ChrisC

The stock tune in my 360R is not a refined as my Sigma 150, it's just the way it drives at road and low speeds.  The Sigma was smoother over the entire rev range with loverly TB noise, where as the Duratec has resonance around 2500 rpm, and hesitation at low rpm / slow pull away.   I have to think about not stalling the Duratec, especially when on a slight incline.   Driving in stop start traffic is a constant fine line between, stall, bog, kangaroo and wheelspin, just something I didn't have to think about with my Sigma.  

I have improved it with the swap to the latest plastic plenum (mine had the more flexible 2015 one), and changes to some of the rubber bungs, but its not perfect. 

I can see why with easymap, but obviously I can't change it.  

I am the biggest 150 defender, if they are not set "just so", then they are difficult to drive.  Set "just so" they are magical.   When I first got my 150 kit done it was a pig to drive because even specialist didn't know the best setting.    When I sold my car, on a test drive a potential buyer commented how smooth it was compared to the cars he had driven at Caterham.  

Swapping back to the 140 would mean a swap back to manifold pressure based maps (from throttle pot) which means the map is better more generic and will work with "any" engine in that state of tune.   Caterham couldn't get manifold pressure to work on the 150, so they swapped it to throttle pot on the last map, however this means the 150 will only work with one specific setting of TPS voltage, get that spot on and the car drive as the Track n Road/Caterham intended, get it wrong and you will find hesitation around part throttle making low speed driving experience painful.  

One of my biggest regrets about my recent change to a 360R is the tune and the way it drives compared to my 150.  Obviously the map is manifold pressure driven and I have made improvements changing / upgrading various bungs on the plastic manifold which where originally very flexible, but I would love to have the map changed back to TPS driven.  I understand Track n Road can do this for my Caterham. 

I had my 125 upgraded to 150.   A Caterham specialist will be able to upgrade the ECU for you, no need for a new unit.

The 150 has the loverly throttle bodies, cams, valve springs, tensioner, coolant hose, wiring adapter  and injectors, plus the remap.   The 140 kit replaced the 150 kit in 2011, but is actually a better drive, but lost the throttle bodies and gained the lightened flywheel (well worth it).   Power wise they are the same, but the 140 apparently have better torque.   

Caterham still does the 140 kit  https://caterhamparts.co.uk/other/4817-engine-upgrade-pack-sigma-125-to-140bhp-supersport.html?search_query=140+&results=37

If you have a 270 Sigma, you can get the 310 kit. 

Never driven a Premier Power Sigma upgrade, but a lot of good words have been said/written about them. 

I suspect the flat line voltages are between each stop are not true readings, but "no signal estimates" from easymap.    The voltage before the first start is how I would expect to see a signal, showing the noise from fuel pump etc.      But as said, it looks a bit low. 

It looks to me like alternator raised your voltage during your first start/idle and again during the second run.    I think it more likely the CTEK is masking batter issues, given your average idle voltage rises during the test.   I would expect an alternator problem to see a reducing idle voltage over time. 

Get some data on the cough, that's the interesting bit. 

If you do get one, keep and eye on the reset count and the bad tooth count.   If they go up while the engine is running you have a problem.   If the reset count goes up your ECU has a power supply problem and the bad tooth counter is the crank sensor. 

Its possible to diagnose problems beyond the ECU using the datalogger.   JimD spotted a small voltage rise before his duratec interminably died, just after the voltage rise the lambda showed a lean reading, but  the fuel compensation rising.   Basically the fuel pump had stopped running causing the small voltage increase, which turned out to be an intermittent inertia switch.   

The only tool that can easily read / decode your ECU fully comes from MBE, just don't waste to much more money finding that out ;-)

850 rpm if true maybe is too low, and I agree the tacho is more of a reference tool, just like the rest of the instruments.  850 might explain the dimm charge light, but I would have expected you also to have stalling when cold and other related issues.  

I want to point out all my Sigma experience is based on the 125, 150/140 cars not the newer model, so who knows 850 may be correct, but seems low for a cars with a cam upgrade.

You need to check the type of ECU fitted.  If it's an MBE it won't do OBD, only CAN from the OBD2 port.  I have a  2017 duratec with MBE, and only a MBE lead from SBD dev can read / log all the live parameters using Easymap software.  It's locked so you can't change anything.   Have a look at the MBE ECUs on the Caterham parts website, does it look like them?

it is possible there is a new ECU given the variable valve timing stuff, I haven't seen anything posted on here to suggest either way, and if a new ECU is being used if it can OBD (or not).  I know the 160 does.

5 hours for a Sigma, so sounds about right to me given the extra stuff to be removed and refitted.   Personally I wouldn't want to be rushing doing that job.

Yer when I did mine I removed the plenum and the belt tensioner to gain access to the plenum bolts, simple job after that. 

