Shaun_E

Count me in - got the bug now. How much further than Llandow is it?

Shaun

Yellow SL

Mark,

Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately no Apollo tank yet - planned when I get car serviced early next year - so will have to keep an eye on oil pressure.

Rob,

Thanks for the offer of the footpump/gauge - will look out for the car.

See you there,

Shaun

Yellow SL

Llandow is my first ever track day and I have just received the final instructions so I need some help.

I have FIA bar, fire extinguisher fitted in front of passenger seat ( at 0.8kg smaller than recommended but I didn't know that when I bought it), helmet (Snell SA2000), std K series so no catch tank required, 4 point harneses.

Instructions say that lights need to be taped up - what sort of tape is best and how should it be applied (I've seen pictures with a cross of tape on the lights)? Is it just the head lights or should indicators and rear clusters be taped too?

Anything else I should do?

Are there air lines available or do I need a pressure gauge and foot pump?

Car is an SL running 185/60 13 021R's - suggestions for tyre pressures gratefully received.

Shaun

Yellow SL

Peter,

Thanks - put my mind at rest.

Shaun

Yellow SL

Count,

I have same problem - 1.6k SS and Stack display (aftermarket fitment) - and the temperature reaches high 90's very easily and also can get over 100 when stationary.This was over the summer and now the weather is cooler I get lower temps at speed but same symptoms when in traffic. Fan cuts in at somewhere around the 88deg that I have seen posted as the correct cut-in temp.

I wondered whether this is just a fault with either the calibration of the stack or the sender it is using. I would be interested in the results of using water-wetter and also if anyone else has any ideas as to what is causing these symptoms. I am doing the Llandow trackday so would like to solve the issue before then.

Shaun

Yellow SL

Sorry - found one about a week after my post. There were actually 3 superlights on the market at that time and I believe the other 2 are still for sale so I guess it's a difficult time to sell this particular model. Good luck anyway although really I should be encouraging you to keep the car. Although I've only had it 6 weeks I'm hooked and the only reason I can see to sell a Caterham is to upgrade!

If you really do need to sell then try advertising on http://www.findit.co.uk/cars/caterham.htm

Shaun

Yellow SL

Mark - Who knows I might get the racing bug so may as well get an approved helmet but thanks for the advice. If I can't find a comfortable one at GPR then I'll try the bike shops.

Hoopy - might see you there then.

Shaun

Yellow SL

Mark,

I don't have a dry sump. I will be having an Apollo tank fitted as soon as I can but that won't be before the Llandow track day (hope I get onto that). I know every one will say that it's a big risk but I am a track novice so do not expect to be pushing too hard.

Thanks for the definitive answer.

Now just need to get a helmet - guess I'll be going to GP Raceware in Chiswick at the weekend!

Shaun

Yellow SL

I've done a search for this but do not have a definitive answer.

Do I need an oil catch tank to do track days with a standard 1.6 K series supersport?

Shaun

Yellow SL

What about Millwood in Cam, Glos. Just off the M5

here

Shaun

Yellow SL

I did think about raising the floor and I'll try it out with a bit of wood or metal - if it works then I'll find a more permanent solution.

Dino - mys seat movement seems to be limited by the width of the seat and the narrowing of the cockpit.

Thanks folks,

Shaun

Yellow SL

Edited by - Shaun_E on 26 Jul 2002 12:21:14

Peter,

You are right about the strange angles of the pedals. When I first moved them I had not adjusted the brake properly and, as you say, ended up with the pushrod touching the pedal - hence the brakes locking on. I have now corrected this and although the pushrod is not absolutely straight it is much, much better and I have not had the brakes lock or drag since. The net result though is that the pedals are much further forward than the 1 inch movement of the fulcrum would suggest - this is OK in that I have very short legs and even with the seat all the way forward I need the pedals in that position but, they are too high for conmfortable use.

I think I have two options:

1) extend the length of the pedals in a vertical plane with an additional piece of metal bolted or welded to the current pedal. This would mean that the pedals would be near enough to me and I could reach them without lifting my foot from the floor.

2) return the pedals to the middle position in the pedal box and add extensions to them in a horizontal plane - pedal blocks! This option would of course correct any brake pushrod problems.

