Rough Running - or should that be Gruff Running?
Discussion
Part inspired/prompted by www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=89979&f=8&h=0 on the other TVR hairdressing forum!
Well I don't know about you but sometimes the Griff runs real smooth - purrs almost. Sometimes it's like a dog!
I think I've lived with mine long enough to notice a thing or two!
I remember two years ago. It went through a rough spell. Doctor Dave traced some poor running back to some corroded connectors, need for new HT leads, suppressor caps and plugs and a good clean up under the dizzy!
Last year it ran like a dream from one sunny day to the next.
This year, he's sat outside in all that damp winter and hasn't been used every day - unlike most of the last three years.
Added to this the HT leads were on their last... well HT legs. Then I strayed - several times! I have had at least three tankfulls of BP's Optimate - tut, tut I hear you say!
But, who knows what it is. Sometimes I think it's all in my mind!
Symptoms recently have ranged from simply being more of a "growl!" than a "purr!" to the typical drop of revs on first depression of the throttle and a tendancy to "hesitation" at steady throttle, especially at 1-2k revs. Not to put too fine a point on it, it's been hell to just pootle!
Well the new HTs went on and we were feeling a lot better. But then, if anything, that just made the rough running seem more marked when trying to idle.
A strange episode included the fact that the coolant level didn't drop over a few weeks. I'm not used to that. We bled the system, a little air was at the top of the radiator. Otherwise the temperature guage was indicating a faultless performance!
As Dr Dave will testify, I hardly go a month without some paranoia about some aspect of Griff-dom. I secretly harboured the thought that something major at the top of the engine would need some work after 80,000 miles!
Then, this week, having filled up again on Optimax, I was puzzling the rough and lumpy running at idle. I came back from the gym and went down the little lane (with a nice little section of NSL, a bend, a railway bridge, a double bend and a bit of almost straight - just for a mile but a fun one!) that I often take.
I don't know what made me!
I forced the throttle to the floor, in second and again in third. Amazing feeling isn't it? For a moment you're not sure whether you or Trevor are in control! 
Then we came to the roundabout (outside Camelot's offices funnily enough, they haven't given me the pay out to trade up yet!) and for some inexplicable reason I turned round and went down the same road the other way. And when I got to the other end? Well, I turned round and did it all again!
Today, I've been out and used the polishing cloths with a vengeance. And (surprise, surprise), when I went to the gym, put the boot in once more - "take me to the limit one more time" (was that the Eagles?).
It feels to me like all the hesitation and half the lumpiness has evaporated!
Can the TVR really just cure itself with half an hour of abuse on a B-road?
Does all it takes amount to a handful of right boot?
or...
Can it be that the TVR picks up on our every mood, behving when we are content and playing up when we're sulking?
Whatever!
We're running well today!
Well I don't know about you but sometimes the Griff runs real smooth - purrs almost. Sometimes it's like a dog!
I think I've lived with mine long enough to notice a thing or two!
I remember two years ago. It went through a rough spell. Doctor Dave traced some poor running back to some corroded connectors, need for new HT leads, suppressor caps and plugs and a good clean up under the dizzy!
Last year it ran like a dream from one sunny day to the next.
This year, he's sat outside in all that damp winter and hasn't been used every day - unlike most of the last three years.
Added to this the HT leads were on their last... well HT legs. Then I strayed - several times! I have had at least three tankfulls of BP's Optimate - tut, tut I hear you say!
But, who knows what it is. Sometimes I think it's all in my mind!
Symptoms recently have ranged from simply being more of a "growl!" than a "purr!" to the typical drop of revs on first depression of the throttle and a tendancy to "hesitation" at steady throttle, especially at 1-2k revs. Not to put too fine a point on it, it's been hell to just pootle!
Well the new HTs went on and we were feeling a lot better. But then, if anything, that just made the rough running seem more marked when trying to idle.
A strange episode included the fact that the coolant level didn't drop over a few weeks. I'm not used to that. We bled the system, a little air was at the top of the radiator. Otherwise the temperature guage was indicating a faultless performance!
As Dr Dave will testify, I hardly go a month without some paranoia about some aspect of Griff-dom. I secretly harboured the thought that something major at the top of the engine would need some work after 80,000 miles!
Then, this week, having filled up again on Optimax, I was puzzling the rough and lumpy running at idle. I came back from the gym and went down the little lane (with a nice little section of NSL, a bend, a railway bridge, a double bend and a bit of almost straight - just for a mile but a fun one!) that I often take.
I don't know what made me!
I forced the throttle to the floor, in second and again in third. Amazing feeling isn't it? For a moment you're not sure whether you or Trevor are in control! Then we came to the roundabout (outside Camelot's offices funnily enough, they haven't given me the pay out to trade up yet!) and for some inexplicable reason I turned round and went down the same road the other way. And when I got to the other end? Well, I turned round and did it all again!
Today, I've been out and used the polishing cloths with a vengeance. And (surprise, surprise), when I went to the gym, put the boot in once more - "take me to the limit one more time" (was that the Eagles?).
It feels to me like all the hesitation and half the lumpiness has evaporated!
Can the TVR really just cure itself with half an hour of abuse on a B-road?
Does all it takes amount to a handful of right boot?
or...
Can it be that the TVR picks up on our every mood, behving when we are content and playing up when we're sulking?
Whatever!
We're running well today!
the V8S, I'm quite sure, likes to be taken to within an inch of its life and seems to enjoy it 
. Most performance engines like a good blast to clean them out. Back in the days when Ferrari used carbs on the engines it was the best way of getting tham back in trim - a quick blast down the back roads at 130mph and you were sorted. Commonly referred to as an italian tune-up...
If the HT leads are stuffed then you really do need to replace them - and the same for anything else in the timing system that isn't internal to the engine.
If the HT leads are stuffed then you really do need to replace them - and the same for anything else in the timing system that isn't internal to the engine.
Think you're right - a lot of my driving can be 30-40 mph crawling through traffic - warming the engine right up then taking it outside for a good kicking 
does seem to do it some good. Too much pootling can sort of gunge everything up and really makes my precat a bit sluggish I think - these cars need a damn good clearing of the throat once in a while 
Tomorrow it is then 
And maybe Monday. And the forecast for Tuesday is fairly good. etc etc 
does seem to do it some good. Too much pootling can sort of gunge everything up and really makes my precat a bit sluggish I think - these cars need a damn good clearing of the throat once in a while Tomorrow it is then And maybe Monday. And the forecast for Tuesday is fairly good. etc etc Gassing Station | Griffith | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff