Running In Tips
Discussion
TVR sent me these notes regarding running in - they thought it would be of interest to potential owners.
quote:
JOHN RAVENSCROFT’S TIPS ON MECHANICAL SYMPATHY AND HIS ENGINES!
RUNNING IN
Most importantly, drive fairly normally. Being too gentle with an engine when running in can be as bad as being too rough.
Although it is important to avoid full throttle or over 4,000 rpm during the first 1,000 miles, occasional bursts (c.5 seconds) of 75% throttle up to 4,000 rpm, will help to bed the piston rings in.
FROM COLD
When starting, please be careful not to let it rev straight up so please make sure that you do not give it anything more than a tiny bit of throttle while cranking it over and then lift off as soon as it catches.
Then try to avoid more than 3,000 rpm until the oil (not water) temperature has exceeded 40°C, 4,000 rpm until 60°C and 7,000 rpm until 80°C. If it climbs above 110°C, please keep the revs below 5,000 rpm until the oil temperature returns to normal.
quote:
JOHN RAVENSCROFT’S TIPS ON MECHANICAL SYMPATHY AND HIS ENGINES!
Oh, so they are his engines now, are they? Al Melling and Peter Wheeler have presumably denied any responsibility and they should have been known as the 'J' and not 'AJP' all along..
The V6 Ford engine in my TVR was run in about 24 years ago but as I don't have an oil temp gauge, I just have to wait until the black smoke from the exhaust turns to blue..
Ted, that's pretty much what the Handbook says and what I've been doing.
I also can't even see where any confusion could be?
I guess some people either don't read the handbook or chose to ignore it?
Which I find hard to believe as if you know there could be a problem you'd do all you can to prevent it!
Cheers.... Andrew
I also can't even see where any confusion could be?
I guess some people either don't read the handbook or chose to ignore it?
Which I find hard to believe as if you know there could be a problem you'd do all you can to prevent it!
Cheers.... Andrew
Obviously they have added something new to the Tamora owners handbook then cause there certainly is nothing in my Tuscan one about starting from cold (other than a vague "do not push the vehicle when cold" type thing).
It appears to me that this maybe the first signs of TVR admitting that the S6 AJP engine is particularly susceptible to mechanical wear/failure before the engine is at operating temp. Now before I get flamed by everyone saying "so are all engines", I know this, but I think that the tolerences in this engine coupled with a 0W40 oil make it a much bigger problem. Mobil 1 et al are so thin that they drain almost entirely to the bottom of the engine when it is off (explains the problem checking the oil levels). Until the engine is running and at the oils minimum temp (40deg coincidentally) the protection is minimal. Hence any heavy right footed activity before this is rewarded very badly.
Now it takes my Tuscan up to 10 mins to get above 40 deg for the oil and it isn't too much fun trying to drive around at 3000rpm or less. Hence there are bound to be occasions in the real world (if you drive you car enough anyway) that means it is going to be difficult to keep to these limits. Potentially everytime you don't, you could damage the engine. Do it enough times and it could go bang (around 5000 miles worth roughly?).
So what can you do? Only drive the car on Sundays/Track days when all necessary preconditions to driving the car can be met? Or, in the real world, stand around in streets/car parks waiting 10 mins before driving off? Or maybe there are some better lubricants out there that, if they can't solve the problem (as there seems to be a hardware issue here too) they may be able to help your chances.
This is all IMHO and I am in no way mechanically minded but it does make sense to my limited understanding. Still feel that TVR need to be a lot more open about the problem though. This recent bit of advice would suggest to me that this is not a problem that has gone away and so affects old and new cars alike.
It appears to me that this maybe the first signs of TVR admitting that the S6 AJP engine is particularly susceptible to mechanical wear/failure before the engine is at operating temp. Now before I get flamed by everyone saying "so are all engines", I know this, but I think that the tolerences in this engine coupled with a 0W40 oil make it a much bigger problem. Mobil 1 et al are so thin that they drain almost entirely to the bottom of the engine when it is off (explains the problem checking the oil levels). Until the engine is running and at the oils minimum temp (40deg coincidentally) the protection is minimal. Hence any heavy right footed activity before this is rewarded very badly.
Now it takes my Tuscan up to 10 mins to get above 40 deg for the oil and it isn't too much fun trying to drive around at 3000rpm or less. Hence there are bound to be occasions in the real world (if you drive you car enough anyway) that means it is going to be difficult to keep to these limits. Potentially everytime you don't, you could damage the engine. Do it enough times and it could go bang (around 5000 miles worth roughly?).
So what can you do? Only drive the car on Sundays/Track days when all necessary preconditions to driving the car can be met? Or, in the real world, stand around in streets/car parks waiting 10 mins before driving off? Or maybe there are some better lubricants out there that, if they can't solve the problem (as there seems to be a hardware issue here too) they may be able to help your chances.
This is all IMHO and I am in no way mechanically minded but it does make sense to my limited understanding. Still feel that TVR need to be a lot more open about the problem though. This recent bit of advice would suggest to me that this is not a problem that has gone away and so affects old and new cars alike.
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