David Jackson Posted May 15, 2000 Share Posted May 15, 2000 Please can some one tell me the oil capacity for 1.6 K series dry sumped engine . Many thanks . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V7 SLR Posted May 16, 2000 Share Posted May 16, 2000 Despite what 3 different Caterham employees advised me on 3 seperate occasions (5 litres, 4.5 litres and 4 litres) only one of them got it right...All Caterham dry sumped engines take a smidgeon under 4 litres. Basically fill up with Mobil 1 Motorsport (a 4 litre can) and you'll see a small amount blown into the oil catch tank. For all those who say the breather always blows a bit out, I previously filled mine with about 4.5 litres and lost about 0.5 of a litre into the catch tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Green Posted May 16, 2000 Share Posted May 16, 2000 Just to prove everyone's experience is different :-) The capacity of my DS system was initially about 5l. I now find it will easily take 5.5l with minimal catch tank deposits. My car is a standard 1.8K, with the catch tank up front, in the cruciform. A couple of guys at Caterham recommended that spot, to minimise the blow out. So, 4-5.5 litres then :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Green Posted May 16, 2000 Share Posted May 16, 2000 Just to prove everyone's experience is different :-) The capacity of my DS system was initially about 5l. I now find it will easily take 5.5l with minimal catch tank deposits. My car is a standard 1.8K, with the catch tank up front, in the cruciform. A couple of guys at Caterham recommended that spot, to minimise the blow out. So, 4-5.5 litres then :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Green Posted May 16, 2000 Share Posted May 16, 2000 Just to prove everyone's experience is different :-) When I first filled my system, I found it took about 4.5l before blowing out to the catch tank. I now find it will take more like 5.5l, with minimal blow out, even on a track day. My engine is a standard 1.8K (currently) with the Caterham DS system. The catch tank is mounted up front in the upper cruciform. A couple of guys at Caterham advised me to fit it there, to minimise the blow out. So, 4-5.5 litres then :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Green Posted May 16, 2000 Share Posted May 16, 2000 Bugger. Apologies for multiple posts. I was getting a URL error or something, so was assuming I wasn't getting through. Sorry. Nick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V7 SLR Posted May 16, 2000 Share Posted May 16, 2000 I guess the answer is to fill it up and see how much gets spit out, then measure that and subtract from future fill-amounts then. Why does yours take so much more than mine then? Think I'd prefer a bit more oil swilling around despite the obvious cost implication. You haven't got an oil cooler have you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Green Posted May 16, 2000 Share Posted May 16, 2000 Reckon so, Nige. I don't know why yours is so different to mine. You have the SLR engine of course, which may pressurise the crankcase differently or something (could be talking b*ll***s). You also have the swirl tower. Perhaps where the breather comes off the that, compared to out of the top plate on my set up has an effect. Don't know really :-) Have you put the holes in your catch tank cap yet, BTW ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V7 SLR Posted May 16, 2000 Share Posted May 16, 2000 No, I took the cap off altogether and replaced it with a piece of hi-tech car-washing sponge. This has stopped pressure build-up in the catch tank and it no longer coats my engine bay in oil... but I can only make a half hearted attempt at cleaning the now-oily engine because I can't get my hands into the little gaps.... there's so many cables in my engine bay. Why? Alex's Vaux hasn't got half as many..... oops... spilling into a different thread entirely now... Edited by - V7 SLR on 16 May 2000 13:07:18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Bees Posted May 16, 2000 Share Posted May 16, 2000 Whether or not you have the conning tower swirly arrangement makes a big difference. If you have the gold pump then you will have the conning tower. Without it the capacity is likely to be less than 4 litres, with it it's in the region of 5 litres - both in my experience. With the gold pump and no conning tower the capacity tends towards zero very quickly and your engine bay ends up full of oil. Trust me, I know... Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Green Posted May 16, 2000 Share Posted May 16, 2000 Mike, Are the tank capacities you quote, the amount of oil in the tank only, or in the whole engine system ? Just want to be clear :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V7 SLR Posted May 16, 2000 Share Posted May 16, 2000 I have the gold pump and conning tower, yet appear to have a 4 litre capacity. Admittedly I haven't tried putting any more than 4 litres in recently since I'm now on my 4th fill and the previous 3 ended up with my engine bay well lubed. wink.gif D'you reckon I should be brave and try to pour some more in then? I'd be happier with more in there I have to say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Green Posted May 16, 2000 Share Posted May 16, 2000 Go for it Nigel! 0.25l at a time till it blows out. Thinking on from Mike's comments, perhaps the reason I can get "more" oil in, is because it is being lost somewhere else... Not in my garage, that's for sure. Oh no, more paranoia setting in! Now about that latest rattle...and why does my temp gauge go up a bit when I put the heater on ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Jackson Posted May 16, 2000 Author Share Posted May 16, 2000 Ive gone for the middle of the road . Red pump , no conning tower , holes in top of breather , = 4.25 l . If there is oil on the circuit for car 43 in this weekends sprint , we will all know it was too much ! , I'll measure what I lost when I get back to the paddock and let you know ! :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Bees Posted May 17, 2000 Share Posted May 17, 2000 Nick - the capacities I quoted are roughly what I can get in before it blows some into the catch tank. This is dependent to some extent on the max rpm you use, higher rpm == more likely to eject oil. Nig - I reckon you should be able to put at least another half a litre in. Lob it in, go for a short blast and then check the catch tank. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Green Posted May 17, 2000 Share Posted May 17, 2000 David, I've got the same set up as you and am convinced I've got 5l+ in mine. I'll be in car 56. I note you are number 42. Come and say hello, if I don't beat you to it. As Mike's, V7's and my replies have probably indictated, the correct level for your car is basically as much as you can get in, without it blowing out at an unacceptable (to you) rate. See you Saturday. Looks like we are both up for the novice's cup too :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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