Colin Mill Posted June 17, 2005 Share Posted June 17, 2005 Ok, so my kit was delivered almost exactly 12 moths ago but so far I have had to replace both steering boots and the small J pipe and the top hose are cracked. If the rest of the rubber bits give out at this rate it will turn itself back into a kit quite quickly 😬 Is this typical or am I just unlucky? I don't want to fit silicone hoses as their inability to handle engine oil seems more than a tad unfortunate. Some German tin-top quality rubber hoses would be great. Is there a source other than Caterham for anything other than silicone? Thanks Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmalcol1 Posted June 17, 2005 Share Posted June 17, 2005 ☹️I think you must be unlucky. Had my SV for 2 years 15,000 miles and no rubber bits have failed If its any consolation I have just had a new steering rack fitted Hey its a Caterham just enjoy it John M GK03 EGX SV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted June 17, 2005 Share Posted June 17, 2005 Why are you worried about silicone hoses for coolant? They're really a huge step up from the rubber ones and last for ages - mine have been refitted at least 6 times and to 2 different engines and are showing signs of weakening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Mill Posted June 17, 2005 Author Share Posted June 17, 2005 Hi Alex Well, we use silicone tubing for nitro based fuels and its great for that but it really does not like petrol or engine oil so given that good quality rubber hoses seem quite capable of doing 10 years and are Ok with all the under bonnet fluids I don't see the point especially as they have the reputation of being more reluctant to seal at the clips. I just think that with the K series inability to laugh off being run without coolant that the quality of the hozes is important. I'm also less than totally impressed with Caterham Midland's lack of response to my Monday a.m. email on the matter still unacknowledged on Friday p.m. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted June 17, 2005 Share Posted June 17, 2005 But they're not for oil or petrol??? I split 2 rubber hoses - one on a trackday and one whilst taking it off. Never had a prob with the silicone ones and my car's had some serious oil leaks!! - Last engine was going through nearly 4 litres of oil a day on the last endurance rally I did. Incidentally, samco do silicone hoses for oil. I wonder if that's suitable? Edited by - Alex Wong on 17 Jun 2005 17:06:02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david nelson Posted June 17, 2005 Share Posted June 17, 2005 I was in Caterham Midlands on Monday and they were having there office refited. This might be why you have had no responce from them? David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kent7 Posted June 17, 2005 Share Posted June 17, 2005 Probably unlucky. Mines a year old, done around 10000 with no real mechanical issues. (one alternator) - The rubber hoses around the engine are all in good condition. Just needed too slightly tighten some of the jubilee clips at around 500, 4000 and 8000 miles. Kent7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Mill Posted June 17, 2005 Author Share Posted June 17, 2005 Hi Alex "But they're not for oil or petrol???" You had better tell the K series head gasket that 😬 😬 Perhaps the silicone will be OK but I have had such good use out of good old rubber hoses on every other car I have had that I don't really want to depart from them unless the only ones available for Caterhams are all rubbish quality. From what you say about having ones split I guess they must be. The only hose failure I have had was on a 1970's Jag (not renown for quality) and the hose was over 10 years old! I must look into the silicone that is OK for oil - we would have other uses for that as well. Hi David Yes, they were having new carpet put down on Saturday when I was there. I guess I would be a bit more understanding if any of the issues I flagged up for the PBC had actually been rectified - it was a short list: the cracked hose, the usual odometer creep and the headrests impossibly hard to move (I had already replaced the gaiters as they were a clear SVA failure). Edited by - Colin Mill on 17 Jun 2005 17:37:42 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Englishmaninwales Posted June 17, 2005 Share Posted June 17, 2005 Colin I've never had anything but rapid helpful responses from CC (both sites), by phone or email. Maybe it was the way you asked? Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Mill Posted June 17, 2005 Author Share Posted June 17, 2005 Hi Malcolm Well you can judge for yourself if I was polite enough - here are copies of what I sent to CCM: Firstly the PBC list:- Caterham Jobs for PBC Please could you look at the following items that have come up during the build. Speedo has the odometer mileage creep problem. Small bore J pipe (heater to stat housing) looks a bit cracked already!. Headlight aim and tightening. Headrests are far too tight (would need lump hammer to adjust!) Check heater matrix for possible leak (may just have been from upper hose connection now sealed with a proper hose clip) No intermittant wipe And my subsequent email:- Dear John Car behaved perfectly on return trip. I like the engine bay wiring work - it looks very neat. I noticed that the small J pipe (heater to stat) is still the original one with some slight cracking. Was it decided that it was structurally OK and that the cracking was only surface? Best regards Colin Mill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Mupferit Posted June 17, 2005 Share Posted June 17, 2005 Out of interest, Caterhams no longer have an intermittent wipe facility. I have used Samco silicone coolant hoses on both of my 7's over 8 years and, like Alex, I think they are excellent. I especially like the way they retain their elasticity even after years of use and showed no sign of deterioration despite being taken on and off many times during various engine upgrades. I would always favour them over the old black rubber jobs. Brent 2.3 DURATEC SV R 417.39 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Mill Posted June 17, 2005 Author Share Posted June 17, 2005 Ok Brent, they sound good but do they satisy the real rubber fetishist?... 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petrolhead Posted June 18, 2005 Share Posted June 18, 2005 I have had this with other rubber items (Steady) Rubber perishes very quickly if left NE7Club Web Site R5 no 65 😬 I am after low level tyre rack and jerry can box for Mino Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Mill Posted June 18, 2005 Author Share Posted June 18, 2005 Well, I have now had a reply from CCM saying the hoses are triple layered and that the outer layer is only a protective layer and that I should find the inner layers are fully intact and OK. I shall interpret this as "by all means apply the pedal to the metal and if your K goes in a golden shower courtesy of a blown hoze we will be rebuilding it FOC" - so here we go! 😬 Edited by - Colin Mill on 18 Jun 2005 09:33:28 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hibster. Posted June 18, 2005 Share Posted June 18, 2005 "goes in a golden shower" Round here that means something very very non-automotive, but hey, each to their own Supercheese R250 Caterham pictures here 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Mill Posted June 18, 2005 Author Share Posted June 18, 2005 Hi Paul A K series without water rapidly becomes very, very non-automotive too 😬 I'm sure you mean the same connotations that it has here - since we were discussing rubbergoods I thought it somehow apt. Edited by - Colin Mill on 18 Jun 2005 18:07:03 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Field Posted June 20, 2005 Share Posted June 20, 2005 Colin, I replaced my top hose with a cc item as part of the engine rebuild. I thought it was much more flimsy than the old one and, sure enough, it acquired a sizeable pinhole after only 1800 miles. Fortunately I had kept the old one which is much thicker and still good after 24k miles. I think Caterham must have reduced the spec. Terry 1700XF - Team Lotus with flares. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Mill Posted June 20, 2005 Author Share Posted June 20, 2005 Hi Terry Yes, I guess they feel the need to keep component costs down. I'm sure Caterhan hate people banging on about how there Beamers and Mercs are holding out but... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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