Car picked up, some questions.
Discussion
Hi.
Picked up my griff today, and as seems the norm I have a few questions.
1. It smokes. Only from the right hand exhaust and only when reverse is engaged. Was at the end of a 150 mile drive so not condensation. Was pitch black where I was reversing so couldn't tell the colour. Any ideas?
2. Seat belts. Are they always a bugger to pull out?
3. Instrument lights. Is there a switch? The dials are stubbornly in darkness. I'll try fuses etc, just wondering if like my Alfa there is a hidden switch somewhere?
Other than that. Am well happy!
Picked up my griff today, and as seems the norm I have a few questions.
1. It smokes. Only from the right hand exhaust and only when reverse is engaged. Was at the end of a 150 mile drive so not condensation. Was pitch black where I was reversing so couldn't tell the colour. Any ideas?
2. Seat belts. Are they always a bugger to pull out?
3. Instrument lights. Is there a switch? The dials are stubbornly in darkness. I'll try fuses etc, just wondering if like my Alfa there is a hidden switch somewhere?
Other than that. Am well happy!
davemac250 said:
Hi.
Picked up my griff today, and as seems the norm I have a few questions.
1. It smokes. Only from the right hand exhaust and only when reverse is engaged. Was at the end of a 150 mile drive so not condensation. Was pitch black where I was reversing so couldn't tell the colour. Any ideas?
2. Seat belts. Are they always a bugger to pull out?
3. Instrument lights. Is there a switch? The dials are stubbornly in darkness. I'll try fuses etc, just wondering if like my Alfa there is a hidden switch somewhere?
Other than that. Am well happy!
smoking on reverse....no ideas other than perhaps an oil leak from the transmission housing when reverse is selected, getting onto exhaust?Picked up my griff today, and as seems the norm I have a few questions.
1. It smokes. Only from the right hand exhaust and only when reverse is engaged. Was at the end of a 150 mile drive so not condensation. Was pitch black where I was reversing so couldn't tell the colour. Any ideas?
2. Seat belts. Are they always a bugger to pull out?
3. Instrument lights. Is there a switch? The dials are stubbornly in darkness. I'll try fuses etc, just wondering if like my Alfa there is a hidden switch somewhere?
Other than that. Am well happy!
belts, yes, the hood can cinchthe belts at the top, the seat can pinch the seatbelts behind them at the back, and even when working properly, they are tempremental
instrument lights, youve possibly turned them off with your left knee under the dash.
oh, welcome!
Cant see reverse having any bearing on what comes out the exhausts. Id check it in daylight to see properly what is coming out.
Re the seat belts they cam jam. The reels down on the floor are sensetive to their position. I find to extend freely the top of the reel needs to be twisted towards the side of the car. If that makes sense.
As for dash lights. There is a button on the lower dash near your left knee. This switches them on and off, try that.
Re the seat belts they cam jam. The reels down on the floor are sensetive to their position. I find to extend freely the top of the reel needs to be twisted towards the side of the car. If that makes sense.
As for dash lights. There is a button on the lower dash near your left knee. This switches them on and off, try that.
Blue tinged smoke is burning oil and on start up only could be a stcking piston ring or possibly a sign of either worn guide seals or slightly worn guides as well. Seals can be done without heads coming off but guides require head removal.If everything sounds well then just run it for a while In case a piston ring was gummed up as they can clear themselves-Ive had this happen myself.
Edited by The AJP Griff on Saturday 28th April 12:37
davemac250 said:
Smoking - blue tinge. Heavy on start up. Didn't smoke at all at the dealers. But then I did as many miles yesterday as it did between last mot's!
Odd that it didn't do it at the dealers but like you said - if it hasn't been covering many miles perhaps the run yesterday caused something to move/stick.I am not sure how far down the sump the dipstick tube goes in a Griff (or if this test is valid on the rv8) but have you tried running the engine with the dipstick out and looking for smoke/blowing out the top? If you are seeing blow back I would have the engine pressure tested to find out which cylinder is leaking gasses.
Hopefully it will just be a gummed up valve not seating or a stuck ring due to the layup the car has had.
Tim.
Hmmm. Been for a bit of rain dodging today. The smoking has let up, oil level was high on the dipstick, wondering of a touch over filled.
Next question (sorry!).
Just how hard should it be to select reverse or first/second at a standstill?
Reverse is a b
d, grinds like anything when cold, when warmed is a bit better.
First and second are very difficult to select if stopped. Any movement and it slots in lovely, doesn't help when stationary for lights etc. I don't really want to sit holding the clutch in.
Tried blipping throttle, working down through the box. Doesn't change.
Bizarrely, when cold the gear engage more easily. Even close to easily!