Both cooling fan connection are powered by the same single wire supply, there is only one cooling fan relay. 

There are countless options, but adding a proper cooling fan stat into the loom and welding a boss into the rad, let alone modifying the loom seems a bit extreme when you consider the part I fitted was supplied by CC and is only held on with three bolts.   I was only considering reversible invisible solutions.  

Newer Duratec are made and supplied from a Ford factory in Mexico. 

My reading came from the ECU, using Easymap6, but are confirmed by my IR thermometer.  The gauge uses a separate sensor, mine tends to under read a bit, but nothing to worry about.

The problem is caused by the ECU fan switch on temperature being lower that the stat fully open temperature.   It would be ok to up the fan switch on temperature, because the Duratec is designed to run at the higher temperature, but we can't because the ECU is locked, so the only option is to lower the stat temperature, which we can by fitting a part from Ford, Caterham Cars or Cosworths parts catalogs.

If your car is running at 80C I guess you have the 82c stat fitted.  

There is no "try" about it, if your bottom hose is cool to the touch and the fan is running, the 82C stat fixes that and makes the cooling system more logical.  It's madness to run a cooling fan on a rad that's not flowing water, it just costing you fuel and wearing out parts.

I did it, and now my cooling system/fan works like every other car I have owned or built.  

Side by side, 82 on the right.   

Good news and bad news on that 

Bad news first there is no temperature rating stamped on the stat, or part number. 

Good news it's easy to tell based on the size and shape of the plastic housing.    If the plastic housing hose connection are short then its an 82, long then its not.   This also helps us S3 owners with space in that area.   

Now if I could just work out how to post a picture I can show them side by side. 

Hi Marcus

That is the part I fitted, FYI it's Ford 1475495.  82C is the point where it starts to open, but it wont be fully open until say 95 ish.    The fan cut in temp can only be altered by CC, or someone with the ability to alter the locked ECU.  

It seems common that stats quote the temperature they start to open and take about 12C to fully open.  

I believe these higher temperatures are not a problem for the duratec engine, because they are used to reduce emissions, so that wasn't my concern when swapping my stat.   My concern was the pointless running of the cooling fan when the water wasn't even circulating through the rad.   Now my bottom hose gets hot before the fan kicks in, and the coolant temp remained rock solid all weekend.

Hope this helps

Chris.  

2015 is not going to be the old Triumph caliper but a radial AP caliper, so Rimmer Brothers are not the best starting point.    I know the 4 pot caliper is actually a CP7600 AP Racing caliper rebranded, but I am not sure what caliper is being used for the 2 pot standard brakes.  

Was the oil blue?  If it's blue then it's the Motul stuff..

I know this has been done before, but can't harm posting this as a reminder.   My kit supplied Tee piece seems to be a white nylon material which is translucent because you can see the coolant colour through it.   In 1000 running in miles it has changed shape and bent, and in my opinion was about to fail, leaving me by the side of the road in a pile steaming.   It has also been dyed a nice pink from the coolant. 

Mine had no makes mark, but the image on the parts web site show a blue T, with a makers name.  The blue T is rated to 115C which I guess is ok, but Gates make a 19mm plastic T Connector rated at 250C, part number 7315-00935.   This it what I am trying now. 

I accuse my 6sp BMW LSD combination of being noisy in my 360R.

Initially I though it was the gearbox, but the more I think about it I think it could be the change in spec made to the LSD diff oil.

Caterham are now using the Motul 75w140 Competition Gear oil recommended by Titan (the LSD manufacture) instead of 80w90 GL5 (with an LSD additive) which I assume is the recommended BMW oil.    I suspect this change is generating the noise.

It would be nice hear from an non 'R' owner that has an open diff, what their experience is. 

Have you got white rear lenses, or the standard red? 

Test drive today confirmed all sorted. 

Ok, I think I have solved mine.

I didn't take a video before, but this 360r test drive has exactly the same noise when accelerating and decelerating around 2500 rpm.  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EfXrShflymM

Mine was caused by the steering column, but it wasn't touching anything. It was a bit off centre as it went through the footwell grommet, which was difficult to see, because of the heat reflective covering.  I rotated the rack a bit which made the positioning a touch better, but not perfect, at the expense of having the UJ not at straight as before.  This resolved it (well at least while stationary). Test drive tomorrow.

Chris.

That was Marcus's 420R.  I sort of ruled that out because he described the chassis having a constant vibration, mine is resonance only at a specific rpm.

Thanks for all the suggestions, all are food for thought, and I will be checking all of them.  If I get no luck its time for a video.  

JV - The all mounts are under 800 miles old, with no signs of wear, that said it does not exclude manufacturing faults. 

They are fitted, and the noise does seem to come from the RH side.   OBD plug / knee trim contact on the list to check.