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TR8 breakdown


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I love my TR8! It’s a Coupé with the big original sun roof. All original, no rust ever.

I bought it in the US about 1.5 years ago.

I do have the following problem.

When I drive the car for hours (4, 5...) in very warm conditions and I start to climb a mountain road (Reschenpass for example)

it has a breakdown. The TR8 stopps... feels like no ignition. (The car does not overheat.) If I try to start... no way. Just runs for a second, have to wait 20‘ it runs great a again.

I have had this breakdown now twice.

I will change the ignition coil and the fuel pump.

Does anybody have had the same problems.

Does anybody know about the exact production figures of TR8 Coupé with the big sun roof.

Thank you!

5814CED3-0543-4CDB-8448-3AE55CE58829.jpeg

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  • 2 months later...

About 40 years ago, I acquired a TVR which had been fitted with the engine from an MGBV8GT in place of the 1.5 litre MG engine. 

For 3.5 litres, the V8 had a very modest power output (some 154 BHP, I seem to recall), but buckets of torque from near zero rpm.

Every so often, for no apparent reason, the engine would stop, which was very embarrassing.  If 1 waited 15-20 minutes, it would start again and carry on as if nothing had happened - until the problem occurred again. I never got to the bottom of the problem, and flogged the beast.

Ian Cornish

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my first port of call would be to change the coil - albeit a couple of months after the original post, sorry.

the factory MGB GT V8 did run a low-tune variant - 137bhp

..... Andy

 

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Have you check the fuel supply? Does the breakdown always happen at a certain fuel level?  We had a car that had a piece of polythene in the fuel tank from new......it took nearly a year for the dealers in the 70’s to solve. The polythene would float, which was fine until the fuel level was low then it blocked the tank outlet with the pump suction. Parked for 20 mins and it would start but soon fail again, until filled with petrol!
Do you have electronic ignition? I had a Stag that would do exactly the same........the electronic ignition module would fail at high under bonnet temps......took ages to find.

as other shave said could be coil or condenser, if fitted? 

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Following discussion with another TR8 owner, likely to be the module in the distributor. Does the engine cut out immediately and the rev counter drop to zero, rather than the engine coughing and spluttering and finally stopping?

Try changing the coil as others have suggested.

Brian

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One other issue that has been encountered in the Alps during the CT 10 Countries Runs  is fuel vaporization in the fuel system - not helped by the current Ethanol based fuels. Mike's TR6 found a temporary fix using a washing up liquid bottle filled with water & a length of flexible pipe. Not sure of the details but they kept the fuel cool in the line by regular spraying.

I haven't suffered from this in the 7, but you have less space and more hot engine in the V8 so could be a similar issue here.

Cheers

Howard

 

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The fuel pump is in the tank in the carb TR8 so this is not likely to be an issue - unlike the TR5 and TR6.  It can happen with the fuel injected TR8s when stopping for a short while, but is not likely to be the cause of this type if issue when running continually.

I think about 11 cars out of 74 ACN had the sunroof....or moonroof as known in the USA.

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  • 9 months later...
On 11/30/2019 at 7:08 PM, iain said:

Have you check the fuel supply? Does the breakdown always happen at a certain fuel level?  We had a car that had a piece of polythene in the fuel tank from new......it took nearly a year for the dealers in the 70’s to solve. The polythene would float, which was fine until the fuel level was low then it blocked the tank outlet with the pump suction. Parked for 20 mins and it would start but soon fail again, until filled with petrol!
Do you have electronic ignition? I had a Stag that would do exactly the same........the electronic ignition module would fail at high under bonnet temps......took ages to find.

as other shave said could be coil or condenser, if fitted? 

It happens at every full level.

It happens...

when I drive the for a hour or more. 

I drive the car up on a mountain road („uphill“)

(When I drive the car „downhill“, the car start to do the problem, but because it „rolls“ the engine restarts.

I know that sounds like a fuel problem...

but it feels like a ignition problem.

Before it stopps it start to little breakdowns like ignition failure.

PS: Do I have to change the hole ignition system or is it just some parts to change? The has still the original ignition system wich is a early electronic system.

PPS: Wow, 11 cars that‘s special, thanks!

Do you have email of the registry to ask them for details.

Thank you!

 

 

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On 12/1/2019 at 12:12 PM, Xseries said:

Following discussion with another TR8 owner, likely to be the module in the distributor. Does the engine cut out immediately and the rev counter drop to zero, rather than the engine coughing and spluttering and finally stopping?

Try changing the coil as others have suggested.

Brian

I changed the coil. It didn‘t work.

Feels more than the ignition iterrupts.

It is spluttering and finally stopps.

I have to admit that I am still using the Zenith - Stromberg carburertors... I will change...

Thank you!

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On 12/1/2019 at 7:14 PM, Xseries said:

The fuel pump is in the tank in the carb TR8 so this is not likely to be an issue - unlike the TR5 and TR6.  It can happen with the fuel injected TR8s when stopping for a short while, but is not likely to be the cause of this type if issue when running continually.

I think about 11 cars out of 74 ACN had the sunroof....or moonroof as known in the USA.

It is a TCN16....UCF. So it seems to be 1979 car. 5-speed for to US market.

Thank you!

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The plastic points on the MGBGTV8 engine are prone to rapid wear unless lubricated with a smear of grease. Fitted without grease thay can close up enough to stop an engien from restarting in 200 miles driving.

I would check the points gap. Whe the gap starts to close the timing is retarded and the engine runs hotter. It will run hotter still when climbing hills.

Peter

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 12/1/2019 at 11:12 AM, Xseries said:

Following discussion with another TR8 owner, likely to be the module in the distributor. Does the engine cut out immediately and the rev counter drop to zero, rather than the engine coughing and spluttering and finally stopping?

Try changing the coil as others have suggested.

Brian

This is a common issue with the Opus style distributor.  The circuit board inside expands and contracts with the heat cutting the circuit.  As stated here, the rev counter will drop to zero immediately it happens as it cuts off the power to the coil and rev counter simultaneously.  After 20 minutes of cooling down all will be fine until the temperature rises cutting it off again.

How do I know, it happened to after I'd converted mine to V8 over 30 years ago.  At the time the best cure was to fit a Lumenition module inside the distributor and it's still working now.  

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On 9/27/2020 at 10:53 AM, BusheyTrader said:

This is a common issue with the Opus style distributor.  The circuit board inside expands and contracts with the heat cutting the circuit.  As stated here, the rev counter will drop to zero immediately it happens as it cuts off the power to the coil and rev counter simultaneously.  After 20 minutes of cooling down all will be fine until the temperature rises cutting it off again.

How do I know, it happened to after I'd converted mine to V8 over 30 years ago.  At the time the best cure was to fit a Lumenition module inside the distributor and it's still working now.  

Thank you! I am very happy with the ignitor in my Alfa and in my Iso Rivolta.

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On 12/1/2019 at 12:12 PM, Xseries said:

Following discussion with another TR8 owner, likely to be the module in the distributor. Does the engine cut out immediately and the rev counter drop to zero, rather than the engine coughing and spluttering and finally stopping?

Try changing the coil as others have suggested.

Brian

I changed the coil. It didn‘t work.

Feels more than the ignition iterrupts.

It is spluttering and finally stopps.

I have to admit that I am still using the Zenith - Stromberg carburertors... I will change...

Thank you!

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  • 2 weeks later...

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