowly. Clears at speed so suggest heat build up and possibly a braking down HT lead or plug extender. So will need to track that down and get into the plug extender vs socks discussion.

More importantly, CD player is u/s. Pulling it out, the wires had been extended and badly soldered so some just pulled apart.



So a bit of time trimming and repairing the 30 year old wiring. Voila, 1990s CDs in my 1990s car. My son can’t grasp the concept of CDs with cases rattling round the passenger footwell but I have removed the last tape player from the VW camper so we are moving forward!

On my commute, I’d forgotten how instant the power is, possibly heightened by its, now, small size. I do feel that the modern 235/35 front tyres need to go though as the steering effort is too great.

Although the Lenso alloys are fine, I just feel it is a bit over wheeled and tyre-ed. So I’ll keep an eye out for some pre-cat alloys possibly and flog the Lensos I think a bit more tyre wall will improve the ride and I sort of prefer the original look.
The original wheels did look better on the car, but they are like Gold Dust now.




ric p

Original Poster:

563 posts

268 months

Friday 13th May 2022
quotequote all
So this week’s task is to cure the slight misfire.

I’m sure it is electrical and worsens in slow traffic, which would suggest under bonnet heat related. That points to a HT lead or extender breaking down. They all looked ok when we had the plugs out but they are of an unknown vintage.

Therefore a logical approach is needed. This arrived today:



Lovely new angled plug leads. So I’ll bin the old ones and extenders and see where we get to. After that, if the hesitation remains, plugs, then rotor arm, then dizzy cap. And so on. But a betting man might put money on new leads solving it.

Update to follow later this afternoon.

ric p

Original Poster:

563 posts

268 months

Friday 20th May 2022
quotequote all
Slightly delayed update but success (with a minor hiccup)

Old snakes’ wedding HT leads, which were a bit of a mix of ages and designs, removed.



Then all the plug extenders removed. Some are a bit corroded but have no idea about their serviceability.



And new Mr Retro leads on. Easy as that. So time for a quick test drive. Immediately noticeably better. From cold, the engine loses some of its stutter at low revs and once warm, misfire gone. Revs cleanly blah blah blah until a cough and misfire returns. Not good.

Anyway back home and bonnet open, one of the lovely new leads had twisted to touch a header pipe with the expected result. B***er,



I won’t post the photo of my scalded thumb as I tried to move it back. Entirely my own fault, the plastic Rover HT lead bracket, that sits attached to the side of the cam cover had been broken an unknown time ago. So, without support, I’d hoped the lead would just remain clear. Apparently not.

However I was able to take the lead apart, cut out the damaged bit and reassemble. Lead slightly too short but will do as have ordered a replacement lead from Mr Retro after confessing my error to him. Dispatched the next day, good man.

I have since run the car to work and misfire gone again so TVR’s patented cylinder deactivation system is resolved. Back to full fitness. However will probably do new plugs as they are of unknown vintage as well.

To prevent this little hiccup happening again, I have reversed the top support bracket for the dipstick tube. This allows it to sit slightly more aft, which means the plug lead from the plug just in front can exit more vertically giving more clearance from the manifold.

Also, after some plastic research, have bought a small block of PTFE for mill / fashion a replacement lead support to ensure the leads maintain maximum clearance. PTFE appears to he one of the best heat resistant plastics up to 230 deg+ and having borrowed a mate’s IR camera thing, max temperature of cam cover surface is below half of that. See how it goes!

Oldwolf

928 posts

192 months

Friday 20th May 2022
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I went for the socks when ditching my plug extenders. They work well but you need to make sure they are firmly pushed on as they work loose easily and are fun to reattach with a hot engine smile

ric p

Original Poster:

563 posts

268 months

Sunday 12th June 2022
quotequote all
Still fighting me all the way.

Ran beautifully since the last update. Until returning from Haynes with increasing misfire at cruise but not under acceleration. To the point a couple of days ago it wouldn’t idle without being rev-ed.

So starting logically from the plugs backwards. All out, sooty but probably due to lots of idling. Check all the connectors both ends of the ht leads. However noticed this single wire connector from the AFM to the front of the engine / distributor.



The wire is very brittle and the spade connectors corroded and barely attached. So replaced, the picture is my replacement, started and it ran perfectly. Yet to give it a proper drive and I’m sure someone will tell me what the wire does, but hopefully I am slowly beating it into submission.


mk1fan

10,507 posts

224 months

Sunday 12th June 2022
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I would ceramic coat the manifolds and add socks to the leads. Not mine though.

Enjoy.