Stridey

I'll wait for the Robin Hood version.....

How much? Geez, I'd figured £15 tops. That's strong money for a toy.

I used Gliptone too. Firstly to refresh a little scuffing on some red leather seats. I got some tiny bottles of different shades that worked well. Then I sent a patch from beneath the seat and they sent a bigger bottle. I used this to knock back a very bright, new red dash I picked up from Caterhams eBay sales. This took it to exactly the patinated look I wanted to match the seats. First bottle arrived badly packaged, looked like a crime scene when I unpacked it, but they replaced quickly. have to say, the sjmmarsh E Type refurb looks excellent though! initial cleaning and refresh: Gliptone applied to match bright dash to patinated seats. Knocked it back a treat. Looks like it's faded naturally:

In my dreams... In reality... I did get brownie points recently by buying a lovely silk scarf as a present.

If you search ' Original A+ Series blanking plug - replaces the distributor when fitting an ECU' on EBay you'll find the listing, he now says he'll make a bracket to suit, I don't know any more than that as I had a friend make the bracket for me.

Duplicate post.

Thank you Roger, I was told that was the case by a chum that races xflows, so I was worried by the suggestion removal perhaps wasn't a good idea. The plug I got is a snug fit, with an o ring, can't pull it out without a very strong gripping tool, As it was made for the Mini I did see warnings about pulling out extra gear links that connect to the oil pump, but was assured this did not apply to xflows. The bracket is 'belt and braces'. I figure the oil and plug are under pressure so wanted to prevent the risk of blowing it out. I've added a picture of a similar set up. By the way, my engine is one of 'yours' (invoice 567) done for a previous owner in March 2000. Over £3000 pounds worth of kit and to say I am delighted by this car is an understatement. I really feel I have something rather special. My racing chums seem most impressed by its spec.

Harrebe, as far as I'm aware the mini oil pump does run off the cam, meaning if you remove the distro you see a slot that drives the oil pump by an extra shaft. The Xflow distro does not have this slot. As far as I'm aware the Xflow oil pump is not affected by the distro, .....oil pressure is the same as before. But if you know different please let me know as soon as possible!

On the throttle cable I recently replaced, I made sure it was the metal ferrule(?) end that located In the slot, rather than having that bit shoved down the tube with a 90degree bend in the wire over the slot, which led to my last one fraying and failing. It may mean removing the pedal to pull the slot edges back a bit, but should be doable in situ with needle pliers. Some people have drilled a hole opposite the slot when using cycle wires, so that you can fix a cable through the shaft, fastened by a screw ferrule, or in emergencies an electric choc block. I carry a spare cable and a couple of ferrules in my tool tube spares kit.

Since I've had my xflow I have had the remnants of an older ignition system still in my engine bay, namely a coil and distributor. I thought I'd add my small job to the archives in case anyone else needs to do the same in future. i couldn't work out why this had been left in, so after a year and a half of having the car I finally got round to its removal. Less weight etc... I bought a blanking plug from a seller on EBay for under a tenner, it has an 'o' ring on it and is designed for A series mini engines, but the seller describes one of the two sizes as fitting a xflow....which it does snugly. I originally re-used the distributor clamp (see pic) as a temporary fix to hold the plug in place, then asked a chum who owed me a favour if he could make a 'yoke' to fix it better and neater from stainless. All fitted nice and snug. I've concluded that the previous owner left it in as maybe they didn't want to bother with blanking plates? The EBay seller is now offering a service to machine holding brackets, haven't seem them, but maybe easier if you don't have a friendly machinist chum.. Anyway, all in 1kg lighter, and I know I'm mad but can perceive the engine is freer running when revving, but surely a distributor can't cause that much drag... ?

Have thought about going to Penn7s but a bit shy Dont be! Some of the Herts area gate crash as its a nice pub, good time to go, easy parking, nice drive out and the locals don't bite. Wide selection of 7s and the occasional Atom recently. Friendly lot, easy to introduce yourself.

My car has an oil cooler added by previous owner, but I found the water always ran hot, which I put down to the water rad being partially blocked by the oil rad. I fitted a bigger fan to compensate and this seemed to work well. Went from 9" to11". What I'm trying to say is that fitting an extra rad, blocking the water rad may increase your running temp and lead you down a path of new issues.

Being trailered, race spec R300 on the A21... I was cruising along gently and was surprised to be overtaken by a trailered 7. I must up my game!

Could that be from a water leak /overflow above the alternator? I know when my thermostat housing cracked(xflow) it splattered water all down the passenger side of block and alternator.

I had a couple of sudden electric failures which I tracked, like Nigel, to the wires coming out of the alternator shorting. I wired in a cover plug that clips in. I can't understand why thus wasn't standard (maybe it is) as its prone to water down there. my symptoms were. 'Pop' and an electrical smell, but no fuses blown. Hope it's that simple. y you can see it here under the clip it was designed for.

