Trouble in the Mill, Arkwright

[S4CJO]

Pre the summer blast off and trying to get all the jobs done, at least for a while. Anyway due to close encounter with large stone, it's been necessary to swop the sump for a new one, courtesy of V8 Developments. Well we dropped it off and after 39,000 and regular servicing all looked nice and clean and new. Ah twas then I spotted some bolts in the sump, three in total along with three conical washers . Which if the picture is correct below only three possible remain Arghhhhhhhhh!!!



To my knowledge not a spanner has been to this engine since it left TVR. The three screws and cones look like they are from the camshaft vernier gear, any one suffered anything similar. Car runs a treat but to be sure I'm just in the process of removing the water pump / timing cover????

[That Daddy]

you are lucky if it is,seeing as no damage is done camshaft timing being lost,bolts coming through cover etc,just refit camshaft bolts with blue loctite to stop samething happening again.this as been known to happen on after market vernier sets ford X/FLOW etc when not loctited in.Good luck i still say you have been lucky if this is all it is.If not you,ll have to keep searching,cheaper in the long run.unless some fool left those bits in when it was built,doubtful im sure....

[Graham]

Which engine have you got in there? the Tuscans engine came from a 99v 4ltr Chim and that still had the standard non vernier landrover chain wheel with the nylon spokes

[S4CJO]

Hi All,

It's the 450 Chimaera 98 model. At first thoght that someone had dropped these in when doing a cam job. But the engine, front cover, is spotless no slipped spanner marks or socket markings looks untouched at the moment. Looks like I'll find out when the cover comes off.

[S4CJO]

Anyone know where I can get the vernier cam gear from a serpentine engine.
The guys at V8 Dev, they've been excellent in trying to locate some new cone washers, even asked Kent if they could supply them unfortunately no which seems funny since Kent produced these for TVR.

So if anyone knows of a blown serpentine drop us a line, otherwise it looks like a new vernier wheel, in the meantime I'm stripping off the front covers. Deep Joy.....

[S4CJO]

Well the front covers are off, fairly steady job exhaust still in place though upper cross member removed, a chance to polish the swirl pot. Unlike the previous engines I've worked on before, mainly Ford deratives with vernier cams which have at least six bolts, I was suprised to see that the vernier on the TVR has only four bolts and cone washers. Well the bonus is that since three had made it to the sump, one was still in and it is well tight so fortunately no cam movement, thank you

Biggest task now is to either stump up for a new wheel or see if I can get the cone washers machined or find someone with a scrap engine.

[brummiewedge]

Real Steel are the most reasonably priced, ace service too.

[S4CJO]

Hi Brummiewedge, Real Steel how do I locate them. Phone or web ?

Cheers

[v8 racing]

THis really is a very rare happening! just check that the bolts havent been the cathing anything in the front cover to work them loose, if there is no cam retaining plate to hold the cam from coming forward they can rub against a lug on the front cover, give me a ring in the morning at v8 developments ask for rob, i am sure i have some in my private stash!!

[S4CJO]

Hi Rob,

You would be a saviour if you have, though the I think I can get the allen screws, it's the cone washers that the screws sit in. Have been speaking with your colleague Ray at V8, he tried Kent and John Earle to no avail.

So if you have at least two cone washers and three allen screws I'll pop over Saturday as I'm just down the road between Bourne and Stamford. Will also need water pump and timing cover gaskets.

Inside the cover is fine, no damage whatsoever so I can only assume whoever built the unit stepped out for a tea break and forgot to tweak them up. Usually on other engines with this type of timing gear I'll pop a drop of Loctite on the screws before nipping them up.

Call you after 9 on Friday.

[victormeldrew]

If you don't get sorted out with Rob I have a vernier wheel in the garage which is intact.

[S4CJO]

Cheers VictorM

Will call Rob this morning and see what he has. Otherwise watch this space as I'll be back. Is it a complete wheel you have?

Cheers

Clive

[S4CJO]

Thanks all for contributions. However Rob at V8 Developments came up trumps new set screws, cone washers and timing chain along with plenty of free advice.

It's pouring down with rain so I'm into the garage to get all the ancillary bits back on.

Thanks VictorM for the offer on the cam wheel.

Cheers All

[Mr Jenks]

Mine did the same thing last year but I was not as lucky as you were.
Changing up to 4th at a fair rate of knots the ignition light came on along with the oil pressure light and the engine lost all power. It refused to restart and would not even turn over, siezed solid. No loss of water and coolant temp fine, oil pressure had been normal and no noise previously, it had to be the timing chain. After the nice man from Green flag dropped it back in my drive I made a start on stripping it down. As the front cover came off I found the chain had broken, rare on an Rv8. Looking closer it was seen that one of the vernier bolts was missing, the bolt had jammed in the chain and snapped a tooth off the crank sprocket. Removal of the sump and I found the bolt and seating washer. The valves had hit pistons and bent a couple of the exhaust valves, heads off as well then. A few hundred pounds of parts arrived the next day and everything went back together with loctite, if only the ex main dealer, who seem to get an awful lot of respect on here as an independant, had used some when they replaced the cam 2000 miles previously it would never have happened.

[S4CJO]

Sorry to hear about your incident I agree absolutely lucky. If I hadn’t had to change the sump I wouldn’t have known until the dreaded bang!!