Mark Adderley Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 Houston - we have a problem ☹️ Engine had been sounding a bit 'tappetty' over the last few days - put in some Wynn's hydraulic valve cleaner and went for a short run - only travelled about 5 miles or so (all below 5k rpm) when there wasa loss of power, sound of metal on metal, plus what looked like black mist sneezing out of the air filter. In no mechanic, but it didn't sound too good...... Having just spent the last 2hrs sitting in a field near Ampleforth, I pondered over a number of options & wondered if the collective powers of blatchat could offer some words of wisdom? - any thoughts on what it's likely to be? - what's a 'ball-park' cost of a rebuild? - am I better rebuilding the engine, or replacing it? Feeling a bit flat at the moment - any suggestions greatly appreciated! If you see a glum looking bloke turning up at the 50th Celebration in a silver Octavia Diesel, please don't point and snigger - I may cry!!! Cheers Mark (51k and not doing many more for the forseeable future). 1400 SS - 51k and counting...... Edited by - Mark Adderley on 6 Sep 2007 18:30:33 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted September 4, 2007 Leadership Team Share Posted September 4, 2007 It does sound as though you may have dropped a valve for whatever reason. If there's pistons damage, then possibly time to go to 1800? Unless you have a real desire to stick to the 1400 unit, the money is probably better spent on a pucka 1800 motor and doing the conversion. Stu. www.superse7ens.co.uk..........the rebuild 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Village Idiot Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 Def upsetting BUT in the morning think about the options opening up to you now - take your time to choose but surely this cloud will have a silver lining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattC Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 Gutted for you... But an ideal opportunity to upgrade maybe?? Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irrelevant Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 Rover engines are dirt cheap on Ebay/scrappies - mate got an 1800 for £60 IIRC and it was sweet as a nut once fitted into his Caterham. Few things you need to know for fitting them, but none require much money spending. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k80rum Posted September 5, 2007 Share Posted September 5, 2007 Commiserations Mark ☹️ I guess as others have saidm if there's any silver lining to be seen it's that you have the chance to upgrade, or at least *fairly* cheaply replace it, bearing in mind that the ancillaries will be transferable - plus you've got winter rather than summer months looming. Best of luck with however you decide to proceed Darren E Website and Emerald maps library Superlight R #54 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hurtle Posted September 5, 2007 Share Posted September 5, 2007 Mark, I blew my 1400ss up earlier this year, So know exactly how you feel. I went for the 1800 upgrade and I could not be happier 😬 I got an ex Elise engine on Ebay a few Evening and Weekends worth of work a lot of reading up on here and I now have the car I should have brought in the first place. 😬 Jas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheds Moderator Posted September 5, 2007 Share Posted September 5, 2007 I think anything more serious than a head gasket is an excuse to replace the engine, especially after 51k when you might expect a bit of wear. Pull the head and have a look, you have little to lose. Get a 1.6/1.8 for £not much, fit the Caterham bits and off you go. Alternatively there are plenty that pop up here for pocket money, ready to drop in. I heard of a 1.6 kss for £500 or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcNS Posted September 5, 2007 Share Posted September 5, 2007 There is also a Focus/ Puma engine on eBay at the moment 170bhp ! Too much power for my Ital diff ☹️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted September 5, 2007 Leadership Team Share Posted September 5, 2007 But that becomes a major transplant - 1800K is pretty well a like-for-like swap. Mark - any more news on the extent of the damage? Stu. www.superse7ens.co.uk..........the rebuild 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Doughty Posted September 5, 2007 Share Posted September 5, 2007 Ohhh Dear If you find an engine I'm happy to give you a hand to swap it over. Don't think I can do it before the 15th as Mrs D is taking me on holiday somewhere, sometime TBA. Get yourself a Duratec laddy, you know it makes sense 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Brown Posted September 5, 2007 Share Posted September 5, 2007 That news is a bit of an 🙆🏻 I'm happy to watch and spanner, if you manage to borrow someone who actually knows what they're doing. In the meantime, have you investigated when the 50th year of the Octavia is 🤔 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyrone Posted September 5, 2007 Share Posted September 5, 2007 Mark, commiserations. I have an appointment with the dentist (read mechanic) tonight to see if we can explain the horrible noises emananting from my engine. Otherwise I may be