New French TVR S owner

[Fefeu52]

Hi guys, my name is Florian, 35 yo, come from north east of France (Champagne) and I'm an engineer in mechanics. I'm impassioned by British cars since I got my first one, a Mini, 18 years ago.

Please forgive me for my poor English, I do my best..... not so easy.

I own several British cars. 4 Minis, a Cooper S R53 as a daily driver, an MG Metro 1300 and last summer, I sold my MGF to afford a TVR S3C. The car was built in January 1992. It is in France since 03/2008. The car was in an awful state, abandoned since 2013 in a barn... top down I went to the north of France to buy it and came back by the road.... with propershaft UJs completely destroyed .... 50 mph on the motorway to preserve it. That was more a battle with the car than a trip. But in general, it is in really good condition. The chassis is not too rusty. The car is complete. The electrical system need some repairs, but nothing too serious. All body panels needed to be adjusted but the paint work is in really good condition. Seats need a total refurbishment, especially the driver one.

After 2 weeks of intensive work, the car is now presentable.








The car was in metalic grey colour when built. I can see it under the bonnet. But it was resprayed a really long time ago, before coming in France. The job was really well done.

I found (and always find) a huge amount of information on this forum to help me. I really thank you for that. Now, I have some little troubles to resolve and reading is no more enough. So I'm coming to ask your help.

Regards.

[Fefeu52]

Bercilac said:

Great car and very lucky to be sunning itself with you in La Belle France!

This year was very sunny, but where I live, normally the weather is more like Kent than St Tropey

Concerning the colour, I thought It was Ruby Mica Red. But to be sure, and with a feeling, I went to see my spray painter to ask him to flash the body color. He said it is in reality a Alfa Romeo Rosso Proteo 195A. Does anybody with a genuine TVR Ruby Mica Red car asked a painter to flash it ? TVR colors are not in the flashing system database in France.

I have a lot a car mechanics equipment at home : a car lift, a MIG welder, engine hoist, engine stand etc... so there is very few operation that afraid me. But the main difficulty with the TVR cars is to find information.

I'm not a big fan of Facebook. I prefer the encyclopedia philosophy of a forum. Sometime, I find my answer in a 10 yo topic ! As soon as a problem is solved on a forum, the answer will be available forever.

AutoAndy said:

Welcome Florian, great car...have some fun with it....at you aware that there may be around 20 or more S’s coming past your area in July....would be good so see you then...
wink

Great new, I discover this road trip. If you go from Reims to Lons-le Saulnier, not using the motorway, sure you will pass not far from my home. 5th of July is a Friday, I could take my day off to go to Reims and driving some kilometers with you.

Is this the correct website ? https://fasttracktours.co.uk/booking/tvr-s-club-eu...

[Fefeu52]

Yes it could have been resprayed in any colour.....surprisingly similar to a genuine TVR colour. All mechanical/electrical components come from other car manufacturers. Is it so difficult to think that colors could also come from other manufacturers ? That's why I ask : Does anybody ask a painter to flash his genuine color body ? To see if Mika Red is a truly TVR creation, or if the color come from another manufacturer. Just out of curiosity.

[Fefeu52]

That's a very good training to read and post on British forum. I'm learning without realising And that's right, the atmosphere is jolly.... but also technically advanced. This is not usual on French forums.

[Fefeu52]

Longers said:

You've got the same bonnet as I have on my S3C - I think it's the best looking S bonnet by a long way.

In fact I don't know if I prefer the S4 bonnet on the older one. The S4 bonnet is finer but the older hump is more aggressive. Different style.

I've never seen the Reims/Geux pits, it's a good opportunity

[Fefeu52]

Lovely pictures.... and lovely cars. The S is very rare in France. In fact, I have never seen another one than mine. Even in the Swiss Classic British Car Meeting in Morges, 1500 British cars, I have never seen a TVR S. So, seeing a dozen of S on the same picture....in France

[Fefeu52]

Hi all,

I've a huge amount of work on the car for the winter.

First of all, I worked on the engine bay. I refurbished the swirlpot, top radiator pipe and battery stand (sandblasting + epoxy paint). I also clean and paint the rocker covers, and changed the gaskets. I installed a battery cut off switch with a new battery earth strap.



I found the second HEGO loom and I was able to plug it correctly, fix the loom etc. The engine seems to run properly with both sensors.

I was bored with the inaccurate and swinging fuel gauge. So I worked on the subject. I removed the sender and understood why the gauge indicate an empty fuel tank with 25 litres in it.



I should be able soon to give you an accurate DWG file (vectorial) to be able to produce ready-to-stick plastic veneer.

So I bent the sender arm and found an electronic solution to fix the problem. With £12 and little time, I buit an Arduino-based device. The idea come from a French guy, an Alpine enthusiast :

http://a110a.free.fr/SPIP172/article.php3?id_artic...

The system works fine now on my car : https://dai.ly/x6ipqns

The Alfa 147 seats are now in the car. I will take pictures when the belt top anchor will be modified.

