Roadsport06 Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 Hello all, I joined this week before I start an Easter build. As part of this I have visited blatchat and read about possible Head gasket failure in some k-series engines. As only people with the problem will mention it I would like to get feedback on it. Could anyone who reads this and has a Caterham 7 with a K-series fill in the answers to the questions below. 1. Have you had head gasket failure? 2. If so at what mileage did it happen 3. If not what mileage have you covered? 4. What size engine? What bhp? Thanks you all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyboy Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 As a starter..welcome!! And in response.. 1. Yes 2. 90K miles 3. New engine (installed April) has covered 30K this year including a season of sprinting/ commuting and 5 trackdays....no problems! 4. Blown H/G on Std 1.4k series. 1.4k S/S lasted 50K without any problems, 1.8k 140BHP still going strong! 😬 😬 Dannyboy 153bhp and 184lb/ft ??????????????????? My arse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Plato Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 1. Have you had head gasket failure? No 2. If so at what mileage did it happen N/A 3. If not what mileage have you covered? 32,000 total mielage 4. What size engine? What bhp? Owned 1600(140bhp) , 1600(210bhp) , 1900(245bhp) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulyb Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 No n/a circa 10k miles - mostly trackdays 1800 / 220BHP......going for 1.9 / 245 over the Winter 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 No, N/a 22k in a 1.6 and 5kish in a 180bhp 1.8 There's loads and loads about HGF in techtalk - it does still happen, but is less frequent and much better understood (IMHO) than it was in the era that generated the legend that all k's will pop the moment you look at them... Project Scope-Creep is live... Alcester Racing 7's Equipe - 🙆🏻™ Alcester-Racing-Sevens.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Howe Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 Welcome to the world of the insane... you are amongst friends 1. Have you had head gasket failure? No. 2. If so at what mileage did it happen N/A 3. If not what mileage have you covered? 16,000 4. What size engine? What bhp? 1,800cc and 230 bhp Footnote, if you are building the engine, get you bits from DVA, especially the head gasket! JH Deliveries by Saffron, the yellow 230bhp Sausage delivery machine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caterhamnut Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 We had one go when we first had the car -HOWEVER - don't know the history of the car before we had it, and I know the cause was a broken thermostat, which caused a steam-emitting overheating a few weeks previous to the failure - since then, which is more representative of our ownership, the engine has been very very reliable: 1. No 2. n/a 3. 88,000 miles, including many tracks and hooning. 4. 1.6 - 135bhp Supersport Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Bees Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 1. No. . 3. ~18000 4. 1700cc, ~230bhp. Used mostly for sprints/hillclimbs/trackdays, rev limit set at 8500-9250 depending on the venue. Mike Edited by - Mike Bees on 4 Nov 2005 13:26:38 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stelios Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 1. No 2. N/A 3. Car has done around 14,500 miles (around 8,000 during my ownership) 4a. From first registration (Oct 2001) to April 2005 1600cc 115bhp (Roadsport). 4b. April 2005 to present day 1800cc 152bhp (Supersport R upgrade). Stelios the Bubble Click here for my Caterham 7 page or here for some photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTD Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 No N/A 7k 1.6 138bhp - racing and track days 3 years G for Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankyknuckles Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 No n/a 10K 1.8K, 160bhp www.R300.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casbar Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 No 24,000 R300 engine 160 bhp Used on road and thrashed on the track Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Corb Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 1. No 2. NA 3. 8500 4. 1.8, 200BHP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h_____ Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 1) No 2) n/a 3) 10,000 miles - racecar, so race and track use 4) Academy 1.6, 115bhp totally standard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian ellison Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 1. No 2.N/A 3.8500 4.1.8K 160 bhp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Williams Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 1. Have you had head gasket failure? No. 2. If so at what mileage did it happen N/A 3. If not what mileage have you covered? 16,000 (Over half on track) 4. What size engine? What bhp? 1,600cc and 135 bhp Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old captain slow Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 1 No - So far 38k and still going strong - kiss of death? 2 N/A 3 N/A 4 1600 K 140 hp approx. C7 CDW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 Not directly, but I had one of my original plastic dowels (1.4k 1996) distort which caused similar symptoms to a h/g failure, so the head came off & I fitted new steel dowels. So not technially a gasket fault, just a design fault wrt plastic dowels. prob about 20k miles, 28k total now, 1.4SS, 128bhp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rynicolson Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 1. Have you had head gasket failure? yes 2. If so at what mileage did it happen 1500 !!!!! 3. If not what mileage have you covered? n/a 4. What size engine? What bhp? 1,600cc SS and about 140 bhp Due to air being drawn in through header tank.... Richard, aka... Tricks... aka darstardly Y57 CDS Known as Mutley Q205 NNB Sylva Phoenix... name TBC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAUL MARRIOTT Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 For the Caterham 1. NO 3. 24000 - Trackdays, Blats, European tours and some (I hang my head in shame) Long hard motorway blasts. 4. 1800CC & 189BHP For a k-series Freelander 1. yes..4 in the same car (Good old LR gave me 4 new engines) 2. c. 17000mls - general family motoring and towing a Trailer and pony 4. 1800cc in standard form ~ 115bhp Paul m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry21p Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 Yes (though cause of/caused by cracked liner(s) in last 2 occasions) 50,000k, 59,500k 59,650k 60,000k(exactly) - since then - crank shaft oil seal x2 1.6ss (original Caterham engine), 1.8ss(DVA engine), 1.8ss equivalent QED engine, 1.8ss euivalent QED Engine This is over 3 separate and different engines (not the same one repaired lots). Last 2 failures were in same engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmar Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 1. Have you had head gasket failure? nope 2. If so at what mileage did it happen n/a 3. If not what mileage have you covered? 16,000 mainly track miles 4. What size engine? What bhp? 1600 - 135 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 It should be pointed out that my failures should be weighted so as to be worth only 15% as much as anyone elses. The statistics would be heavily skewed otherwise... Not again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Lynch Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 1. Have you had head gasket failure? No, but killed an Alternator. Think heat is an issue off primaries 2. If so at what mileage did it happen N/A 3. If not what mileage have you covered? Arrived with 6,500 miles on clock after 10 Years 🤔, then I've done 6,300 in 6 months 😬 4. What size engine? What bhp? 1.4SS (128bhp) Ex Racer, Still on Seals, 10½ years old 1.4K SS 😬 The Geek will inherit the earth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dartmoor7 Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 1. Have you had head gasket failure? NO. 2. If so at what mileage did it happen N/A 3. If not what mileage have you covered? 40,000 4. What size engine? 1400 What bhp? 130 Jerry Parker L7 SVN 1400 Supersport Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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