joining you in the 'seriously uncool' line at Norfolk. If I do get it sorted I have a spare passenger seat if you're interested. I also need to speak to Steve Brown about the possibility of meeting up for the trip down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Lynch Posted September 5, 2007 Share Posted September 5, 2007 Mark Oh 🙆🏻 You 'should' have mail. Regulary darting between offices in Stockton and Sheffield now so can time a trip if required 1.4K SS 😬 Just smiling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted September 5, 2007 Share Posted September 5, 2007 plus what looked like black mist sneezing out of the air filter Plus ca change... see a glum looking bloke turning up at the 50th Celebration in a silver Octavia Diesel ☹️ 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 Alcester Racing 7s Equipe™ 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 Alcester-Racing-Sevens.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Adderley Posted September 5, 2007 Author Share Posted September 5, 2007 Hi Guys Thanks to all of you who've offered advice/support/muscle via both email and blatchat - I really appreciate it Only just got home from work and seeing all the replies made me a little emotional! It'll probably be a couple of weeks before I get to take a look at the damage, so that gives me plent of time to consider the options. Favourite at the moment is going for an 1800 - I don't know yet whether I'll be able to use the SS cams etc. Can anyone tell me if there's much difference in performace between a 1.4SS, a 1.8 and a 1.8SS? Tyrone - thanks for the offer of a spare seat - I'm actually travelling down with SHMBO, but it was a kind offer. Hope you get sorted and you're not forced to use the uncool car park (maybe I'll gaffa-tape the nose cone to the Skoda 😬). Will keep you posted - thanks again! Mark 1400 SS - 51k and counting...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hurtle Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 Hi Mark, For the conversion from 1400ss to 1800ss. put the 1400ss Cams into the 1800ss. Use the 1400 Flywheel (as the timing teeth are different on the 1800) Use the nice Ali inlet plenium from the 1400 Swap the Blue 1400 injectors for the cream 1800. Use the 1400ss ECU Depending on where you got the engine from you may need to grind some webbing off the side of the engine to get the started motor to fit. And I think that is pretty much it. Another members website here helps explain a lot. Hope that helps. Jason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted September 6, 2007 Leadership Team Share Posted September 6, 2007 Jason, I was about to post the link but you've beat me to it! There's a fair number of us done the swap now so there should be plenty of advice available. Stu. www.superse7ens.co.uk..........the rebuild 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hurtle Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 Ah! and the other member who wrote the site was Stu. 😬 Jas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted September 6, 2007 Leadership Team Share Posted September 6, 2007 😬 www.superse7ens.co.uk..........the rebuild 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Englishmaninwales Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 Mark Blatmail me and I will sent you my costs for this job. Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheds Moderator Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 I have a nice ally plenum from a 1.4kss, and throttle body, that may be for sale soon. PM me if interested, I have to check with a chap who has asked for first dibs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Adderley Posted September 6, 2007 Author Share Posted September 6, 2007 OMFG - The shame I am about to admit to *redface* Thought I'd have a look at the head - took off the plate that covers the spark plugs and went to remove the first one..........to find it wasn't screwed in The tapping noise wasn't the tappets - I think it must have been the electrode sparking because the plug was coming unscrewed? The sound of sucking from the engine which I assumed was a blown piston was because the plug must have blown out (which corresponds with the sudden loss of power. What a relief, but oh, the shame! The good news is that I can drive down to Norfolk in the 7 😬 Instead of a glum looking bloke, I'll be the one looking ever so slightly sheepish Thanks for all the support - I'm expecting it will be followed up by a healthy dose of scorn and derision - and rishtly so 😬 Sorry to have messed anyone about. Cheers Mark 1400 SS - 51k........ and staying there 'cos the engine's gone crunch! :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Durrant Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 Mark Good to hear that everything is OK and all you need to do is update your signature. Please include your registration number on this thread so we know who to look out for at the 50th 😬 Mark D Comp Sec Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Adderley Posted September 6, 2007 Author Share Posted September 6, 2007 😬 😬 1400 SS - 51k........ and counting again!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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