Reliability.......
Discussion
Had to drive from Minehead in Somerset back to my gaff in Kent this afternoon. Usually takes between 2 and 3 hours, but unfortunately there was a major stack on the A303 near Winterbourne Stoke and the road locked solid.
Spent an extra 2.5 hours in a monster traffic jam, crawling along on and off the clutch in first, stopping for a few minutes, then going again, etc. Pain in the arse in a Griff.
And did the expected TVR issues rear their ugly head??? Like hell they did. Steady as a rock at 90 degrees, no recalcitrant engine behaviour, all worked OK. Oil pressure got very low at idle, must have been the temperatures - but back to 30 when moving again. I was even confident enough to give a bunch of girls in an overheated Corsa my bottle of water (that could have been the kiss of death...
)
Sorry for the smug-sounding post, but just wanted to contradict the 'nobody ever posts that their TVR is running fine, so you only hear the bad news' geezers...
Spent an extra 2.5 hours in a monster traffic jam, crawling along on and off the clutch in first, stopping for a few minutes, then going again, etc. Pain in the arse in a Griff.
And did the expected TVR issues rear their ugly head??? Like hell they did. Steady as a rock at 90 degrees, no recalcitrant engine behaviour, all worked OK. Oil pressure got very low at idle, must have been the temperatures - but back to 30 when moving again. I was even confident enough to give a bunch of girls in an overheated Corsa my bottle of water (that could have been the kiss of death...
) Sorry for the smug-sounding post, but just wanted to contradict the 'nobody ever posts that their TVR is running fine, so you only hear the bad news' geezers...
Out of interest, what do you class as low oil pressure? Mine's usually about 40-45psi and I start to panic if it slips towards 30, but you say that's normal for yours. What pressure does anyone else run at?
As for reliability, I completely agree with you. My car has sat in some good-awful traffic before now and never caused me any major headaches. Although last year in the really hot weather, I managed to blow both fuses on the fans as they were on constantly pretty much. I let the car cool for a bit and took off the number plate and managed to travel 80 miles home down the M1 on a Friay afternoon without any drama.
As for reliability, I completely agree with you. My car has sat in some good-awful traffic before now and never caused me any major headaches. Although last year in the really hot weather, I managed to blow both fuses on the fans as they were on constantly pretty much. I let the car cool for a bit and took off the number plate and managed to travel 80 miles home down the M1 on a Friay afternoon without any drama.
Ran 130 miles back from Symonds Yat to Watford in about three hours today - including some crawling along the M40.
Most entertaining was finding the roads white in Cheltenham and for a further 25 miles where a heavy hail shower had just hit. Kept it steady and resisted any temptation to boot it in the wet!
I think there's a "they all do that, Sir!" needed for the lower oil pressure. At idle mine drops right down as the temperature increases - encouragingly it builds back up with the merest of right foot
. Oh - and the temperature on mine has been nicely hugging 90 all afternoon.
82,590 miles - why it's nearly run in!!!!
Most entertaining was finding the roads white in Cheltenham and for a further 25 miles where a heavy hail shower had just hit. Kept it steady and resisted any temptation to boot it in the wet!
I think there's a "they all do that, Sir!" needed for the lower oil pressure. At idle mine drops right down as the temperature increases - encouragingly it builds back up with the merest of right foot
. Oh - and the temperature on mine has been nicely hugging 90 all afternoon. 82,590 miles - why it's nearly run in!!!!
Oil pressure's a funny one - mine's never above 35, even when ice cold. On a cruise it's between 20 and 30, but today in the traffic jams it was probably more like 5 !!!!!
I don't think this is particularly good but I do understand that the Griff uses two separate oil pressure sensors, one for the gauge and one for the 'stop' red light. My light never comes on, so perhaps the gauge is reading a bit low??
I only ever put 15w50 Mobil 1 motorsport in it as well.
I don't think this is particularly good but I do understand that the Griff uses two separate oil pressure sensors, one for the gauge and one for the 'stop' red light. My light never comes on, so perhaps the gauge is reading a bit low??
I only ever put 15w50 Mobil 1 motorsport in it as well.
Look at what's normal for your car
Someone said to me last week that they never drive their car until it's warm and oil pressure up to 35.
My oil pressure (in ostensibly the same car) never gets above 15 at idle. 30ish when cruising. Never seen it above 35 - 40. But that's just my car, and my sensor.
Every one's different
Someone said to me last week that they never drive their car until it's warm and oil pressure up to 35.
My oil pressure (in ostensibly the same car) never gets above 15 at idle. 30ish when cruising. Never seen it above 35 - 40. But that's just my car, and my sensor.
Every one's different
Lorraine & I play the "when are the fans cutting in" game if we get stuck in traffic. They always (not now they won't ) cut in at the same temperature, the one nearest to fans cutting in with a finger raised wins!
My Dads former business partners' son has shown an interest in TVR's, might go round and show him a bit about what a Griff can do. His first question to my Dad was "any problems with reliability?". Now if it were a Merc, I could understand it!
) cut in at the same temperature, the one nearest to fans cutting in with a finger raised wins! My Dads former business partners' son has shown an interest in TVR's, might go round and show him a bit about what a Griff can do. His first question to my Dad was "any problems with reliability?". Now if it were a Merc, I could understand it!
rude girl said:
Someone said to me last week that they never drive their car until it's warm and oil pressure up to 35.
They don't drive a Griff then... you get the highest pressure when it's cold.
Mine would do about 30 cold and almost nothing when hot in traffic, but I changed from Mobil Water 0/0 to Motorsport 15/50 and then to Castrol RS (10/60 I think). Currently gives an indicated 40 cold and maybe 20 normal.
No 1 said:
Out of interest, what do you class as low oil pressure? Mine's usually about 40-45psi and I start to panic if it slips towards 30, but you say that's normal for yours. What pressure does anyone else run at?
My 94 Griff 500 (24K miles) starts at 50psi when cold and drops to about 40/45 when hot.
As for cooling, the early griff500 were fitted with a single relay and fuse for the twin fans (from "the Bible"), but mine's been converted to twin fuse and relays. However, these have never worked properly (one fan did not cut in when I originally bought the car). I've changed the errant relay (with reelay of similar current), and it now produces a "buzzing" sound (like a bee)when the fans cut in. Any suggestions?
Steve
as for griff reliability i cant comment as i dont get mine untill tomorow but as for mercedes they were reliable a few years ago but are far from it these days. we get at least 10 brakedowns a week all cars under 4 years old and all mainly electrical faults.
that are not easy to diagnose, and when the warranty is out god help you,
that are not easy to diagnose, and when the warranty is out god help you,
ncs said:
Glad to hear some good news, your car looks great.
How about coming out to play with the SE London & NW Kent TVRCC tonight (Monday) at The Rose & Crown, Dunton Green - its only 5 minutes from Sevenoaks.
Would be great to see you...or am I preaching to the converted??
Nick
just got back from the Smoke. So no joy there. Do you guys also meet up at the Woodman on random Sundays?? There often seem to be a good selection of TVRs...Gassing Station | Griffith | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff