tSpeed Six Engine pinking @ high altitude

[Buzz Billsberry]

Hi I'm

pretty new to TVR's and have just bought an S2 Tam.Myself and another Tam & a Chim owner are heading down to Lake Como in Italy for our jollies now we'll be heading over various passes etc . Now I've heard I should add octane booster for the higher passes etc to prevent 'pinking' is this correct or just people flapping over nothing??? and my only thought would be why not just put Hi-octane (V power etc) at the pump??

Your thoughts please


Buzz

[duff-man]

Mine went very funny going over the Stelvo last year with EFI warnings, it ran very lumpy low down to the point I wondered if it would start after switching it off at the top, but it did!

Kept the revs between 3-4k and everything was ok, would do it again!

This was running on Shell V-Power racing (100 ron)

[Targarama]

Not all do. Mine has no problems, driver tends to pink a little and need a rest now and then though...

Take some octane booster and stick it in for the tank you'll use for the higher altitude work. Make sure you buy one that is safe for cat converters.

T/.

[Barry Ashcroft]

It'll probably be like me V8 was when we drove across the states as it can't adjust for the thiner air.

[stub101]

My T350c was pinking quite badly on the approach to the Stelvio last year and the San Bernadino pass. I really struggled to get it re-started at the top of the Stelvio and had to grab a small push from some foreigners in Nissan 350Z's (turned out they were from Newcastle...)

I was only running 95ron at the time though as that was all I could find in Switzerland after leaving Davos. I later filled up with some 97/99 and on some of the higher passes it was absolutely fine.

[Buzz Billsberry]

Hi Guys

Thanks for your replies I think we'll run Vpower etc and carry a couple of bottles of jungle juice just in case we can't obtain the higher octane

once again guys thanks very much

Buzz

[julianc]

The EFI fault indicator at high altitude is normal. I first heard of this in late 2003 during preparation for a long European trip that involved driving at an altitude of around 8000 feet. I was slightly apprehensive when actually driving in Switzerland up to the highest point of the journey, and indeed within about 400 yards of the summit the EFI fault appeared. We actually stopped at the summit - surrounded by snow - and all other indications (oil pressure, temp, etc) were normal. The acid test came after going down the other side, stopping a couple of thousand feet lower, then restarting with no EFI fault. My understanding was that this is casued by an oxygen sensor that triggers because of the altitude.

I've never had pinking at altitude, although I always use 98 octane in Europe.

Julian

[Buzz Billsberry]

Thanks Julian that makes sense

Buzz