Sag engine gone bang
Discussion
Well all in all an eventful time of Sag ownership….
After having the interior re trimmed, the front end repainted, the car fully checked and then deciding to move house and considering selling the Sag….then deciding to keep it….now the next phase.
The engine has blown
…..on a trip back from Birmingham I noticed the engine getting a little hotter than normal in traffic and the oil pressure dropping on idle. Decided to monitor and take it easy. Then about 10 mins from home…..noises from the engine, sounding like a bag of bits, vibration through the gears, white smoke everywhere, oil all over the road, oil sprayed out of the exhausts and coating the rear of the car…..and dead!!!! Classic engine destruction. Investigation will show what has gone but not good.
The car is in great order (or was) well looked after, regularly serviced, warmed up correctly etc. I guess it’s a lottery with these engines and my ticket came up at 35,000 miles. I even had a dealer who took it out for a spin and was very impressed by how it pulled. He also made me an offer.
So now what to do? I am keeping the Sag as apart from the engine everything else is in A1 order both cosmetically and structurally.
My options are Power 4.3/5, Str8six 4.3 or an LS7. Not going RG. I drove the TopCat 350 yesterday and it was truly awesome. I also drove Dom’s 5.0 a bit back and that was also impressive but not in the same league IMO. I just love the V8 and the LS7 is a fantastic engine.
My preference is the LS7 undertaken by Topcats. Reason is I can imagine swapping the S6 out for an LS7…I can’t imagine why you would go the other way.
So my question to my fellow enthusiasts is cash related as I am not going to throw good money after bad. Given the choice to buy your Sag again or buy one in the classifieds would it be an LS7 or 4.3/5? Would you pay a premium for either? I have no intention of selling the question is one of interest only.
In a lot of ways I am glad I never sold it for a house move as I have the opportunity to own the TVR I always wanted that will perform as it should….very exciting but also annoying to see an engine go bang.
After having the interior re trimmed, the front end repainted, the car fully checked and then deciding to move house and considering selling the Sag….then deciding to keep it….now the next phase.
The engine has blown
…..on a trip back from Birmingham I noticed the engine getting a little hotter than normal in traffic and the oil pressure dropping on idle. Decided to monitor and take it easy. Then about 10 mins from home…..noises from the engine, sounding like a bag of bits, vibration through the gears, white smoke everywhere, oil all over the road, oil sprayed out of the exhausts and coating the rear of the car…..and dead!!!! Classic engine destruction. Investigation will show what has gone but not good.The car is in great order (or was) well looked after, regularly serviced, warmed up correctly etc. I guess it’s a lottery with these engines and my ticket came up at 35,000 miles. I even had a dealer who took it out for a spin and was very impressed by how it pulled. He also made me an offer.
So now what to do? I am keeping the Sag as apart from the engine everything else is in A1 order both cosmetically and structurally.
My options are Power 4.3/5, Str8six 4.3 or an LS7. Not going RG. I drove the TopCat 350 yesterday and it was truly awesome. I also drove Dom’s 5.0 a bit back and that was also impressive but not in the same league IMO. I just love the V8 and the LS7 is a fantastic engine.
My preference is the LS7 undertaken by Topcats. Reason is I can imagine swapping the S6 out for an LS7…I can’t imagine why you would go the other way.
So my question to my fellow enthusiasts is cash related as I am not going to throw good money after bad. Given the choice to buy your Sag again or buy one in the classifieds would it be an LS7 or 4.3/5? Would you pay a premium for either? I have no intention of selling the question is one of interest only.
In a lot of ways I am glad I never sold it for a house move as I have the opportunity to own the TVR I always wanted that will perform as it should….very exciting but also annoying to see an engine go bang.
I had almost the exact same scenario as you last year. Just had a full respray, interior re-carpet, wheel refurb. Was on the way home after 2 months without and my engine did almost identical to yours. Low then fluctuating oil pressure, big bang, lots of white smoke, no power etc - that was on a very healthy engine with 28k on it - turned out to be a collapsed half time bearing.
I had also toyed with selling, having agreed a p/ex on a 355 only 5 months previous.
I opted in the end for a 4.3 from Power, I love the zinginess of the S6 and Powers 5 year warranty covered a lot of the worry. It's a very good engine, lots of low down torque and loads of power right through the rev range. Personally, in a Sag I'd opt for the 4.5 SS instead just to make it a proper beast
I had also toyed with selling, having agreed a p/ex on a 355 only 5 months previous.
I opted in the end for a 4.3 from Power, I love the zinginess of the S6 and Powers 5 year warranty covered a lot of the worry. It's a very good engine, lots of low down torque and loads of power right through the rev range. Personally, in a Sag I'd opt for the 4.5 SS instead just to make it a proper beast
Sorry to hear about your engine. As you say, its a bit of a gamble - same with any engine.
I went for a 4.5 at Dom's at the beginning of the year. Primarily due to the warranty. Its a good engine, but the warranty swung it for me.
After 6 months of running the 4.5 engine, great engine.
No hesitation recommending Power's engine. Had a few small issues, but all sorted out by Dom without any fuss and he's been very helpful.
I went for a 4.5 at Dom's at the beginning of the year. Primarily due to the warranty. Its a good engine, but the warranty swung it for me.
After 6 months of running the 4.5 engine, great engine.
No hesitation recommending Power's engine. Had a few small issues, but all sorted out by Dom without any fuss and he's been very helpful.
Edited by alex_gray255 on Tuesday 3rd September 14:08
No doubt the LS7 offers huge power and torque and those who have them seem well pleased, BUT the 4.5ss from TVR Power is no slouch and offers pretty much all the power you need for day to day driving and comes with a 5 year warranty. Or why not get one of the limited edition 5.0L engines Dom is building.
