Just got my first TVR (S3) need advice!
Discussion
Hi. I've just purchased an S3 (via pistonheads!). First chance to get the bonnet up & have a good nose around this morning (Brrr - I wish it was summer) & it's all a bit scary compared to my old Triumph Spitfire!!! Just got a couple of questions I was hoping some of you nice people might be able to advise on.
I thought something on the engine sounded a bit noisy (like when the bearings are gone on an altenator & you get that whistling sound). However, seems like it's just the air suction. It's got a kind of 'sock' air filter & it really sucks it through there. Is that normal?
The cockpit smells a bit of fumes while driving. Is that normal!
There are no markings on the cockpit temp control (blower). Whatever position I select it seems to give out hot air?
Although it seems to start & run OK, it takes quite a bit of turning over. The HT leads & plugs all look like they could do with a change, maybe that will help?
Any other advice would be much appreciated. It's to be my only car so I need to keep it reliable & pre-empt as many problems as I can!
Many thanks.
Rob
I thought something on the engine sounded a bit noisy (like when the bearings are gone on an altenator & you get that whistling sound). However, seems like it's just the air suction. It's got a kind of 'sock' air filter & it really sucks it through there. Is that normal?
The cockpit smells a bit of fumes while driving. Is that normal!
There are no markings on the cockpit temp control (blower). Whatever position I select it seems to give out hot air?
Although it seems to start & run OK, it takes quite a bit of turning over. The HT leads & plugs all look like they could do with a change, maybe that will help?
Any other advice would be much appreciated. It's to be my only car so I need to keep it reliable & pre-empt as many problems as I can!
Many thanks.
Rob
Hi
Congratulations on buying an S, you'll find lots of helpful people on here.
The 'standard' air filter should be a foam Pipercross oval shape at the front of the engine bay. As to induction roar, some people I think have more than others. As long as the filter is in good confition I wouldn't worry about it.
Re the fumes I would check that the fuel pipe is not rotten. The fuel tank is under the rear of the car and there is a rubber tube from there to the pump in the passenger side weel arch. Then the rubber tube runs forward to the engine bay. As the V6 is fuel injected the system is pressurirsed a lot more than say a normal carb engine. If you need to replace it you need to buy the correct high pressure fuel hose, take some with you as I believe it's an odd size.
There is a very good section in 'The Bible' if you have it. If you haven't then I would recommend you get a copy as it is the best reference book for the S and the closest thing to a workshop manual you'll find. check out www.tvrbooks.co.uk/
The blower switch just controls the fan speed, the temperature is controlled by the sliding control but if you are moving that and nothing is happening to the temperature then I would say that the control cable has become disconnected. The valve for the heater is located under the bonnet just in front of the bulkhead and you should be able to move it by hand to turn off the valve. Changing the cable is a bitch to do as it involves reaching up behind the dash and working practically lying in the footwell.
I think you are on the right track changing the plugs and leads, check also the rotor arm and dizzy cap. They aren't expensive but do wear out eventually. Coils have been know to fail as they get very hot under the bonnet.
Other things to check steering column UJ's and the steering column bush where it goes therough the footwell. Easy to replace but a known weak point.
Cooling - make sure the anti-freeze is topped up and that hoses are in good condition. I won't open up a discussion on where the pressure cap should go
. Have a search on the forum if you want to read the many discussions on that one. My advice is if your's is working OK and not overheating leave it alone!!
Throttle pot - again another hot topic. This is the black device on the front of the plenum chamber with 3 wires connected to it. IT tells the ECU what you are doing with your right foot so it can bung in the right amount of fuel. It can fail with annoying regularity. Available from Ford dealers but quite expensive. Lot's of threads about that. You can unplug it to get you home or check if this is being a problem but the engine won't run as efficiently as it should.
Colin
Congratulations on buying an S, you'll find lots of helpful people on here.
