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Wedge TR8 - 3 months in

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Darrell_Walker

Darrell_Walker

Jedi Knight
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Tomorrow will be three months since I got my TR8.

If you read some of my previous posts about the car, you may know that my plan is to use it as a daily driver. It hasn't quite made it to that point yet, but at this point it has more to do with the logistics of getting it out of the garage past the rest of the fleet.

When I started thinking about a wedge, everyone said to get an 8. At the time I had only really thought about a 7 (and hadn't driven either). I do have to say that I think everyone was right. I still haven't driven a 7, but the 8 is so smooth compared even to modern 4 bangers that it isn't even a fair comparison. And the low rumble of the engine is something you just don't hear much anymore.

This past weekend I fixed a leaking lower radiator hose, and while checking out that work I noticed fuel leaking from the fuel rail. After shutting down the engine to contemplate what would need to be removed to replace all of the little hoses to the injectors, I decided to check the clamps. Sure enough, the clamps were quite loose, and a little snugging up stopped the leakage. That, along with fixing the slow coolant leak really helped reduce the "after run smell". Can't hurt fuel economy, either. But perhaps explains why the top of the engine is so nice and clean!

There is still lots of little project to do. One other thing I did was to pull the passenger door panel to tighten up the door handle. Turns out one of the nuts was gone, and the other was very loose. I replace them with some nylon nuts, so that shouldn't work loose again.

So in the next month or so I'll probably sell my other daily driver, and jump into this adventure!
 
Darrell, I have a fix for those stinkin hoses and will give you a call
 
Good catch on the fuel - a friend of mine in our club here lost a beautiful fi TR8 when it went up in smoke on the highway. After a couple of years licking his wounds he wound up getting a replacement car with strombergs.
 
tdskip said:
So where is the thank you gift to all of us enablers? grin
Click to expand...

I put my wife in charge of that - watch your step :smile:
 
DNK said:
Darrell, I have a fix for those stinkin hoses and will give you a call
Click to expand...

Sure, this morning is good.
 
Well, I was a little premature in declaring victory over the coolant leak. After nearly a week of daily driving, my low coolant light is on again. I can't find any evidence of where it is leaking. It must be a very small leak, as it is only about a cup down in coolant, and I've had no overheating issues.

I may just throw some Alumaseal in the system.
 
Darrell_Walker said:
There is still lots of little project to do. One other thing I did was to pull the passenger door panel to tighten up the door handle. Turns out one of the nuts was gone, and the other was very loose. I replace them with some nylon nuts, so that shouldn't work loose again.
Click to expand...

Just noticed the typo, I used nyloc nuts.

Actually, I just had to correct that! Thanks spell-checker!

This was the outside door handle, BTW.
 
I'm six years in to using my TR8 as my daily driver. Passed 175,000 miles a few weeks ago. Stock 3.5 is still running very well. Have gotten very used to motoring along in a higher gear at low rpm. Downshifting and hearing the V8 come to life still hasn't gotten old either.
 
Hi Shawn,

Good to hear! Definitely very different than my 4A.

I may have found my other leak. I still don't see anything, but there was a bit of an antifreeze smell around the small hoses that take coolant to the intake plenum, one of the clamps was fairly loose, and that connection also looked like the hose might have slipped on the pipe a bit.
 
Very different. I used my TR6 for quite a few years as my main vehicle. My TR8 is a coupe so it is even more different and ultimately more useable year round in Colorado. It has been a Colorado car since new and effortlessly travels from 5,000 feet in altitude over passes of 12,000+ feet with regularity. Occasionally I'll head up Mt. Evans to the parking area ar 14,134 feet. It is all around a very useable car, especially for a 33 year old sports car.
 
Well, the fuel leak fix of tightening the clamps was too good to be true. I found that they were also leaking on the intake side of the plenum, where you can't easily tighten them, and the ones on the other side were starting to leak again.

Since the hose was of unknown quality and vintage, and the clamps were the wrong type, I invested in 3 feet of 5/16" FI rated fuel hose and 30 proper FI hose clamps. Which set me back quite a bit at the auto parts store! In fact, they had to order in more clamps because they usually only stock 10.

I got a tip that the plenum could be removed without disconnecting the coolant lines, so that made me happy not to have to drain the radiator yet again. Got is all assembled again, and no leaks to be seen. Well, after I tightened one clamp that I missed!

I also found my other (or another) coolant leak, there was a small drip from the top hose/radiator connection. But as I was pondering how to possibly get in there and check the clamp, it stopped. I had put Alumaseal in on Friday, but hadn't run the engine yet. After a test drive it does seem to be holding.
 
Thanks, Paul.

It is very gratifying to see the progress. I try to do at least one little think every day to improve the car, sometimes it is as simple as adjusting a door or tucking a bit of upholstery back where it belongs.

Still a few larger sized jobs I want to get to, but that list is getting short.
 
This is why they are called "labors of love".....
 
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