Yup, great little things. Started my Crossflow when I had starting issues. (Mine was a faulty alternator, I did wire in a voltmeter dial and put it on the passenger side knee panel. You can see it from drivers side and is nicely tucked away). My other intermittent starting issue traced back to a tired immobiliser, since replaced.

Just in case you hadn't worked it out, or knew before, you can remove the pedal cover easily from the engine bay. Saves diving down the footwell. sorry if that's too obvious, but if you didn't build the car you might not have realised.

I'd get under and have a good look if those two lower lugs can fit the block bracket, or not. I know I replaced mine without raising the car. The important factor I guess is if those lugs match the bracket mounting points? When I replaced my alternator the supplier swapped it for one from a Capri,but did take a couple of bits off the old one, but I don't remember it being the mounting points. ive seen a Brise mounting bracket here: http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorsport/alternators-starter-motors/brise-mounting-bracket-ford-x-flow-bda-twin-cam seems expensive and the important factor is that those lugs fit your alternator?

Just checked mine, it's mounted with two bolts in the bottom, which act as a hinge, top is secured by one bolt on the adjuster bracket. this picture is taken from the garage floor upwards, you can see the cabin side bolt by the wire, then the front bolt near the bottom of the picture. You can see the black bracket which bolts into the block, fastened by two bolts. Never had to remove that. This is taken orienting downwards, showing the single adjuster bolt and bracket. This is taken side on, the clip is over a cover I bought which goes on the end of the cables, the car didn't have one originally, but after I had some shorts and intermittent alternator function after some heavy rain I fitted it as it seems very prone to the elements down there. Under a fiver and haven't had any problems since, touch wood.

Interesting... Wondering why my 96 didn't have one. It was bought as a kit, but assembled at a dealer. DJ, sort of what I was thinking, simple plumbing. The fan on my old style heater seems to have to power of a gnat coughing though... Should I be feeling a breeze down there, or more of a 'waft'? Aeroscreens, as I use it I. Town and also on the traffic jam that is the M25 the heater may give me an extra margin for cooling a V hot engine. But pleased to report yesterday it was running around 80, up to 90 in slow moving traffic, then just under 100 when it was really hot in the afternoon and in standing traffic. As, in my dreams, I see myself in the French Riviera on a blistering hot day I think I'm making progress.

In my attempts to cool the cockpit in my 7 I learned that more modern 7s have a by pass valve and a cable control to the cabin. I'm not sure whether this is only on newer heater versions, ones with the centre louvres on the bonnet. After experimenting with blanking plates (sheets of cardboard) and perceiving a drop in cabin heat I decided to take the plunge and fit a bypass valve from a TX2 taxi in myself. I used a short cable from an old school mini to put the pull knob just by the steering column. i perceive a drop in running temp now it's fitted and been for a drive, I'm wondering why this might be, maybe it's just because it's cooler anyway today? Any way the temp guage is a few degrees lower. im wondering what the intended advantages of the by pass are, why did Caterham feel the need to add one? Bit dumb I know, as I've now got one anyway....! After:

I just questioned my mate, who helps with a historic saloon car Anglia with a Crossflow and has jus restored an Anglia and dropped a Crossflow in. (His next project will hopefully be a Xflow Caterham. Anyway, he concurs that exhaust gaskets are a small pain as they blow all the time racing.. He's made some out of copper, and fitted Ali backed ones for the road Anglia. He suggests Misabs for the carbs. Burton Power as a supplier. (I use them, they are good) On my car I've used bog standard gaskets and a bit of gasket putty. Lasting well, over a year in.

The importance of a good manual should not be underestimated, I worked for a company in the TV graphics field that won awards for the clarity of their manuals. If your dropping big bucks on stuff the manual is a great selling tool. Caterham need to be congratulated. It looks fab. Mind you, I like the IKEA style ones too.

I don't have a bypass valve and I did read if you use the fan with the bypass valve your blowing hottish air from the transmission tunnel area into the cabin?

Aeroscreens... I'd tend to agree, il, leave it in this winter and decide... as I had a hot running xflow, used in London I had on occasion used the heater to be an emergency cooler as the temp crept up, but now I think I've fixed the hot running with the bigger 11" fan ( the 9" was struggling and there is an oil cooler in front of the rad too)... New thermostat and a really good fill of coolant with no air locks. I'm thinking the more efficient cooling and freer flowing hot water was getting to the heater rads better, thus being hotter all the time, then creeping into the cabin even when the heater switch was off. If my engine temps remain at a sensible level I'll think about removing it, but I have used it on early starts in the winter...we'll see. Thanks for tips and advice!