[TRChad]

OK so I got the car back. Great 250 mile trip. When I got home was surprised to see that the car was down a quart. I am assuming she was topped off at Evans for the PPI, but never checked personally. Compression check came back A++. No smoke either. Is this normal? Normal for cars that sit? Guy told me to top off with Castrol gtx 15w50. Is that ok to use?

Last question...when starting off...notice a chatter and slight sputtering for lack of a better term. Its more exaggerated when I'm starting off with the wheel turned. Before anyone asks, tires are brand new. Is this also normal? Is this clutch? Feels like it's in the rear and driveline related.

I lied...one more...can anyone show me the jacking points? The back look fairly simple...but where are the front jack points?

[wetpet]

evans may not have topped it. ppi is usually an inspection, not service. don't even know if they would have checked oil level? the obvious thing to do at this point is to keep an eye on it. almost all cars that age are gonna leak/burn oil at some rate.

[tazandjan]

Chad- The chatter sounds like your limited slip complaining slightly at low speeds, which is not abnormal, especially with the wheels turned. You may be able to control it with a limited slip additive. Redline makes one that many of the mid-engine V8 owners use.

If your clutch were chattering, you should be able to feel that through the pedal.

Funnily enough, there is no drawing in the owners manuals or workshop manuals showing the jacking points that I could see. Use your hand or a small mirror and feel or look for a small "V" indentation in the frame rail just inside the body. If one is there, that will indicate the jacking points. If not, use rubber blocks, hockey pucks, or wooden blocks and use the frame rail just forward of the rear wheel well and just aft of the forward wheel well. Again a small mirror will help you ensure you are using a solid length of the main frame rail.

There is a video on the forum of someone changing the wheels on a TR that will show you where you can jack the car.

Taz
Terry Phillips

[Sandy Eggo]

Here is that video


Be careful when raising the car - I've heard horror stories of people raising one corner too far and cracking the rear glass. Never known anyone personally but better safe than sorry.

They will eat some oil. Mine ate a quart over 1,000 miles. Ymmv. Double check the owners manual but for some reason, that weight & viscosity sounds wrong. Also, I've not heard of anyone running Castrol but if your pressure and temp readings are not on the high side of normal ranges then "drive on".

Some white smoke upon start up is normal due to the engine layout. All part of the charm. :-)

[Sandy Eggo]

Originally Posted by TRChad

Last question...when starting off...notice a chatter and slight sputtering for lack of a better term. Its more exaggerated when I'm starting off with the wheel turned. Before anyone asks, tires are brand new. Is this also normal? Is this clutch? Feels like it's in the rear and driveline related.

Ok, this is going to sound a little nuts but it could be the best 99 cents you spend today.

Go download Sir Mixalot's "Testarossa".

In the first 20 seconds of the song, you will hear a weird chatter as he launches the car. I get that same squeal/chatter from time to time - and believe it to be completely normal. If that's the same noise you have then no cause for concern.

[tazandjan]

Sandy- I agree with you on the oil. Castrol GTX is an 80s dino oil and the OM calls for AGIP 10W-50 synthetic. Ferrari changed this recommendation in the 90s when they converted to all Shell products and recommended Shell Ultra Helix 5W-40 for earlier Ferraris.

Since this TR came from the factory with synthetic oil and was broken in with synthetic oil, using it now should cause no problems.

Here is the Ferrari bulletin just in case anybody thinks I am making up all of this.

Taz
Terry Phillips

[TRChad]

I appreciate the feed back. Couple of things:

1.I purchased 10 qts of Redline yesterday thinking it was the LSD that was causing the issue....good thing I bought the wrong stuff. Apparently I was supposed to buy "NS"...I bought the synthetic. I am going to try and send these back and try the redline to see if that improves the situation.

2.The owners manual says 10w40 non synthetic.....the mechanic I purchased the car from said they run Castrol GTX 15w50 in all their cars. Couldn't find that weight anywhere today....so I just added a quart of 10w40. So moving forward...is it 10w40 or 15w50....and is it synthetic or non??

[carguy]

Walmart used to have Mobil-1 15W-50 in 5 quart jugs....usually on sale. That was a popular choice for many TR owners. But Walmart doesn't carry it anymore. Any good quality synthetic 10W-40 or even 15W-40 will be fine. As for the transmission oil, yes you need to get Redline 75W-90NS...it will usually improve things.

[tazandjan]

Chad- Here is the OM page for your 1991 TR. I quoted an earlier model because I forgot what MY yours was. It clearly shows AGIP SINT 2000 10W-40, which is a synthetic blend oil. That is what the SINT means.

Will not hurt it to use dino oil. I would just change it more frequently.

Taz
Terry Phillips

[Sandy Eggo]

Originally Posted by carguy

As for the transmission oil, yes you need to get Redline 75W-90NS...it will usually improve things.

+1

Every TR owner I know swears by the Redline 75W-90NS (synthetic) for the gearbox. Those last 2 letters are ultra important - make sure you get the right stuff!

[TRChad]

Bought the NS so I should be all set. As for the oil, who makes a good synthetic blend in the 10w40 weight? Other than Agip.

[Brian]

Originally Posted by TRChad

Bought the NS so I should be all set. As for the oil, who makes a good synthetic blend in the 10w40 weight? Other than Agip.

Like Terry I suggest syn oil. Ferrari used it from the very start. We have been using 5-40 Redline in all the TRs and are very happy with it. For severe use, and I mean severe, 20-50 or 10-60 could be used. With the size of the oil cooler and the understressed nature of that motor I would only do that if really needed.

Also like Terry I believe your noise is the positraction. The NS in the oil designation means that oil has no additive for the positraction, it does however improve syncro action. Add a bottle of their positraction additive and allow it some time to work, 100 miles or so. If that is not enough the TR trans holds so much oil another bottle might be needed.