SLR questions

[R500 CYA]

I've just bought a 1998 SLR with a refreshed 2000 spec motor (roller bodies) but I've got a couple of queries about it I'm hoping someone can help with.

 

1. I've only had a chance to drive it on the motorway for 45 mins to check it out, but during a brief blast around the M25 at a pretty constant 4500 rpm the oil temp reached 100 degrees and stayed there. The water temp stayed constant at 80 degrees.

 

The car is fitted with a dry sump and oil cooler and therefore running much hotter than I'd suspect, especially as I haven't got near a track yet. It was definitely getting hot as the oil could be seen venting through the louvres when I sat in traffic.

 

Any ideas what might be causing this?

 

2. Whilst I said the water temp stayed reasonably low (creaping upto 90 degrees in traffic without the fan on - which has a manual switch rather than through the ECU), when I got home and checked it I noticed the header tank had very little water in it. When I phoned the previous owner he said this is because it has an adapted system that keeps the the header tank pressurised so any additional water is vented.

 

Anybody ever heard of this before? It did genuinelly seem to run cool enough, so if it ain't broke, perhaps I shouldn't play with it?

 

3. I want to remove the full roll cage temporarily to allow me to do some work on the body. I can't work out if the tubes that fit behind the occupants head into the tops of the dampers (you know which bit I'm describing? The place where a conventional rollbar would fit behind your head?) are bolted in. I've undone all the other bolts but the cage refuses to budge so I must have missed something.

 

Clues?

 

4. I've got to fit a handbrake. Who's sone this and what does it involve?

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Nick

 

[Rob Walker]

Nick,

 

100 oil temp and 90 water are far too high for a drysumped K especially just pottering around on the road and with an oil cooler fitted. My highly tuned K is dry sumped but I do not have an oil cooler and I don`t see these temps on the road. I have the 74 degree stat fitted and thats what the water stays at my oil is 70 to 80.

 

Your engine should not be venting water, it should be a sealed system to prevent the coolant boiling, modded to vent water sounds very suspect IMO.

 

Its difficult for me to suggest a definative cause but my gut feeling would be that the coolant system is airlocked or the head gasket has gone.

 

Rob

[dino ferrana]

That would be a 2000 spec race car with Roller Barrel Throttle Bodies? Lack of handbrake suggests it is an ex racer too. Shouldn't be a problem though! Could be a a sender fault rather than an actual problem? Don't rely on that though get it checked ASAP!

[Mark Piper]

Pinky, I knew that you were after that car - hope you got a good deal on the price!!!

 

Some comments - I've taken a look at a similar car to Allan's, same symptoms too, oil & water way too hot, no water in header tank and gave appearance of being airlocked when we tried to fill it up....certainly wasn't told anything about a pressurised system though. I asked for compression and head gasket leakage test - result? compressions OK, head gasket failed, water leaking into number 3...subsequently I've been told head bolts had stretched too....latest instalment on this story Monday - pretty scary though isn't it????

 

For your info I am reliably informed that whilst racing these cars do run up to 110 degrees and most have electric fans fitted to help cooling whilst slipstreaming. I think that a consequence of this is that there's little margin between an OK engine and a "cooked" engine....I was also told that a consequence of head gasket failure could be warped head and further constant failures....not that I'm in any way suggesting that the car you bought has had these problems.

 

For my own interest, by the way, how are you going to get it off the "Q" plate? Allan told me there's a way round that......

[EFA]

Pinky,

 

I know the way off a Q plate.

 

The roll cage is held on by a bolt which inserts into the underside of the roll cage from above the top of the rear damper - i.e, you have to remove the top damper fixing to gain access.

 

AW

 

 

 

Fat Arn

Visit the K2 RUM siteid=red>

See the Lotus Seven Club 4 Counties Area Website hereid=green>

 

[R500 CYA]

Hi Mark,

 

Yes got a very reasonable price in the end, although the car does need a lot of work before I feel happy to take it racing.

 

I'm still looking into the Q plate issue although I have had varying advice on the situation. I'll mail you off line when I have an answer.

 

I think I'll send the car to redline to start with and have them look over the systems before I decide how to proceed. I want to get into the Centurion asap, but there's no point in blowing the car up on the way!

 

Arnie,

 

I'll mail you off line when I finish work tonight (supposed to be checking the weather at the moment but the computer seems to have defaulted to Blatchat for some strange reason!)

 

Cheers,

 

Nick

 

 

 

[Casbar]

Arnie,

 

Followed your earlier advice about getting off a Q plate, got all the bits together, got the form from the DVLA. All looked good, until I got to speak to the Inspector, who basically told me to take a jump!

 

There was no way he was going to even consider changing the Q to an age related plate.

 

So have you ever done this, or is it speculation????

[jonhill]

Pinky,

 

As Dino suggested the oil temp. sender could be duff, they are notoriously variable. My oil temp. reading takes 30 miles before it gets significantly above 40. I know this is b0ll0cks as I bought a wine making thermometer and dipped it into the DS tank. After just a short drive the oil temp hasn't even moved off zero according to the gauge, yet the thermometer reads over 60. Try this before assuming you're running too hot.

 

When stationary, revving will result in what seems to be a mist coming through the louvers. This happens hot or cold, and seems normal on DS Ks.

 

Jon