I worked also on the gearbox. I installed a homemade quick-change changed the propshaft output seal and changed the gearbox oil.

About rear dampers, I removed them to replace the damaged bushes with new COM8T spherical bearings :



I had to machine spacers, but one of my mates own a lathe that I can use whenever I want. I also modified the bottom alloy ring to be able to lower the car boot of about 7-8mm

And finally, my last mission.... removing the dashboard to refurbish it. My father is a woodworker. He will veneer it with real zebrano wood, as used on some 80's Mercedes



The dash is removed :



And because I'm a kind man .... I'm also working for the community :

[Fefeu52]

Work in progress...

[Fefeu52]

A lot of work this week-end :



The new dashboard is now in place. Central door / boot locking system operational. New vintage style car radio and new discreeter speaker grills.

[Fefeu52]

I finished the work inside. I replaced the steering wheel by a new Chinese one. The diameter is slightly bigger (14') but it 's an advantage with the S' heavy steering.



But with a TVR, as soon as you finish one side....you start another one

I replaced the old (2003) rear tires yesterday.

Now, I would like to solve the noisy tappet "problem". I made my research on the forum a found la lot of interesting information.

My hears (and mechanical experience) tell me my engine has hydraulic tappets.... The tappets are very noisy at startup, and quieter few seconds after the oil pressure rises 50 psi.

The registration document says the car (S3C) was first time registered in January 92, but the VIN number says year "M" so 1991, and number 2xx, so the beginning of 1991, before the number 340 change and solid tappets assembly.

So my question is : As I read some people carefully adjusted their hydraulic tappets with no noise change, is it a good idea to try to adjust it, or is the tappet noise a characteristic of this engine type with no chance to lower it ?

Sources :
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=94...
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=94...
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=92...

[Fefeu52]

Thank you for your reply, I'll try to check that.

[Fefeu52]

Yes, the change limit is described there :

Fefeu52 said:

The registration document says the car (S3C) was first time registered in January 92, but the VIN number says year "M" so 1991, and number 2xx, so the beginning of 1991, before the number 340 change and solid tappets assembly.
[...]
Sources :
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=94...
[....]

Post said:

According to TVR, S3C cars from VIN SDLDSC2P1MD011340 will be fitted with the same engine as fitted to the S3 with solid lifters (and higher compression, updated ECU). These should be treated as an ordinary 2.9 and have their tappets adjusted.

[Fefeu52]

Hi all,

This week-end, I finally found time to adjust my rockers. I've followed the procedure found here :

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid...

Valves overlapping --------------------Valves to adjust

No 5 cylinder ---------------------------No 1 cyl (in & ex)
No 3 cylinder ---------------------------No 4 cyl (in & ex)
No 6 cylinder ---------------------------No 2 cyl (in & ex)
No 1 cylinder ---------------------------No 5 cyl (in & ex)
No 4 cylinder ---------------------------No 3 cyl (in & ex)
No 2 cylinder ---------------------------No 6 cyl (in & ex)

With the engine in the correct position for the pair of valves to be adjusted,back off the adjusting screw until a large gap is obtained.Now screw it back in until the gap is just "0" without depressing the tappet. Finally turn the screw in one and a half turns,this will compress the tappet by about 2mm into its working position.Repeat the process,rotating the engine to its new position each time to get the next pair of valves "rocking".
On initial start up the tappets may "tap" for a few seconds until the hydraulics settle into the new position.

The result is impressive ! The engine is not knocking any more, even at cold start. I'm very satisfied, there is not noise to perturb the exhaust song

[Fefeu52]

Ok, the winter is there... Coldness too, so it's time to achieve electronic projects. I built my diagnostic box this week and used it this afternoon.

The "ignition ON, Engine ON" gave me 42 and 92 code. I was too reach on both EGO sensors. I slightly lowered my fuel pressure and obtained 41 code. Too lean on one side. I mooved it up.. Very few and got 1-1-1.. PERFECT.

The "Ignition ON, engine OFF" procedure give me 52 and 53 code. I don't understand them.

Last procedure... Adjusting ignition advance... Maybe tomorrow.

Edited by Fefeu52 on Saturday 16th November 17:44

[Fefeu52]

Thank you. You can be absolutely sure that I will not I really don't like the genuine wheel look. I will certainly replace the Chinese wheel by a stronger one... This is a shewing gum. Maybe a Momo Prototypo. But not the genuine one.

[Fefeu52]

I adjusted the ignition advance yesterday... and bunt my wrist on the exhaust manifold

It was set to 12°. I reset it to 15° BTDC as written there :

https://www.motor-talk.de/forum/aktion/Attachment....

for the catalytic version of the 2.9l. Throttle response seems to be far better. I had not enough time to do a road test. I'll do that next week-end.... If there is not snow on the road.

[Fefeu52]

Too much work to do to achieve this result (so too much money to spend and/or too much time to modify), for a result to much modern for me.