Engine reliability / durability

[lowlander]

Hi all,

 

Doing some more research into options for my seven. Not in a position to buy just yet but hopefully by June / July this year.

 

I'm torn between a 1600vx classic and a 1.4 K series for my £8500 - £9000 budget. Whilst I can do basic maintenance myself the more time the car spends on the road the better. With this in mind and an anticipated annual mileage of 5000 including occasionally using the car to commute to work which option do yopu think is best? The K series is a modern engine and I would hope that this would run very reliably with just normal servicing. The VX should be reliably but what about the mainteance on the carbs? Do they need balanced on a regular basis?

 

Thanks and all the best.

 

Martin.

 

[David Lynch]

Lowlander, go K if you think (you will ) upgrade. Go VX if want a nice clean road car. Keep saving and I'm sure there'll be plenty with FOR SALE stickers at the 50th Anniversary meeting June/July is wrong time to get best value for money.

Mine been great but for a dodgy old Alternator and poor fit on exhaust primaries. But then it is still on MSA seals (Minister built engine)

 

If I'm at my friends in Crossford next month (in the 7) I'll be in touch....

 

 

1.4K SS 😬 here 'You've got be in it to lose it !'

[lowlander]

Cheers David. Give me a call / e-mail and we can meet for a chat and a coffee.

 

All the best.

 

Martin.

 

[Anthony Micallef]

Martin, I don't currently own a 7 but if I was to get another I would avoid a K series engine. My 1.6 Supersport had a head gasket failure and unfortunately a CRB failure at the same time. My mechanic's bill came to £1755 which resulted in me having to sell the car as I could no longer afford it ☹️

[Big Brother]

The VX should be reliably but what about the mainteance on the carbs? Do they need balanced on a regular basis?

 

Carb's do go "out of tune" every now and then.

I've just done mine. The last time they had anything done to them was over 4000 miles ago. Working on your mileage estimate, you will need to play with them once a year.

 

However when they do need attention it's a 10 minute job to balance and adjust the mixture screws.

It's also one of those jobs that when someone first shows you how to do it - you wonder what all the fuss was about - it's so simple to do.

 

I'd go for the VX.

The only people I know who have had 1.4 K-series engine all either blew them up or replaced them with 1.8's (or both!)

 

Steve

 

 

SE7EN-UP!

-----_{Ever noticed that the word enviromentalist contains the word mentalist!}-----

 

[Sheds Moderator]

1.4 kss for me. Mine is reliable (OK I bought it with a dead HG) but these days I'd sooner have fuel inj than carbs.

[strongy]

Have you considered a crossflow

 

A bit thirsty But a lovely soundtrack 😬

 

Dry-sumped White Supersprint

[SLR No.77]

1400K Ok, i did convert mine to 1800 after around 4 years of ownership, but being injection it's a much more modern and user friendly powerplant. HGF is not a big issue with the 1400s.

 

Stu.

[Mick Day]

I'd go for the VX. The only people I know who have had 1.4 K-series engine all either blew them up or replaced them with 1.8's (or both!)

The main reason why people upgrade to a 1.6/1.8/1.9 is becuase it's relatively easy. I bought my 1.4K in 1994, had it converted to a SS in 1996 by Caterham & was one of the 1st to replace the engine with a 1.6K in 2000. It now has a DVA 1.9 in situ. In 1994 I was torn between the K series & the carb crossflow. I chose the K series because it had FI & was glad I did.

[MikeW]

The 1600vx is a bullit proof engine and very easy to maintain. I actually enjoyed it more on the road than my current 1600k(supersport). For that sort of budget you will pick up a very clean example. BUT it is live axle( a bit livelier,less of a boot) and there are limited upgrade paths. If you go for the 1400k you really need the 6 speed bos so bear this in mind.

IF you could stretch things a bit more then a 1600k would be the way to go(120 bhp roadsport)

 

 

MikeW

Mega Grad Race No 9

[Super_Rich_Bernie]

Now Caterham-less but have owned 8v VX and a tweeked K series. I found the VX to be reliable, and the carbs really are nothing to be nervous of as Steve suggests. The K series had more power, and with the 6 speed box was a joy to drive, but the 8v VX was highly rewarding and had more than enough poke to be fun. The basic LA Vauxhall is lighter than a Roadsport, and the characteristics of the engine more suited to the Ford 5 speed box.

 

Webers do go out of tune on Caterhams, but once set up properly the only thing that moves is the balance, and armed with a Balancing tool you can tweek them easily and quickly. The mixture screws don't need as constant adjustment - and if they do that's pretty easy too.

 

The ignition component on the VX is electronic, so you are not worrying about points, dwell and timing as you would on a 60s technology car.

 

I think the carb balance goes off becuase of the way Webers are mounted on Caterhams. On my Alfa, where bolted to a common, rigid, cast aluminium airbox, and braced to the block they don't need touching. Set them right and they stay that way. Same with the similar Twin Solex on the Lancias I had. Add some more bracing to stop them moving independently and they may stay in tune longer.

 

 

 

 

Jonathan

[6speedmanual]

K

 

 

6SpeedManual

*tongue*There's no such thing as too much BHP per Ton 😬