Oil Change Procedure (K-Series)

[Mike Molloy]

Can any of you technical gurus fill me in on the approved procedure for doing an oil/filter change on a 2002 K-Series fitted with anti-cavitation tank?

 

Some points of uncertainty:

1) Do you or don't you drain the anti-cav tank by removing the plug. If so, how do you re-seal it? Torque value for re-fitting?

2) Do you re-fit the oil filter to a specific torque or number of turns from initial contact? I have always used the "oil the seal and tighten by hand" technique in the past.

3) How much oil do you put in to start with? Do you fill with the whole 7 litres or start with less, run the engine (for how long) top up, run the engine etc.?

[Peter Carmichael]

Yes you drain by removing the plug. It can help to use a cargo strap to restrain the Apollo tank from rotating by strapping the bottom union to the rack mounting or a similarly placed bit of chassis. The plug is usually difficult to remove. For refitting the plug I give it a good heave - nothing more accurate.

 

Oil filter is "pre-fill the filter,oil the seal, screw on to first contact and then 270 degrees more"

 

Yes, put 7 litres in. It will probably need a bit more than 7, so then run until the oil is warm watching oil pressure carefully and then check and top up according to normal instructions.

 

 

 

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[F355GTS]

Mike

 

Just done mine

 

You have to drain the Apollo by the plug on the bottom, didn't know the torque setting so just did it up tight!

 

Oil Filter, smeared a light film of oil on Rubber seal and did up hand tight

 

Put in 6 litres to start with, ran engine and then topped up, did get small amount of tappety noise and had to wait a couple of seconds for pressure but that may have happened as I had left it draining for 5 days (waiting for Caterham to deliver the parts)

 

I also replaced the Sump Baffle Foam as recommended on this forum so replaced the sump gasget as well

 

Mark

 

or I could have echoed Peter's post, slightly ahead of mine!

 

Edited by - F355GTS on 12 Jun 2002 12:49:18

[Bob Corb]

When I fitted my Apollo tank I filled it from the top separately with the breather hose off. I wasnt planning to do that but I didnt want to let the engine fire before I'd seen the oil pressure rise during cranking. If you drain down (both sump and tank) and refill just the sump do you just rely on the small amount of old oil left in the bearings to do the lubrication (badly as no pressure or flow). It will take quite a while to get oil pressure up to anything near safe levels just idling and even then I'd be worried whilst waiting for the needle to move on the gauge.

 

BC

[Allen Payne]

Beware of tightening the plug in the bottom of the Apollo tank too much -The tanks are made of thin aluminium and mine now has a kink in the bottom from trying to get out the plug.

 

Regards

Allen

[shn7]

I find the best way to re-fit the Apollo bottom plug (ooh err) is to use a little sillycone (sic) sealant and don't make it too tight. As already mentioned the tank is only thin ali and easily bent.

 

Steve.

 

Regards

 

Steve Newman

[Gridgway]

it was suggested to me that by loosening the air-bleed fitting at the top, the oil will run out of the tank and out of the oil filter housing. Not done it myself yet! I am due an oil change so if anyone knows if that works I would be grateful!

 

Graham