John Vine Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 JV, if by Dzus bracket you mean the rear catch for the nose coneI do, yes. Apologies for the tech terminology -- the catch with the curly spring inside is called a Dzus fastener.That SV photo is mightily misleading. I suggest you ask CC for the S3 equivalent -- if they have one!JV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7 wonders of the world Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 While you e-mailing the CEO regarding poorly engineered areas of the car you might want to ask if they have considered a solution to the rigid brake pipe on the rear DeDion which they have used since the introduction of the DeDion back in the 80's or does he consider this to be a customer upgrade..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CtrMint Posted December 1, 2018 Author Share Posted December 1, 2018 Does anyone have an email address for him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Kay Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 Private Mail sent.Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CtrMint Posted December 1, 2018 Author Share Posted December 1, 2018 Before I email him, one thing that occurs to me, how was this R300 style rad used on the R300. I'm of the understanding the chassis hasn't changed, so surely the issue of being unable to get a rad hose on sufficiently has come up before? Of course I'm ignoring the original thread topic of the catch tank here and focussing on the limited overlap on the rad hose itself as shown in my earlier pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR400D Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 You have a point but i think it’s a race rad you have not a standard road one.BTW the exact same thing, at a different price, is also on the site as the 420R race rad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Reeves Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 The contact have for McDonald is very old so may well have changed.I had a lot of e mails to him way back when we had issues with the new " BMW' differentials/carrier and their ( CC)failure to let us know what was happening and when .I was never concerned with the issue just a timetable and communication - their biggest failure in my view is communicating and I did let him know. Deafness....grahamm@caterham.co.ukIts a pity you are over the water as another set of eyes and fingers is always helpful. Are there not a few 7s on the Island ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark w Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 I had to change the radiator on my 620R due to a leak and the new one was different to the original in terms of fixings which meant the hose didn’t fit the spigot very well .i found that cutting a flat across one side of that bobbin allowed the hose to slip right along the radiator pipe and the jubilee clip then fitted well .Doing this won’t get over your catch tank issue but I suspect that’s a non issue anyway as I’ve never had to empty mine in 4 years ( and if I did would use a syringe to suck it out . ) PS the catch tank on the 620 is fitted to the side of the pedal box . Could you fit yours there ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CtrMint Posted December 2, 2018 Author Share Posted December 2, 2018 Thanks for the info Mark. I'm finding the chassis bracket is the first obstruction preventing the hose from fitting, so it's not actually the bobbin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CtrMint Posted December 2, 2018 Author Share Posted December 2, 2018 Thanks for the info Mark. I'm finding the chassis bracket is the first obstruction preventing the hose from fitting, so it's not actually the bobbin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim 123 Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 If it is the chassis bracket that is obstructing the hose, given that the radiator bolts are located into slots, can you position the radiator a little to the right in order to achieve clearance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim 123 Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 Looking at your photos again, admittedly with my failing eyesight, but it looks like you need to gain very little extra clearance to get things to fit.. In addition to the above, have you considered loosening the bobbins and moving things to the right a little, and / or taking a little metal of the upper innermost edge of the chassis mounting bracket? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CtrMint Posted December 2, 2018 Author Share Posted December 2, 2018 To help illustrate I've cropped the image and exaggerated the colours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CtrMint Posted December 2, 2018 Author Share Posted December 2, 2018 There isn't any wiggle room in the bracket, that side happens to be the worst side anyway as the welding against the port also interferes with the bolt head and prevents it from going fully across but I don't believe it would help much as we're talking only a few mill anyway.I'm not eager to start hacking the chassis for a few mill on the bracket too, I'd then need to cut a significant amount out of the bobbin too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR400D Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 I too would be loathe to start modifying that. It’s looks a poor piece of engineering. Have you sent that to Derek? That would be my first step and if he doesn’t respond satisfactorily escalate to McDonald Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomwood Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 Not sure if it’s helpful or not but you talked earlier in the thread about getting some comparative photos.this is my car. It started life as a 2013 SuperSport R which means it effectively had the R300 duratec engine configuration.its since been upgraded to r400 spec by Caterham. They kept my original radiator and catch tank arrangement and have added an oil cooler which sits in front of the original radiator.this arrangement works well so I’m not sure why they felt the need to change the radiator design. Unless of course they haven’t and had simply run out of the original radiator type and then supplied you the next best thing? Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomwood Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 Here’s a close up of the catch tank. Plenty of clearance with this arrangement so I can see why you’re annoyed with what they have provided.If they insist on this radiator being what they will supply from now on then it looks like they need to redesign the top hose at the very least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Vine Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 That rad/hose/cooler/catchtank layout is exactly the same as on my 2008 S3 R400D.If they insist on this radiator being what they will supply from now on then it looks like they need to redesign the top hose at the very least.Spot on.JV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim 123 Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 Just looking at your photo of the factory SV from Derek in #22, it looks like that car has a waisted bobbin, and if you zoom in you will see it has been cut back on the top face under the hose union. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Vine Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 Well spotted, that man. My word, that was a classy bit of engineering. Yuk.JV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR400D Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 Further to Tomwood’s posts, that’s the same as my 2015 R400D SV, other than the extra brackets and cowl for the SV of course. Just cant understand why they’ve changed it......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR400D Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 Reply to #44 Yes. Awful. But it looks even more difficult than that with an S3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim 123 Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 If the bobbin was half the thickness would there still be an issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomwood Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 Half the thickness and with a decent notch cut out of the top and it might just work. Doesn’t excuse the poor fitment of the hose though.it sounds like the nosecone doesn’t currently fit, any ideas which bit of the car the nose is fouling on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim 123 Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 It'd be interesting to learn at what stage it does not fit. When I lost my nose cone virginity it took me a couple of attempts before figuring out that the I did not have the profiles around the ARB aligned. Tom talking of photos does your coolant need topping up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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