The Ls is a good engine but you will need other items along with the engine such as brakes,gearbox and driveshafts etc and then you dont really have a TVR Sagaris, a fast Sagaris yes but not a TVR Sagaris in my opinion. As a keeper I think the future values will be in keeping the car original but improved it rather than transplanting a big American engine in it.
I had the same decision to make 2 years ago and after looking at the LS and the costs to do it correctly it was out of my budget. I went with Power for a standard 4.0L rebuild which has been faultless as has been the service from Dom at TVR Power. In hindsight I should probably have went for a 4.3 but Im not a fast driver and the 4.0L offers pretty much everything I need and more,however for a few extra £K the 4.3L would have been nice.
The Ls is a good engine but you will need other items along with the engine such as brakes,gearbox and driveshafts etc and then you dont really have a TVR Sagaris, a fast Sagaris yes but not a TVR Sagaris in my opinion. As a keeper I think the future values will be in keeping the car original but improved it rather than transplanting a big American engine in it.
I had the same decision to make 2 years ago and after looking at the LS and the costs to do it correctly it was out of my budget. I went with Power for a standard 4.0L rebuild which has been faultless as has been the service from Dom at TVR Power. In hindsight I should probably have went for a 4.3 but Im not a fast driver and the 4.0L offers pretty much everything I need and more,however for a few extra £K the 4.3L would have been nice.
natben said:
I had the same decision to make 2 years ago and after looking at the LS and the costs to do it correctly it was out of my budget. I went with Power for a standard 4.0L rebuild which has been faultless as has been the service from Dom at TVR Power. In hindsight I should probably have went for a 4.3 but Im not a fast driver and the 4.0L offers pretty much everything I need and more,however for a few extra £K the 4.3L would have been nice.
Sorry to hear your engines gone, I know the feeling! I have a 4.0 S which Dom is rebuilding for me. If money were no object I would be torn between Powers 4.5 and an LS. Warren quoted me for an LS3, not sure what the difference is between and LS3 and an LS7, either price or power wise.
If Dom would do the 5.0, that would be the one for me!
Good luck with the decision!
Edited by S6 Devil on Tuesday 3rd September 16:24
If it was a straight fight between the 4.x or the LSx, I would take the LSx. It's just so much more of an engine. I would also have the original (dead) engine overhauled, and mothballed/sealed for storage.
The chassis and engine doesn't need much changing to get the LSx in, so it can be swapped back if you want to. This isn't a slight of the 4.x engines, it's just I preferred the FFF over them, and the LS2 I have is a stunningly capable motor.
(Very sorry to hear of your woes).
The chassis and engine doesn't need much changing to get the LSx in, so it can be swapped back if you want to. This isn't a slight of the 4.x engines, it's just I preferred the FFF over them, and the LS2 I have is a stunningly capable motor.
(Very sorry to hear of your woes).
natben said:
The Ls is a good engine but you will need other items along with the engine such as brakes,gearbox and driveshafts etc and then you dont really have a TVR Sagaris, a fast Sagaris yes but not a TVR Sagaris in my opinion.
Why would you need to change anything other than the engine? The LS should interface to most gearboxes (can't remember whats in the Sag but I thought it was a Tremec unit) so why change anything aft of that? The only thing you'd definitely need is a new accelerator as the LS is fly by wire but that comes with the e-rod package.fatbutt said:
natben said:
The Ls is a good engine but you will need other items along with the engine such as brakes,gearbox and driveshafts etc and then you dont really have a TVR Sagaris, a fast Sagaris yes but not a TVR Sagaris in my opinion.
Why would you need to change anything other than the engine? The LS should interface to most gearboxes (can't remember whats in the Sag but I thought it was a Tremec unit) so why change anything aft of that? The only thing you'd definitely need is a new accelerator as the LS is fly by wire but that comes with the e-rod package.you could rework the gearbox with an adaptor, but it wont last if used with an ls7
engine
clutch
alternator
gearbox (t5 fitted will fail)
headers
exhaust
cats
air inlet & filters
fuel pipes
fuel pump
shifter
ECU
loom
pedal
header tank
propshaft
so sorry to hear of your engine fail, i probably wouldnt pull out a good speed 6 to replace with a Ls, but if it is truly gone bang........
fatbutt said:
Why would you need to change anything other than the engine? The LS should interface to most gearboxes (can't remember whats in the Sag but I thought it was a Tremec unit) so why change anything aft of that? The only thing you'd definitely need is a new accelerator as the LS is fly by wire but that comes with the e-rod package.
Fatbutt, my understanding is that if you are going to do it correctly then you have to change quiet a few other items if you want it to work reliably. Some of the early adopters of the LS have went on to change the parts I mention above as they break because of the extra torque and power of the LS. Im sure there are more items than just the parts I mention but it is not just a case of replacing the SP6 with and LS. I looked at this 2 years ago when my SP6 engine went bang and the final cost to do it correctly so that it was reliable was nearly £20k if my memory is still working. Beyond my meagre budget at the time. alex_gray255 said:
You could buy the engine from Chris's Sag (RG Green one).
I believe he is replacing it with a non-SP6.
That would be the cheapest way to go, and put you right back where you were a few days ago, but with no warranty tho... Paul Black's Sag is amazing, but I think you could get 2x Power 4.5SS engines for less than Paul has spent. Obviously there are alternative, cheaper LSx alternatives, but you do have to replace a lot more than the engine. Christian (7TVR) has a fantastic Griff LSx conversion, Brummie a Cerbera - world's Fastest TVR.I believe he is replacing it with a non-SP6.
I love the Speed6 engine, but if it went bang in my Sag, it would be a tough decision... Keep it TVR and Speed6, or go for the best solution to make it absolutely bonkers performance wise - which is the LS route!
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