Mick Day

See here. Customer Support/Engine Data Pages/R400

Last rebuild was in early 2006 & I've been using MTL with no problems. I can only assume it has the correct GL4 additives.

http://213-04.com/t.asp?Id=157181

Interesting - as MTL used to be the flavour of the month & recommended by R & R. My box was using Castrol when I had my big problem, but is now using MTL. MTL does result in a nice fluid shift though. So why is MTL verboten now?

We're all getting this Server 500 error. Just stay calm, & reload Blatchat. Or are you trying to be antisocial?

I have an inlet & exhaust valve (bent of course) alongside other broken trophy items on my desk.

mv Empty 0.96 Full 3.83 Span 2.87 However that was on my car using a VDO level sensor in the tank. From what I understand the Caterham branded sensor operates in reverse. In other words full is low resistance & empty is high resistance (or is it the other way round, can't remember ). But I think you get my drift. Also I've noticed that the readings will vary somewhat between engine running & engine off; different output voltages affect the gauge readings. But hey it's only a gauge as to what's in the tank! So if you don't want to drain the tank do this: Remove the boot floor to get access to the sensor on top of the tank & remove it. Put some extension wires onto the contacts. With the sensor in the lowest position do the necessary recording & do the same again in the highest position. One only needs to record the full & low point as the gauge extrapolates in between. As regards viewing angles it's acceptable. I'm 5' 8" so if you're a little taller you'll be fine.

If the bottom hose isn't getting hot it means that either your rad is super efficient or water is not flowing adequately through the rad. The rad may have an internal blockage or the thermostat may not be opening properly or you may have an air pocket near the thermostat housing. Here's what I do when I fill the cooling system: 1.Make sure the drain plug is in place (been there splashed my feet! ) & remove the bleed screw in the rad. 2. Jack up the front of the car, open the heater valve (no heater makes bleeding easier) & poor coolant in gently until it starts to flow out the bleeder. Put the plug in the bleeder. For a fresh install it's about 4.5 litres coolant, less if the water in the block hasn't been drained. 3. With the cap off the expansion bottle grasp the bottom hose & squeeze until your fingers get tired. You will hear the occasional gurgle of air & the contents of the expansion tank will drop. Pour a little coolant in to bring the level up. Now do the squeezing trick with the big "J" hose that enters the thermostat housing. 4. With the cap off start the car & bring temperature up to about 40 deg C. Keep squeezing the bottom hoses with the engine running but (H & S noddy notice coming) don't burn yourself or get your hands tangled in the alternator belt. 5. Take the temperature up to about 60degC & put the cap on the expansion bottle. 6. Now take the temperature up until the fan kicks in. At this point the top & bottom of the rad should be hot & the bottom hose & metal joining tube should be too hot to keep your hand on for any time. Carefully crack the rad bleed screw to let out any air. 7. The temperature should rise, the fan kicks in & the temperature should fall back again quite quickly. 8. Once you've done all this & if the bottom hose is still cool you need to investigate further. 9. Try draining all the coolant out, removing top & bottom hoses & forcing water through the rad with a hose. Do it from both bottom & top ends. It should flow fairly freely. At this stage flush out the rest of the system with the hose poked in the top hose. You then have an opportunity to refill with fresh coolant. 10. Change the thermostat as it may have failed partially closed & if so will only partially open. This usually results in overheating. It could also have failed fully open resulting in the system taking an age to come up to temperature. 11. You may have an exceptionally efficient rad that rapidly knocks the temperature back. It could be that a previous owner fitted a race rad? 12. If after doing all this & the bottom hose is still coolish but the engine temperature remains stable at your indicated 80degC then you could just live with it.

Or alternatively tell us what year & engine.

Or alternatively tell us what year & engine.

Have a look here

This may help you locate a specialist: here

.....................or on a componant build car before 1998 & the advent of SVA. See this for son of SVA here

If I was in the market for a new 7 I wouldn't buy one. Why? Because it would be more economic to buy this one & use it as a base for a more powerful car with all the toys. I reckon it would cost less than £15,000 to strip, refurb the chassis with new powdercoat, panels, fibreglass/carbon etc. The engine isn't upgradable but with a later VVC engine it would make a fine base for a 200BHP plus car. The only downside is that it is factory built, which lumbers it with a working catalyst for MOT time, however pre SVA reg amateur built cars must have a premium. This of course assumes the buyer wants a big project.

Absolutely. One of the best bits with this upgrade is that they use the standard cheap-as-chips disc. I'd also echo what Mark says about upgrading the pads in the standard calipers 1st if you only use the car on the road.

If you're getting it painted by Tony at TSK he'll cut any holes & fit poppers for you at a reasonable price.

Redline may be closer? www.redlinecomponents.co.uk/ ........or James Whiting? www.jameswhiting.com

I've just done mine. As far as I know the disc to hub bolts are special CC items. I bought new bolts but didn't really need them. Just be careful in getting the old bolts out, & use loctite when putting them back in. I used new axel nylocks as the old ones had been on & off a few times.

Brown = Power, yellow = Ignition, Green = Starter Edited by - Mick Day on 6 Aug 2008 09:08:59

Oil/Water temps OK. It does get a bit hot in the footwells. Do you have a tunnel carpet? If not consider fitting one along with a padded tunnel top as it makes things so much more tolerable on long journeys.

Try www.brise.co.uk/

I can't see why we get so uptight about getting all the old oil out. We change the oil so frequently (well most of us do) that any left behind will be well diluted by fresh. Apollo system takes circa 7.5 litres in total so if 0.75 litres left??????? so what! Oh & by the way there is some left in the head & the block. Total strip to remove? When I had an Apollo I found that most would drain out when the oil filter was removed. I never bothered with the drain plug as it had been overtightened (loctite?)from new. On a similar thread a Porsche 993 takes about 11.5 litres to fill from empty but about 9.5 litres at each oil change. 2 litres is left in the block, heads & oil cooler system which can't be drained unless it's stripped. Go figure.

The Mocal range from www.thinkauto.com are popular & fit in with the existing black VDO instruments.

When I rang Jenvey they said to use Loctite 243. However everyone else I've spoken to mention peening the metal over the screws. I'll be checking all of them before the engine is reassembled & probably every day after that!

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