Englishmaninwales

For info. This may already be in the archives. The bearing in the auxillary drive tensioner for the dry sump scavenge pump does wear and I'm aware of at least one failure with an expensive engine rebuild bill. I have replaced the bearing or whole tensioner unit every 3 years or so. The complete tensioner is available from CES UK factors in the North West and North Wales - see www.cesuk.com for contact detail. However they are expensive at £70. They have a plastic tensioner wheel, but I have found this fine in service. CES part number 534016810. If you have the original CC/Titan supplied aluminium tensioner wheel it is possible to replace the bearing (I have not been able to remove the bearing in the plastic wheel without destroying it). This bearing is 6203 LHA made by NTN dimensions 17*40*12 mm and is available from Simply Bearings 01942269837 or www.simplybearings.co.uk at £27.50. Note the LHA spec which is rubber sealed with high temperature grease rather than lower spec 6203 open or metal shielded bearings. Hope this is helpful. Malcolm Edited to add - the automatic spring loaded tensioner with the later gold scavenge pump.

This type of running procedure is good as it gives high cylinder pressures and so beds the rings in well and quickly. Avoid long periods of engine running at idle or allowing the engine to labour.

Oh well, looks like were going to Gurston instead.... (Mind you last time I went to Gurston, I recall the Diet Coke had run out in the bar and Mr Sankey speaking to me in his newly aquired Welsh language )

A pair of plastic 'Spa' style mirrors, both fair condition with some gravel rash, suit track car rather than a 'polishers'. No cracks or chips. Flat mirrors. Complete with countersunk fixing screws. All hex adjusting screws unseized and undamaged. £5 plus P&P. Malcolm

If an early engine, pre coil packs, the spigot drive for the distributor on the inlet cam will have some value.

As Adrian says it is tight. I ground away loads of metal off the pump carrier and raised the engine slightly. /sites/default/files/images/users/5928/IMG_1836.JPG

All is not lost! Why not ditch the bell tank for a standard bell housing and fit a remote tank elsewhere, eg sacrifice the end of the passenger foot well? Advantages are: weight reduction, you can fit a remote tank with a decent capacity (bell tank is small) with good de-aeration (bell tank tower is narrow) and much easier to clean, use the standard clutch arm which is stronger, and then sell on the bell tank for decent money (std bellhousing is much cheaper and come available more frequently.) The only downside is the longer routing for the oil pipes.

I had a CatStart keyless start from Chris Wyles. It was a solid state module, using the red start button only, to turn ignition on (press, hold then release) then start the engine (single press). Worked independently of the immobiliser. I sold it on through this forum after a couple of years when refurbishing the car. I don't think it was commercially available, but he sold several to L7C members.

Hi Nick You have a message. Thanks Malcolm

Oli, I might be interested, date dependant. On decent rubber, of course, none of the new regs rubber that we have to downgrade to next year (I bet the French road going classes will completely ignore the changes in EU tyre regs ) Malcolm

The purple scavenge pick up housing looks like it is the same as the gold item, but is missing the cylindrical gauze filter. There should be an O ring on the inside of the flange to seal with the sump and an O ring in the grove on the outer face to seal with the external pick up pipe. Loctite 574 is fine. I discarded my (home made) belt micro switch as I got a false positve in an important speed event.... Don't bother with the cluch arm boot cover. Check the condition of the belt tensioner bearing. I replace the whole tensioner (and belt) every 1-2 years as a routine service item. The replacements have a plastic tensioner pulley which seems to be fine in service. You could do a bearing search if you want to retain the original CC/Titan metal pulley. Note is is a sealed bearing with high temperature grease. Titan do a scavenge pump refurbishment service at a reasonable price if you don't know the age / history of the pump. Recommended! In my view this system is marginal for the needs of the engine and ensure all components are in good condition and pay attention to the (small) oil capacity of the bell tank on track days / racing. Not sure about the other questions Malcolm

Micheal My sticker is on the petty strut, (thus applies to the whole structure when fitted) although I think I have a later one than yours.

Opps! Senior moment Thank you Richard, for RED read ORANGE

Thanks for all the info! Very useful.

Chris, Gary told me the soft setting is close to red and stiff is close to blue. But, as always, there may be other opinions! Malcolm

Thanks for that link, Jonathan. Looks like the belt tensioner needs to come off and to expect a battle with the fuel connector.

Done this plenty of times for K series, but not for a Sigma engine. Any special advice or specific difficulties to be aware about before I tackle this job, S3 metric chassis. (job is to investigate an oil leak, expecting to replace a leaking crank seal and also to fit a LW flywheel). Thanks Malcolm

You have a message.

Chris I fitted BGH E7 ratios of 2.66 1.75 1.26 1.00 and 0.84 about 8 years ago along with their 'heavy duty' mods to the bearings and lubrication, plus also an alloy lid with a filler/dipstick and an oil drain plug. Been very happy with it. Malcolm

Well done to Rob and all class winners from me too. Also a big thank you to Paul and Chris for organising the Championship. Malcolm

Without detracting from the work of the volunteers and the efforts of the usually highly efficient LMC this simply did not work. Sure, I enjoyed the longer sprint on both days (and beating Oli on Saturday), but I will not return with this format with 130 entries. We stayed on for an extra day on the island and went for a very enjoyable hike through Newborough forest in the pouring rain - I can't even start to think what it would have been like yesterday with today's weather

Ok I used Mike Huddard Racing Engines, based in Audlem, Cheshire . First rate job, best idle I've ever had out of a Lotus Twin Cam and a horrible drive line vibration, which I had previously tried and failed to diagnose, all gone. Don't know about top end revs yet, but feels vastly improved. The engine was markedly out of balance in the crank and flywheel. He's very much old school, done in his back shed, so don't be put off by the surroundings. 01270 811427. Malcolm

Two potential causes of a persistently leaking coolant rail at the cylinder head end: Firstly the mating flange is not flat and secondly the fixing bolts may be too long. I had both at the same time!

Mark, Judith tells me she is bringing along on Saturday evening some Fired Earth kitchen worktop samples for you to look at. She didn't think much of the second hand B&Q ones I thought were Ok...