Is this normal for a pre-cat? I know that the box is not as good as the later model, and tbh when moving it is more than fine.
Next question (sorry!).
Just how hard should it be to select reverse or first/second at a standstill?
Reverse is a b
d, grinds like anything when cold, when warmed is a bit better. First and second are very difficult to select if stopped. Any movement and it slots in lovely, doesn't help when stationary for lights etc. I don't really want to sit holding the clutch in.
Tried blipping throttle, working down through the box. Doesn't change.
Bizarrely, when cold the gear engage more easily. Even close to easily!
Is this normal for a pre-cat? I know that the box is not as good as the later model, and tbh when moving it is more than fine.
I always select first before reverse. I had something similar with my precat. Check that the clutch slave and master cylinder seals aren't leaking. I replaced my slave cylinder and the master went a year or so later.
Mine turned out to be the clutch plate finally wearing out. I could get gears fine when moving but still 1st and reverse were absloute, bu**ers. This was around 40k miles on my Pre-Cat.
Mine turned out to be the clutch plate finally wearing out. I could get gears fine when moving but still 1st and reverse were absloute, bu**ers. This was around 40k miles on my Pre-Cat.
no bugger ever seems to change it including the so called TVR gods 
it's only when a problem like this arises the fluid is checked let alone changed 
davemac250 said:
Hmmm. Been for a bit of rain dodging today. The smoking has let up, oil level was high on the dipstick, wondering of a touch over filled.
Next question (sorry!).
Just how hard should it be to select reverse or first/second at a standstill?
Reverse is a bd, grinds like anything when cold, when warmed is a bit better.
First and second are very difficult to select if stopped. Any movement and it slots in lovely, doesn't help when stationary for lights etc. I don't really want to sit holding the clutch in.
Tried blipping throttle, working down through the box. Doesn't change.
Bizarrely, when cold the gear engage more easily. Even close to easily!
Is this normal for a pre-cat? I know that the box is not as good as the later model, and tbh when moving it is more than fine.
these symptoms suggest the clutch is not fully disengaging, so the clutch is dragging the transmission shaft round even when stationaryNext question (sorry!).
Just how hard should it be to select reverse or first/second at a standstill?
Reverse is a b
d, grinds like anything when cold, when warmed is a bit better. First and second are very difficult to select if stopped. Any movement and it slots in lovely, doesn't help when stationary for lights etc. I don't really want to sit holding the clutch in.
Tried blipping throttle, working down through the box. Doesn't change.
Bizarrely, when cold the gear engage more easily. Even close to easily!
Is this normal for a pre-cat? I know that the box is not as good as the later model, and tbh when moving it is more than fine.
bleed fluid as suggested. check you have enough pedal movement (you can adjust the pedal at the back to pick up perhaps a few mm more movement of the piston
check the carpet etc isnt preventing pedal movement
davemac250 said:
Pedal is reaching the metal stop.
Will try adjusting pedals, I do have to make sure the clutch is fully down to do anything. Otherwise it baulks.
Car was serviced the day I collected it as mentioned, it didn't do this when I tested it, I'll ask if something was changed/moved.
Hi there and welcome as a fellow Griff owner. Look forward to some nice pics of your beast. May seem silly, but if you got it from a dealer is it under any warranty? Know its a pain going back all that way but for the cost of the fuel let them deal with the problems! If no warranty then all the advice given by the other members above is sound. The seat belts on my Griff come out OK but there is a bit of friction against the carpet at the back and they go back slowly. The smoking could easily be overfilling of oil as well as the other faults given above, I would check when really cold and see what the level is, if over filled just let some out. All the best, PeteWill try adjusting pedals, I do have to make sure the clutch is fully down to do anything. Otherwise it baulks.
Car was serviced the day I collected it as mentioned, it didn't do this when I tested it, I'll ask if something was changed/moved.
Yes has a warranty.
400 mile round trip though, is as you say a pain.
Just popped out and the gears seem even stiffer - the oh cannot engage them at all (not necessarily a bad thing). At this rate it may end up being recovered there. Arse.
Still in comparison to when I bought my Saab this is relatively painless!
400 mile round trip though, is as you say a pain.
Just popped out and the gears seem even stiffer - the oh cannot engage them at all (not necessarily a bad thing). At this rate it may end up being recovered there. Arse.
Still in comparison to when I bought my Saab this is relatively painless!
ESDavey said:
The gears on my Griff are stiff when cold & reverse is always difficult to select. I select 5th then reverse which works fine. Good Luck !
I always select 5th before reverse on my griff too. I think for me it is more habit that anything as in my 4.5 Cerbera you had to do this as reverse was not an option unless you put in 5th first.But, as has been said - if it is from a dealer and not a private sale then I would take/send it back as these problems shouldn't exist.
Tim.
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