eric Posted February 26, 2002 Share Posted February 26, 2002 Hi I know that the life of an engine depends on the way of use it. But I have heard that R500 have very short life and X-flow GT a very long life. Could you tell me about your car, the mileage and the level of health of your engine, circuit use or not, daily use ... It could be interesting concerning the reliability Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony isherwood Posted February 26, 2002 Share Posted February 26, 2002 1400SS 25000 miles (original engine i think, purchased as ex racer) Problems 15000 head gasket replacement, 19000 miles gearbox rebuild Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony isherwood Posted February 26, 2002 Share Posted February 26, 2002 1400SS M reg 25000 miles (original engine i think, purchased as ex racer) Problems: 15000 head gasket replacement (not unusual K problem), 19000 miles gearbox rebuild (probably due to "race wear" syncro rings). Replacement battery 24000 miles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony isherwood Posted February 26, 2002 Share Posted February 26, 2002 moral dont mix work with Blatchat ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casbar Posted February 26, 2002 Share Posted February 26, 2002 xflow - just re-built it after 13000 miles. It didn't need a re-build, just decided to bore it out to 1700. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jam Mad Posted February 26, 2002 Share Posted February 26, 2002 1700 x flow, about 13000 miles, and if i told you that it is SWEEEEEEET then i would no doubt be cursing it to death this weekend. but so far, it has been. starts beautifully, runs nicely. i loooove it. and while the good natured soul inside me cringes with the noise, tearing past dawdlers with a roar makes me smile... teeth.gif j Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel Mclaughlin Posted February 26, 2002 Share Posted February 26, 2002 1985 Caterham 1600 x-flow, Iam the 2nd owner, 42000KM, runs like a top, LOVES optimax fuel, oil use nil, not a noise in it that doesn't belong there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted February 26, 2002 Share Posted February 26, 2002 R500 engines are now proving to be pretty durable. I think initial development engines gave them an undeserved reputation. Crossflow's reputedly may start to develop leaky piston rings by about 25000 miles - look for smoke from the breather. I guess it comes down to how you use it. Vauxhalls are about as durable an engine as there is (in untuned form, it is hugely over engineered) but I blew mine at about 20,000 miles(2 broken pistons) by abusing it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Plato Posted February 26, 2002 Share Posted February 26, 2002 I ran 140bhp 1600 K for 7K miles no probs at all apart from clutch cable , then converted to 186bhp 1600cc and ran for a further 6K - no trouble at all !! , now converted to 206bhp 1600cc so I'll let you know in 12 months time teeth.gif Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caterhamnut Posted February 26, 2002 Share Posted February 26, 2002 bought 1.6K SS with 17,200 miles on it last July. Since put a further 16,000 miles on it. Head gasket went a few thousand miles. Easily forgiven for the fun we are having. Oh, and a re-occuring split exhaust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric Posted February 26, 2002 Author Share Posted February 26, 2002 1600 sprint 30 000 miles with me, I don't know before because I bought this former race car without any speed counter .... One valve bent when I bought it. 3 clutch cables broken in 3 weeks, on LHD, the way is long, so I change for hydraulic then no problem since. Head changed for unleaded, the engine runs 98 UL and with 15W50 oil, no oil consumption, the engine seems to be in very good shape. 5 speed box noisy but it must be an problem of oil viscosity The car is 10 years old, to me for 3.5 years I hope to reach 80000 miles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hardtail Posted February 26, 2002 Share Posted February 26, 2002 less than 700 miles on my vx, bliss!! what noise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super_Rich_Bernie Posted February 26, 2002 Share Posted February 26, 2002 In the original manufacturers applications these engines are expected (in standard tune) to last 100,000miles plus - maybe a little less for the X-flow which is a 60s design. In a Caterham they should last longer because: - Caterham owners tend to be fussy about what oil they use, and change it more often. - Caterhams are less likely to be used for lots of short journeys and cold starts. - Sympathetic Caterham owners let the engine/oil warm up before driving hard On the other hand they should last less miles because: - Caterham owners tend to use lots of revs - The cars are often left standing for a week or more, so all the oil drains off cam lobes etc and creates more wear at start up. - Caterham owners are less tolerant of engines down on power/burning oil and consider the engine worn out when the high mileage saloon driver would just throw another litre of £3.99 a gallon motor oil in and not care too much. Anything else to go into the equation? Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I reply to every thread Posted February 26, 2002 Share Posted February 26, 2002 VX XE Approx 200bhp (Now) 73,000 miles & no discernable wear. My old X-flows used to last about 10,000 miles (But they were highly tuned) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EFA Posted February 26, 2002 Share Posted February 26, 2002 I can confirm AVES 208bhp VX engine was well within tolerence when I dismantled it at 70,000 miles. So good was it, we reassembled with the original bearings! Even my 280bhp VX engine had no real wear apart from some bore wear caused by the longer stroke when I dismantled it after 14,500 miles. Fat Arn The NOW PROVEN R500 Eaterid=red> See the Lotus Seven Club 4 Counties Area Website hereid=green> Edited by - Fat Arnie on 26 Feb 2002 17:52:10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewD Posted February 26, 2002 Share Posted February 26, 2002 To the post about the reliability of R500 engines, I was at Caterham on Sat and one of the guys there said they have "quite a few" R500's in at the moment all with engine warranty work. He couldn't really say what it was though. Anybody know anything or is this just a coincidence/old news do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wright Posted February 26, 2002 Share Posted February 26, 2002 Had a 1983 1.6 Sprint a year ago with 54,000 miles on clock but it could still out drag a Merc SLK 2.3 Kompressor, "there again wife was driving Merc" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wright Posted February 26, 2002 Share Posted February 26, 2002 Had a 1983 1.6 Sprint a year ago with 54,000 miles on clock but it could still out drag a Merc SLK 2.3 Kompressor, "there again wife was driving Merc" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wright Posted February 26, 2002 Share Posted February 26, 2002 Whoops! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHRIS CLARK Posted February 26, 2002 Share Posted February 26, 2002 1400 SS 'K' with 42,000 miles on it. Was faultless (except for an ECU unit going u/s) Made 133bhp on the rolling road so couldn't be that worn!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EFA Posted February 26, 2002 Share Posted February 26, 2002 But it was Emerald's rolling road when the anti VX switch was de-activated.... Fat Arn The NOW PROVEN R500 Eaterid=red> See the Lotus Seven Club 4 Counties Area Website hereid=green> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Septimus Posted February 27, 2002 Share Posted February 27, 2002 68 1600 X-flow in 68 SIII - 75000 miles ( sorry the average per year is a bit wussy). Rebuild at 65000, bores a bit worn but rest good. Its early years were on pretty old-fashioned oils - Duckhams 20/50 and similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Carmichael Posted February 27, 2002 Share Posted February 27, 2002 About 1/2 an hour's use, when jetlagged... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edmandsd Posted February 27, 2002 Share Posted February 27, 2002 I'd take a close look at your rods Arnie - Your claimed 9,500 + rpm with a 90mm + stroke and a relatively large bore won't last long in my opinion however well couterbalanced your crank is. On the whole engines are like us - if they're properly designed for the job in hand and well maintained they should last - take a formula one engine as an example - how many of our engines would last at max rpm for 500 miles ? I personally won't use anything in a race engine other than Valvoline Race 20/50 oil. Edited by - edmandsd on 27 Feb 2002 17:14:43 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted February 27, 2002 Share Posted February 27, 2002 ref relaiting car engine to human body was great and well put until you said you only use a racing 20w50 ? why Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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