XE with tappet noise part 3 - "The Saga Continues"

[Ringmeister]

Summary of the problem so far:

 

1. Bought a Caterham a few weeks ago.

2. Noisy tappets after moderate engine revs but ONLY when oil is hot.

3. Replaced hydraulic followers - no change.

4. Taken to Caterham approved service centre - oil pump damaged, so replaced.

 

Fully expected to get the car back today, been expecting since Tuesday as it happens, but today was the day!

 

Received a call today to say car is pretty much done but the oil filter attachment bolt thread is METRIC instead of IMPERIAL.

 

Now this apparently is quite normal, according to Caterham there are no metric threaded oil filters that will fit the XE engine because of a space problem with the chassis but there is/are an/some imperial one(s).

 

What would normally happen during an oil pump change is the filter bolt is taken from the old pump and put on the new. However mine old one was ALSO METRIC!

 

This means the car has had the wrong thread since it was made in 1995. So the oil filters must have been the wrong type for the attachment bolt thread. Assuming this is the case then the filter will have been very precariously attached and could detach "easily".

 

So, can anyone shed any light on all this?

 

Sorry to ramble on!

 

Ian.

 

How long until the next Ring trip? sad.gif

[captain chaos]

Well...how long till your next Ring Trip?

 

For me it's 19 days and counting...

[Ringmeister]

Just 6 days, hope I get my car back in full working order. If not then I'll be sticking with the bike. Hoping to make it in 19 days too, but need to build up a few brownie points first.

 

Are you a regular Captain? I've been going for 6 years now, exclusively on the bike but the oil spills have scared me in to trying the car thing. I've always thought of Caterhams as "four wheeled motorbikes" let's see if next weekend supposrts this theory.

 

See you there!

 

i.

 

How long until the next Ring trip? sad.gif

[EFA]

Ian,

 

You have misinterpreted what Caterham have told you. All filters are metric fitment.

 

Search the archives for those which will fit a wet sump XE in a Caterham.

 

SO has the tappet noise gone? Did you change the oil - if so what for?

 

Fat Arn

Visit the K2 RUM siteid=red>

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

 

[captain chaos]

Ringmeister,

Pretty much so....3 times a year, all on public days the last trip was 3/4 May. Wet for most of it so I took my M Coupe instead of the seven. For the past few years I've used the seven but started the trips on a bike.

[Ringmeister]

Fat boy,

 

I haven't spoken to Caterham but got this information from the garage, they got it from Caterham. So, I've either misunderstood them or they have misunderstood Caterham. I spoke at some length with the service manager so I can't see I've misunderstood him.

 

I've had a look through the archives and haven't found anything yet but will continue for a while. Can you tell me more in the meantime in case I don't find what you're referring to?

 

This is matter of urgency, apart from the fact my car will have been away for 2 weeks on Tuesday (in which time it's had a 6000 mile service, a new oil pump and big-end check) I'm off to the Ring on Friday and want to get a few miles on it before we set off.

 

It's bloody typical, I've been off work for a few months (through choice) bought the car a month or so ago. Most of that time it's either been in the garage or not usable because of the problem, the weather has been great and now I start working again on Monday.

 

As for the tappet noise, we don't know if the problem is solved until it is given a good road test (20 minutes+). The garage don't want to take it out with the "wrong" oil filter on and don't want me to take it away in case it comes off either. If the problem isn't solved then I f*cked for next weekend's Ring trip.

 

I have to say I find this quite bemusing, the car has done 5000 miles and will have had this metric thread problem all that time. From my rare experience of mixing imperial and metric threads it seems unlikely the filter would have stayed on or not fouled, seized or misbehaved in some other obvious way.

 

Jesus, what a malarkey.

 

Ian.

 

How long until the next Ring trip? sad.gif

[Ringmeister]

I've found a thread in the archives "Vauxhall 16v xe Oil filter", 20 May 2001.

 

If the Renault 4 filter fits then this will surely have a metric thread, in which case the garage are mistaken. Can anyone confirm this?

 

I'll get on to them first thing in the morning. I guess they must have thrown the old filter away before fitting a new one.

 

Who knows?!

 

Another sunny weekend without the car has passed by. Ho hum, suppose I've saved some money on petrol.

 

Ian.

 

How long until the next Ring trip? sad.gif

[paul jacobs]

The Renault 4 filter has always been OK for me, either a genuine Renault one, from a dealer, or more latterly, one from Halfords. They are very short, so no danger of them grounding out and holeing under heavey braking.

 

I've never checked the threads on my car, but have never had a problem [so far].

 

Red 245bhp Vauxhall powered 21

[Now For Sale]

[Ben Willis]

I just posted on this very topic before finding this thread.

 

R4 filter does fit and the Halfords HOF238 was a nice easy part to find before they stopped selling it recently. They do another, HOF266, for R5/9/11 but it seems to fit a central fiter bolt 1mm bigger.

 

I tried to buy an R4 part from a motor factors instead - they said there were two different filters available. However the one they sold me was the same as the HOF266 - too big.

 

Apparently a Unipart GFE210 or Champion C116 are correct, but I couldn't swear to it as I haven't tried them.

 

I am now fed up buying filters that are nearly the right size - I think I'll give up and go to Caterham or SBD.

 

Ben

[Paul McKenzie]

Champion C116 is direct equivalent of HOF 238 - I've had loads of them

Paul