Discussion
Hi
I just brought my Cerb home for the first time last night and having been a lurker here for a few months I am now after some advice.
The car is a 98 4.5, its been fairly well cared for looks to be in very good condition and everything works well. But it has done very few miles over the last few years and had nothing except basic servicing. I intend to sprint the car next season having being sprinting a Triumph for the last couple of years so i want to get it up to standard.
So I want to do at least a 12000 service on it, most if not all of it myself. I suspect that most of the long term consumable items such as bushes, pipes and belts are going to need to be done.
I have a lot of experience of fixing cars and good access to facilities so most of the servicing tasks look straightforward and I like tinkering anyway (if i just wanted it to just go when i turned the key i would have bought a Lexus). So my questions are
1) Exactly how challenging is the valve clearance adjustment, are special tools like the pulley lock mandatory ? It would be worth knowing what this job alone would cost at a good independant
2) Whats the best place for general spares and parts ?
3) Is it worth me giving it to one of the independants just to get them to cast an eye over it and give me a job list ? and would they do this for me ?
ian h
I just brought my Cerb home for the first time last night and having been a lurker here for a few months I am now after some advice.
The car is a 98 4.5, its been fairly well cared for looks to be in very good condition and everything works well. But it has done very few miles over the last few years and had nothing except basic servicing. I intend to sprint the car next season having being sprinting a Triumph for the last couple of years so i want to get it up to standard.
So I want to do at least a 12000 service on it, most if not all of it myself. I suspect that most of the long term consumable items such as bushes, pipes and belts are going to need to be done.
I have a lot of experience of fixing cars and good access to facilities so most of the servicing tasks look straightforward and I like tinkering anyway (if i just wanted it to just go when i turned the key i would have bought a Lexus). So my questions are
1) Exactly how challenging is the valve clearance adjustment, are special tools like the pulley lock mandatory ? It would be worth knowing what this job alone would cost at a good independant
2) Whats the best place for general spares and parts ?
3) Is it worth me giving it to one of the independants just to get them to cast an eye over it and give me a job list ? and would they do this for me ?
ian h
Hi Ian, welcome to Cerberaship 
I'm a Cerbera and Triumph nut as well as it happens and do all of my own work on them both, including a full engine rebuild last winter. Assuming were're talking V8 here, the valve clearance job isn't too difficult. If you haven't got the correct tool you'll need to jury rig something to hold the cam pulley in position and keep tension on the chain. I used a strategically placed 3/4 socket extension and a bit of wire...
You don't say whereabouts in the country you are, but I'm sure that if you wanted to take your car to a specialist for a once over it can't do any harm and you'll get some recommendations on who to go to from folk on here.
BCA on here (or his Dad) has been sprinting a Cerb for a few years and I'm sure could pass on some advice. Anyway, it'll be good to see another one in the paddock. Any plans for for my local favourite, Shelesly Walsh 2011?
I'm a Cerbera and Triumph nut as well as it happens and do all of my own work on them both, including a full engine rebuild last winter. Assuming were're talking V8 here, the valve clearance job isn't too difficult. If you haven't got the correct tool you'll need to jury rig something to hold the cam pulley in position and keep tension on the chain. I used a strategically placed 3/4 socket extension and a bit of wire...
You don't say whereabouts in the country you are, but I'm sure that if you wanted to take your car to a specialist for a once over it can't do any harm and you'll get some recommendations on who to go to from folk on here.
BCA on here (or his Dad) has been sprinting a Cerb for a few years and I'm sure could pass on some advice. Anyway, it'll be good to see another one in the paddock. Any plans for for my local favourite, Shelesly Walsh 2011?
Hi and welcome! It would be really good to see another Cerb in the TVRCC Speed Championship!
The valve clearances is a straightforward job, it just needs a bit of careful measuring and the willingness to take the cams on and off a few times. I just did mine over a weekend - and I wasn't hurrying. Everything else service wise is nice and straightforward.
In practice it depends on how the car has been maintained previously. I would be prepared with M6 and M8 helicoils and be ready to do quite a lot of thread replacements when you do the clearances!
The workshop manuals and ECU software is available on my site at www.tvr-cerbera.co.uk (among other places)
Personally I use TVR Power for most spares because of the excellent service and knowledgeable assistance, but have also used Clever Trevor and Racing Green on occasion.
The valve clearances is a straightforward job, it just needs a bit of careful measuring and the willingness to take the cams on and off a few times. I just did mine over a weekend - and I wasn't hurrying. Everything else service wise is nice and straightforward.
In practice it depends on how the car has been maintained previously. I would be prepared with M6 and M8 helicoils and be ready to do quite a lot of thread replacements when you do the clearances!
The workshop manuals and ECU software is available on my site at www.tvr-cerbera.co.uk (among other places)
Personally I use TVR Power for most spares because of the excellent service and knowledgeable assistance, but have also used Clever Trevor and Racing Green on occasion.
Thanks guys
I'm in swindon by the way. I haven't ever doen Shelsey so that might be an experience for next year. My personal favourite is Harewood.
Thanks for the link to the manuals, actually I downloaded all of these a coupel fo monhts ago to get my knowldege up.
One other technical qusetion is what do i need to physically conect up a laptop i.e. what leads and connectors, i got the software from the pevious link but the physical connection instructions seem a bit vague.
ian h
I'm in swindon by the way. I haven't ever doen Shelsey so that might be an experience for next year. My personal favourite is Harewood.
Thanks for the link to the manuals, actually I downloaded all of these a coupel fo monhts ago to get my knowldege up.
One other technical qusetion is what do i need to physically conect up a laptop i.e. what leads and connectors, i got the software from the pevious link but the physical connection instructions seem a bit vague.
ian h
There are a couple of versions of the physical connection.
Most cars you take the lid off the ECU in the passenger footwell and there is a 9 pin D connector directly on the circuit board.
Some cars have a pre wired 3 pin lead that needs an adaptor. I can't remember off hand what the wiring is but the 3 wires are TX, RX and Ground. I just wired an extension and a 9 pin plug directly onto the cable so I could leave it where I could get at it.
Most cars you take the lid off the ECU in the passenger footwell and there is a 9 pin D connector directly on the circuit board.
Some cars have a pre wired 3 pin lead that needs an adaptor. I can't remember off hand what the wiring is but the 3 wires are TX, RX and Ground. I just wired an extension and a 9 pin plug directly onto the cable so I could leave it where I could get at it.
Hi, we've probably met on the hills/ sprints before, I do love a Triumph GT6/spit. If you've ever seen a scruffy Blue Cerb roaring around it'll be my Dad. 
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