Cause for concern!!!!

[Flying kiwi]

Iv`e had my Caterham for a little over three months and in that time I have checked the oil, as you do. Only to discover that Caterham had over filled it by more than half a litre, I have drained it down to the required level, but I`m rather p.....d off with Caterham as this could have caused problems.

I have a 1.8 S/S no dry sump, I am worried now that i have done dammage running the thing with too much oil in it.

Should i be concerned????

 

Kiwi.

[Blatman]

Do you have a catch tankquestion.gif If so, thats where the excess oil will end up. If the engine breathers are routed to the inlet somewhere, then it's been burnt off. If that's the case, I'd check the condition of the plugs.

Is the oil pressure normal, ie around 4 bar running, and 1.5 to 2 bar at tickover, with an up to temperature enginequestion.gif If so, I wouldn't be too worried, but there'll be a K expert along in a minute to give you chapter and verse.

[EFA]

If its not leaking oil you are OK.

 

Seroius overfilling could cause you to blow a crank oil seal, but half a litre is unlikley to do this.

 

If the crank is dipping in the oil as it rotates the worst this will do is cause increased fuel consumption.

 

The excess usually burns off pretty quickly anyway.

 

Fat Arn

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[tony isherwood]

1) Was there the correct amount of oil but the wrong dipstick (Caterham favorite and worrying trick ?)

 

2)Usual trick is to fill the sump with the correct amount of oil and then check that the dip stick mark is correct.

 

3)Had the car been standing and ALL the oil in sump or had it been running and some oil still up in the oilways ?

 

4) Slightly ( I mean slightly) over filling is not thing as Ks have very shallow sumps.

 

But there again I'm no expert

[Flying kiwi]

Thank`s for all the advice, The Caterham not supplying the correct dipstick is a worry, and i guess the only true way of telling is draining all oil and re filling, question is how much oil do you put in a K 1.8?

And no i havn`t got a catch tank so i can rule that one out. and lastly before i checked the level i had ran the car.

 

 

Mark.

 

 

 

[Lennie]

Are you checking the oil with the engine running? Because the VVC and K cars have different oil capacities, due to how much oil the head retains when running, the dipsticks should be different. But because of the cost of producing two dipsticks and the possibility of confusion and also all cars with appolo's should be checked running it was decided to have the one dipstick and check all cars oil levels this way. There was a sticker telling you to 'check oil when running' put on the engines and every car that came in would have one retro fitted but there must be a lot of cars out there without them on.

[sjwb]

I found out on my first trackday. Falling oil pressure whilst cornering. My oil level was bang on with a stationary engine WRONG!!! Topped it up to the level whilst running - problem solved. Very poor this, because to set a level with the motor running is not only dubious and being subject to temperature variations seems quite stupid.

 

Steve B

[Flying kiwi]

So how much oil do i put in? standard K 1.8 not vvc, no dry sump & and no appolo tank.

I checked the level once i had ran the engine, as i believe you should do. Get it hot switch it off and check.

 

 

 

Mark.

[Red SLR]

Dip the oil with the engine running, thats what caterham told me.

 

X777CAT

[Flying kiwi]

Simon, they told me to check it when warm not running.

 

Someone out there must know how much oil a K should hold.

 

 

Mark.

[Red SLR]

Does it have an anti cav tank?

 

X777CAT

[Flying kiwi]

Simon, no it doesn`t

 

 

Mark

[Buda]

4.5 Litres in a 1.6K, or so I have been informed by the service bods. Apparently you check the oil level with the engine running, it should come to the top of the yellow plastic bit on the dipstick, turn off engine - top up as neccessary, then turn on and check again... I think its 7.5 litres if you've the dry sump?

[Buda]

Wow - Ive just become an angel!

[caterhamnut]

oh my god, my whole dipstick is yellow plastic!!!

[Gary G]

When should I check the oil level on my Crossflow? Warm? Cold? Running?

 

I don't have any fancy stuff like Anti-cav or anything.

 

C7 GAR

[Lennie]

Check the oil on crossflows warm not running. K, VVC's with or without appolo but NOT drysump's warm and running.

[Buda]

Just as confirmation I checked in the Caterham handbook thingy that came with the car - a 16Valve K series (doesn't seem to matter what engine size) definatley should have 4.5 litres in it.

[Flying kiwi]

Buda, thanx

 

Mark.