Alex Wong1697456877 Posted April 18, 2005 Author Share Posted April 18, 2005 Nope - They're the original JPE Weber Alpha throttle bodies on a Caterham manifold. Have just ordered some metal pulleys from SBD. I don't like the look of the plastic ones at all. I'll get some swindon roller barrels if I win the lottery! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marius Posted April 18, 2005 Share Posted April 18, 2005 I´m running the plastic-type pulleys and they work fine as long as they´re not used for much more than one year and average mileage. He replaces them each year with every strip of the engine. Some extra grams saved against the metal ones.... Alex, I´m doing Le Sept again this year as the car is now running perfectly for the first time since many years. Someone has to keep up the flags for the VX-brigade.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EFA Posted April 18, 2005 Share Posted April 18, 2005 Marius, Why do you rebuild your engine every year? Is this some kind of Rover Tribute thing?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marius Posted April 18, 2005 Share Posted April 18, 2005 No, just cheaper in the long term. Dismanteling, checking, new pulleys, new cam-belt, new bearings etc. costs me ca. 1k pounds, blowing the engine 10k++.... It´s only April and the engine has already done 75 more or less quick laps at Spa, thats close to 500km.... And it looks shiny and new after each rebuild..... 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted April 18, 2005 Author Share Posted April 18, 2005 blowing the engine 10k++.... Not if you're lucky.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Bees Posted April 18, 2005 Share Posted April 18, 2005 Pretty standard procedure for any race engine surely (regular strip/inspect/rebuild I mean, not blowing the engine...). Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Gibb Posted April 18, 2005 Share Posted April 18, 2005 Alex, Eric Pasture at Swindon should be able to locate the original dyno test records of your engine with details of the induction system used for testing (remember Alan's spreadsheet?). If you haven't already spoken to him you should do - he is a mine of information & very approachable. Paul L7 FUN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted April 19, 2005 Author Share Posted April 19, 2005 Thanks - Eric has been very helpful already - I've spoken to him every working day since thursday - he must be pretty fed up of me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 You'll know when eric gets fed up of you Alex, he goes awol. 😳 Carbon Components from K9 Composites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted April 19, 2005 Author Share Posted April 19, 2005 The parts sale has started! - see for sale Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike C Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 Hi Alex, I've only just seen your post, been a bit slow off the mark. If you still need help on fittings, call me. I can also supply a few photos of JPE standard installations that I gathered when turning the Turbo JPE back to standard spec. If you ever want to sell the webber throttle boddies, let me know. Regards Mike C K9 JPE 07770 968944 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted April 19, 2005 Author Share Posted April 19, 2005 Hi Mike - any pics, especially of the ignition amps installed would be a help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike C Posted April 20, 2005 Share Posted April 20, 2005 Alex, YHM Regards Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted April 20, 2005 Author Share Posted April 20, 2005 Thanks Mike - have replied Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted April 20, 2005 Author Share Posted April 20, 2005 Pics of broken bits here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petrolhead Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 Crunbs, the head pic looks grim R5 no 65 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Durrant Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 Nasty ☹️ Mark D Su77on Se7ens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caterhamnut Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 ow! Big update! here 80,000miles in 3 years plus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted April 21, 2005 Author Share Posted April 21, 2005 The pic of the side of the piston shows the bit of metal that got stuck between the piston and cylinder bore and wrecked that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted May 15, 2005 Author Share Posted May 15, 2005 It looks like it was a valve spring - Outer spring in 4 bits, inside spring in 2 bits. The new engine was fired up tonight - it started on the button the way a standard K series does and sounded absolutely lovely. I haven't driven it anywhere yet but it seemed to rev very freely and showed good oil pressure. I'll post some details of the installation later (alot more to it than I thought there would be) but I've got a (tired) smile on my face tonight and I would like to state for the record that I don't really hate my car at all..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caterhamnut Posted May 16, 2005 Share Posted May 16, 2005 [said in faintly 'Blackadder 2 Queenie's Courtroom type of voice'...] Hurrah! Big update! here 80,000miles in 3 years plus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted May 16, 2005 Author Share Posted May 16, 2005 I thought this would be a job I could do in a couple of days but it was harder than I thought. The main problems were due to differences with respect to the the Weber Alpha Loom, the different throttle bodies and the slight differences in shape of the block of a later low noise Vx engine and my old early Vx engine. As previously mentioned, there's a whole load of gubbins with the Weber Alpha kit that was either not needed or in the ECU box of my DTA ECU - ignition amps, extra resistors, Startup cold air valve, air pressure sensor. The ECU itself was also more than twice the size of the old one so I had to move a load of stuff like wiper motor control units, screen washer pump and fuse/relay box off the back of the baulkhead to fit it. At least the scuttle is now removable with 6 bolts and unplugging the ECU - makes checking the wiring so much easier. TheWeber throttle bodies are strangely reminiscent of weber carbs - there are screws all over the place (no idea what they all do) and that horrid underslung weber throttle linkage. The biggest prob is that it has a bigger throttle pot that sits exactly where the clutch cable exits the pedal box. With ECR's help, we made a new exit point for the clutch cable which required more changes to my already modified clutch pedal to lift the cable attachment point and get some weight back into the clutch. The block caused some problems - the started motor fouled against the block (already a prob on the old block) so I gound even more of the started away till it's casing was quite thin on one side. It seats properly now but you can't get a piece of paper between the block and starter - something to keep an eye on. Also, the oil pressure sender wouldn't fit as it fouled the block so with DaveK's help in telling me what bits I needed, I moved both senders (pressure and warning light) via some -4 hose to a more accessable place (near the headlamp fitting so I can check it all with the bonnet off now) Anyway, it all seems to work (apart from the rev counter) and I have to say that it's been worth it. I do hope I get to drive my car for a bit now!! Edited by - Alex Wong on 16 May 2005 09:39:23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Normans_Ghost Posted May 16, 2005 Share Posted May 16, 2005 Alex, just seen this. Fascinating how you can see each stroke of the piston as the valve head first bent then broke off and the stem digging into the crown. Norman Verona, 1989 BDR 220bhp, Reg: B16BDR, Mem No 2166, the full story here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted May 16, 2005 Author Share Posted May 16, 2005 Hi Norman, Now that you mention it, you can see exactly what happened just from looking at the crown - to the point that you can tell what order the valvestem holes were made from how deep they are. Wish I had my Ali jacks for this job - would have been useful! 😬 Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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