With option 1 I may have to alter the length of the pushrod but hopefully it is OK now. If I have to do this can it be done in-situ or would I have to dismantle the master cylinder (not something I am that keen on!) Edit: Thinking about it you can "shorten" the pushrod by spacing the master cylinder back from the pedal box. Doh!

My big problem is that I have neither the skill nor the facilities to shape the additional metal nor weld to the existing pedals. I feel sure that there is somebody out there as short as me driving a seven and they must have a solution or have had somebody else do the work. If anyone knows of a supplier who has done this I would be very grateful for a contact name/number.

By the way before anyone gets the idea I am a midget I am actually 5'5" but just have short legs!!!

I will be at the Penn Sevens meet on Saturday if anybody there has any ideas.

Thanks,

Shaun

Yellow SL

Edited by - Shaun_E on 26 Jul 2002 13:46:52

Has anybody altered the length of their pedals? I was wondering about using an aftermarket alloy pedal cover set (you know the Max-Power type things) to increase the length of the pedals but suspect they will be too wide.

The reason for all this is that I have finally adjusted the pedal box so that the pedals are on the setting nearest the driver and the brake now works correctly (see previous post about brakes locking on) and now find that the pedals sit very high which means I have to lift my foot off the floor to operate them.

Does anybody know of a company that will alter the pedals to get a better position - do Caterham offer this service? (or should I get the crowbar out!!!)

Short-ar$E Shaun

Yellow SL

It does turn over but just doesn't fire. You then have to take the key out, wait a bit......then press the button and start again. I have also found that if you disarm, rearm and disarm you can start immediately.

I know this from bitter experience as I keep forgetting to disarm it before starting the car!!!

Yellow SL

Mark/Steve B,

thanks for that - I'll try re-adjusting the brake pedal first and if I can't get it right I'll try the extra nut idea - makes sense to me but if I go this route then a picture would help a lot.

Cheers,

Shaun

Yellow SL

After repeated hard braking the pedal "pumps up" and the front brakes stay on - causing massive drag. Once they cool down a little then the pedal becomes spongy for a while but braking returns to normal.

This only seems to have occurred since I moved the pedals back (to the position nearest the driver) and I was worried when I moved them that I had not adjusted the brake pedal correctly.

Is there some knack to adjusting the stirrup on the brake pedal or is something else wrong? I thought that mabe the brakes need bleeding (or even replace the brake fluid).

Help - I've only just got the car and don't want to book it into a service agent if there is something simple that I can do.

Shaun

Yellow SL

Additional info: Car is 1997 SL with 4 pot calipers up front (Caterham/AP I think)

Edited by - Shaun_E on 21 Jul 2002 20:21:35

Graham,

Thanks - makes me feel a lot better as I haven't worked on cars for years (not since my old Ford Cortina!). Getting under the bonnet of the Caterham was a little intimidating - especially when playing with something as important as brakes.

Shaun

Yellow SLcool.gif

Being a somewhat short person, the first thing I did on collecting my new car a couple of weeks ago was to move the pedals so that I could reach them. I found the method for doing this on this site and it was a relatively straight-forward process. The throttle and clutch were easy to fine tune and I have no problems with them. The brake however was a bit more tricky as there wasn't much in the way of fine adjustment and using the stirrup/nut arrangement to adjust the travel appeared to activate the brake a little - eventually I settled on a setting that seemed OK and the brake functions fine (I even managed to adjust the brake light actuator quite easily).

Enough of the background and down to the problem - when I was pulling the car out of the garage this morning I could hear the brake pads rubbing on the disks.

Is this normal?

If not, what can I do to stop it?

There doesn't appear to be any real drag on pushing the car forward or when driving but I am concerned that the brakes may be rubbing slightly when driving.

Shaun

Yellow SLcool.gif

Superlight with 1.6 or 1.8 Supersport engine. Must have full screen and weather equipment and preferably with FIA bar and anti-cavitation kit.

Would consider a normal K-series with a six-speed box and supersport engine – adjustable/uprated suspension would be a bonus.

Budget figure £15k but could go up a little for the right car.

Ideally in South East.