The 'standard' air filter should be a foam Pipercross oval shape at the front of the engine bay. As to induction roar, some people I think have more than others. As long as the filter is in good confition I wouldn't worry about it.
Re the fumes I would check that the fuel pipe is not rotten. The fuel tank is under the rear of the car and there is a rubber tube from there to the pump in the passenger side weel arch. Then the rubber tube runs forward to the engine bay. As the V6 is fuel injected the system is pressurirsed a lot more than say a normal carb engine. If you need to replace it you need to buy the correct high pressure fuel hose, take some with you as I believe it's an odd size.
There is a very good section in 'The Bible' if you have it. If you haven't then I would recommend you get a copy as it is the best reference book for the S and the closest thing to a workshop manual you'll find. check out www.tvrbooks.co.uk/
The blower switch just controls the fan speed, the temperature is controlled by the sliding control but if you are moving that and nothing is happening to the temperature then I would say that the control cable has become disconnected. The valve for the heater is located under the bonnet just in front of the bulkhead and you should be able to move it by hand to turn off the valve. Changing the cable is a bitch to do as it involves reaching up behind the dash and working practically lying in the footwell.
I think you are on the right track changing the plugs and leads, check also the rotor arm and dizzy cap. They aren't expensive but do wear out eventually. Coils have been know to fail as they get very hot under the bonnet.
Other things to check steering column UJ's and the steering column bush where it goes therough the footwell. Easy to replace but a known weak point.
Cooling - make sure the anti-freeze is topped up and that hoses are in good condition. I won't open up a discussion on where the pressure cap should go
. Have a search on the forum if you want to read the many discussions on that one. My advice is if your's is working OK and not overheating leave it alone!! Throttle pot - again another hot topic. This is the black device on the front of the plenum chamber with 3 wires connected to it. IT tells the ECU what you are doing with your right foot so it can bung in the right amount of fuel. It can fail with annoying regularity. Available from Ford dealers but quite expensive. Lot's of threads about that. You can unplug it to get you home or check if this is being a problem but the engine won't run as efficiently as it should.
Colin
Welcome to S club. 
Hi, as nobody else has mentioned it, buy yourself a spare throttle cable and keep it in the boot. I use my S3 everyday and (touching wood) the only time she let me down in 18 months was when the throttle cable snapped. Enjoy.I got fumes in my car from two places.
Exhaust fumes leaking where the downpipe connects to the manifold were quite bad when I first brought the car.
And a petrol smell came from a leaking fuel sender. Have a look the the bottom near side corner of the fuel tank. If its damp or a darker shade than the rest of the tank its probably leaking.
Oh and welcome.
Ralph
Exhaust fumes leaking where the downpipe connects to the manifold were quite bad when I first brought the car.
And a petrol smell came from a leaking fuel sender. Have a look the the bottom near side corner of the fuel tank. If its damp or a darker shade than the rest of the tank its probably leaking.
Oh and welcome.
Ralph
Hi & welcome. I like my S3 but you have to accept it is not a mass produced car - quality is a bit suspect in some cases - my car was a shed when I bought it. Really poor previous maintenance, exhaust leaks, smells of petrol, coolant like brown sludge, oil black, clutch fliud contaminatewd etc etc. However the price reflected this and much of work has already been done. Main bugbear is rust in the suspension arms (costly) and I want to remove the body to fix this properly as there is some other minor corrosion around the mounting points.
Anyway enough of my winging and the best of luck with it.
Anyway enough of my winging and the best of luck with it.
Thanks to everyone for your comments. Until finding this S3 & being unable to resist the temptation, I'd been thinking about it for quite a while but putting it off as I was a little scared from the maintenance perspective. Although I did have a couple of Triumph spitfires in the past, I've been spoilt with maintenance free Toyota driving for a few years now!
It's really reassuring to find this is such an active and friendly forum.
Big cheers.
Rob
It's really reassuring to find this is such an active and friendly forum.
Big cheers.
Rob
Gassing Station | S Series | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff