Shaun_E

Anthony,

Roy Booth's website here has a good description of fitting with some pictures.

I'll be trying to follow them shortly .

Shaun

Yellow SL #32

Robert,

Apparently if you scrub your suede wheel with some soapy water, rinse and dry it should look a lot better. I know a couple of people with suede rims who do this. The leather wheel can be a bit slippery if you're not wearing race gloves.

Shaun

Yellow SL #32

Joachim,

See this thread here.

Shaun

Yellow SL #32

My Laminova arrived from Think yesterday. Matthew has a list of the parts needed already and offered an excellent discount for L7OC members which I think unlikely to be bettered in a bulk buy (but nothing to stop you trying ). Bear in mind that the hoses and connections required may be slightly different if you have not got an Apollo tank.

My Radtec radiator arrived last week but you might still be able to get on the bulk buy - give them a call. The radiator is very nicely made and should provide much more cooling ability than the standard Caterham effort (and probably even the triple pass race radiator).

If you have a wet sump K and are regulalry getting high oil and/or water temperatures (especially on track) then this set-up should treat the symptoms quite nicely. Bear in mind that the root cause of the problem is windage which can only be eliminated with a dry sump (sadly too expensive for me at the moment).

Shaun

Yellow SL #32

Standard 21W clear (unless you have clear lenses, in which case orange) indicator light from Halfrauds. Brake light is a 21W/5W combined brake/running light also from Halfrauds. Headlight as mentioned above is standard H4.

I got this lot together for Le Mans and it came to less than a tenner.

Shaun

Yellow SL #32

Received mine this morning - thanks Anthony for setting up this deal. Now just waiting for the Laminova to arrive and then I can start fitting it all.

Shaun

Yellow SL #32

Hoopy - YHM.

This looks interesting and maybe do-able over the winter.

Cheers,

Shaun

Yellow SL #32

Is it an engine out job to fit this or can it be done by an inexperienced owner with the engine in-situ?

I'd really like to fit a dry sump but the cost of the Caterham kit is prohibitive and I think it is probably an engine out job due to the tank being in the bellhousing (happy to be corrected on this).

Shaun

Yellow SL #32

Zak - There's no play in it so I hope it ain't knackered.

AVES - avoid bends? Not quite what I had in mind

Steve - I only notice it when parking 😬

Chris Cheer's - I'll try the WD40 approach.

Shaun

Yellow SL #32

Edited by - Shaun_E on 18 Jul 2003 11:33:59

My steering column has started to squeak quite loudly when I turn the wheel - any ideas what this is and how to cure it?

Shaun

Yellow SL #32

Raceco do a very nice titanium one which a fair number of people have fitted. Their customer service is very much praised and the proprietor (Ammo) owns a seven and posts on blatchat regularly.

A few people have the Techcraft (can't find a web site) silencer and others have used Powerspeed.

All of these are repackable and have their fans. Personally when my silencer needs replacing I will be going for the Raceco one.

Shaun

Yellow SL #32

Mick - cheers, I'll try halfords and order the fan switch from Caterham.

Myles -Cost for the Laminova plus fittings from Think Automotive (with L7OC discount) is about £160 (including VAT). If you look at the prices on their web site (see Hoopy's link above) you'll find that's a pretty generous saving. Matthew was very helpful and had a list of the parts that are required. By the way I do have a heater. I intend to fit the Laminova in the radiator top hose (see the link to Will Fly's web site above for fitting instructions).

Shaun

Yellow SL #32

Matthew at Think Automotive was great and knew exactly what I wanted, he even askied if I had an Apollo tank. So Radiator ordered, Laminova ordered. Will get the hoses from Caterham just for convenience. Any suggestions on source of fan switch and 82 degree thermostat - are they Rover parts or Caterham only?

Shaun

Yellow SL #32

Having seen Zak's car on Sunday, I can confirm that it does indeed sit very very low - it's obvious just looking under the car that it is not right. The car was partially rebuilt after, as Zak put its "a minor tree catching manouvre" so that may be part of the problem. It may be that the collars are just on the wrong setting. Could the springs be too short - they have been coloured to match the body work so perhaps the wrong ones were fitted - is there an easy way to tell?

Shaun

Yellow SL #32

Cheers Hoopy.

Anyone know what size Laminova I need. I'll be speaking to Think Automotive later this afternoon but if possible I would like to know what I need before calling them.

Another question - howmuch coolant will I need to refill the system?

Shaun

Yellow SL #32

Edited by - Shaun_E on 15 Jul 2003 14:11:13

Confirmed with Radtec this morning and cheque will be in the post today.

Thanks Anthony for keeping this going.

Shaun

Yellow SL #32

I now have Radtec radiator on order and will order the Laminova kit from Think shortly. What else do I need?

I am thinking of:

1. Silicon hoses - is there anywhere cheaper than Caterham for the main hoses? - especially since the top hose is going to be butchered to fit the Laminova.

2. 82 degree thermostat - where do I get that from (Rover dealer? Part number?)

3. New fan switch as existing one is sure to break if I don't have a spare (Rover? Part number?)

4. Fan override switch - what do I need? Is it just a switch and some wire or should there be a relay? Any recommendations for type of switch, wiring, routing of wires, etc. gladly received.

I am thinking of doing all this myself (novice seven mechanic status) and am aware of the potential issues with bleeding the system (hence I only want to do it once) but are there any other things I should look out for? Are there any tips/tricks for installing any of these bits?

Shaun

Yellow SL #32

Also pack your biggest, widest grin - you'll be needing that 😬.

Fatcat - this is a L7OC day on 23rd September. There was an application form in last months and this months Low Flying but I'm not sure if there are any spaces left.

Yellow SL #32

Charlie,

Being in a similar position I have been researching this and watching relevant Blatchat postings with interest. I have picked up the following points:

1. I believe the main point against using an oil "radiator" is the positioning - usually in front of the main radiator and therefore compromising the water cooling.

2. Laminova's are oil/water heat exchangers and are much more efficient than an air/oil cooler.

3. You still need to deal with the total amount of heat generated and for that you would need a bigger (more efficient) radiator e.g. Caterham triple by pass or a Radtec.

4. Ultimately the real solution is a dry sump - cooling the oil only treats the symptoms of the problem which is that the high oil temperatures are mainly caused by the crank thrashing around in the sump oil.

5. The quicker warm up of the oil means you can thrash the car earlier in your blat 😬

Hope this helps. If you go ahead and want to fit a bigger radiator then join the thread in "for sale" and put your name down for a Radtec radiator - much cheaper than the Caterham triple by pass. We only need a couple more buyers and we have a bulk buy discount .

If you get a Laminova then I would be interested in a list of the parts you buy as I want to get one as well. Supplier is Think Automotive http://www.thinkauto.com.

Shaun

Yellow SL #32

You don't need a catch tank for a standard K-series car as the oil system is vented to the cam cover (excuse the poor technical description - it's hot and my brain isn't working).

Other things to take are tyre pressure gauge, tape for the lights (insulating tape or gaffer tape) and some basic tools. A torque wrench is useful for checking your wheel nuts (55lb/ft) but don't forget the socket and extension like I did the first time 😳. The link Mark gave is a good one.

See you there.

Shaun

Yellow SL #32

Nick,

Peter Griffiths used a mobile fitter from somewhere around Buckingham who he rated (cheap and was careful) and subsequently JaseB used him too. Peter's Bordeaux Blatting but Jason should know the name and number of the fitter.

If you go to a normal tyre place with the wheels on the car then watch them like a hawk - make sure they don't over torque your wheel nuts (55 lb/ft) and watch where they jack the car up.

Shaun

Yellow SL #32

Bookatrack run a couple of Caterhams here.

Caterham themselves do their "Circuit experience" - here

Alternatively Bedford Autodrome has Caterhams as part of their package day where you drive several different cars - not sure if you can hire them on a normal track day.

Hope this helps.

Shaun

Yellow SL #32

4 people still needed - anyone want one of these so that we can proceed. Word is that they are better than the Caterham Ali Road radiator and possibly more efficient even than the race radiator. All at a cost of less than the caterham ali road radiator.

Put your hands up please.

Shaun

Yellow SL #32

Also second (or is that third) the opinion that pre 98 cars don't need a CAT - to prove it I have an MOT for my 1997 Superlight fitted with 4 into 1 and no CAT. As you say Angus, it depends on the MOT testers understanding and knowledge of the regulations. I think the best thing to do is find the relevant section in the MOT testers manual and show it to the test station. I also have no side repeaters on my car so these are also not necessary (cycle wings fitted).

I had my car MOT'd by Caterham (they use a local garage) and they seem to have no problems with CATS or side repeaters.

I am 99% certain that if you have a post 98 (can't remember the exact month but August rings a bell) you will need a CAT even if the car was kit built.

Shaun

Yellow SL #32

Some more questions:

1. What size Laminova have people selected (and why)? I'm guessing from the pictures that it is the 180mm one.

2. Have Caterham given any reasons why they don't recommend a Laminova and are there any disadvantages? I just want to understand as much as possible about these devices.

3. Given that I have an Apollo tank, which has made the oil pressure drop slightly, will the Laminova cause more of a pressure drop and what are acceptable limits to this? At the moment I get hot running oil pressure as low as 53 PSI - before the Apollo was fitted it was 58-60.

Thanks for all your comments so far and hope I haven't hijacked this thread too badly 😬

Shaun

Yellow SL #32