I found it hard to be good, as the engine really wants to take off at 4000rpm... but I stuck with it. At the first service, the oil came out as clean as it went in, so I was pretty happy!

N

Thanks for the replies.

Still waiting to hear when we get the car back. Will keep you informed of progress.  Luckily, our other vehicle, a 1936 Austin 10 Tilly, is going faultlessly so if you have a meet, we may arrive in that.

If you want somewhere to meet, we run a licensed cafe/beer garden beside the Oxford Canal in CV21 4PP. Ample car park etc.

Hampster

Looks like you've got a nice place there next to the canal, when you reopen in March think I might run on over and order me one of your english breakfasts!!

Ben

You are obviously a man of good taste and will be made most welcome.

We're thinking of devising a menu for Caterhams as they wait in the car park - what do they eat?

THEY EAT MONEY!!

and miles?

But they only sip petrol

Hey - The Caterham chaps are confident they have cured the sensor / management system problem and are planning to deliver our car back to us on Tuesday    

yippeee!!

Great news!! so did they discover what the problem was??

Ben

Apparently the mass air flow sensor was faulty and they did not have a replacement part in stock so robbed it from an incoming engine and they say it checks out OK. As soon as we get it back (tomorrow) and the hurricanes cease, we will put on a fast 200 miles to check all is well.

Watch this space.

To our delight, Caterham delivered the car back.
Yesterday we drove 100 miles and it cut out twice.
Stopped for lunch and returned the 100 miles and it was fine.
This morning I took it out in the sunshine and it cut out many times in quick succession with a whole array of warning lights flicking on and off. Pulled over and switched off. Started the engine again and drove home with no problem.
My theory is that it is not the sensors but a faulty ignition barrel.
What do you think?

clearly I'm no expert but Caterham need to  replace the whole ignition system & sensors, you can't have any doubt that it won't cut out on you again..how long did they have the car, and ask them exactly what they have done to it. They can't have diagnosed it or it isn't diagnoseable (?). My limited experience of such things is that without a clear indication of which component is at fault I would go through the system changing each component in turn until the fault was remedied. Starting with the cheapest item first. Long winded and expensive but thorough...I would have expected Caterham to have done this....frustrating for you but keep the faith...it'll be worth it!

It could be worth investing a fiver in one of the cheap OBD2 devices which plug in to the ECU. It should read out error codes onto your phone and might give a clue as to which component is playing up.

Plus, when it's running properly you can bore your friends with lots of telemetry from the car...

Ned

Hampster 

This must really fustrating for you, I can confirm changing the ignition barrel is a straight forward job and a few of us have installation details on our blogs, only 3 cables to connect and a couple of bolts (My car came without the ignition barrel) Take care when removing the black cover to back of the barrel i managed to crack mine getting it off initially.

Neds idea of checking error codes on the ecu seems like a good thing to check if possible. I'm not sure if it's the ignition though, my money's on it being ecu related. 

When the engine cuts out is it easy to start again?

Mike

Thanks for all the advice and comments people.
As this is a Caterham built car rather than a home constructed kit, and as to date they have willingly kept on  collecting the car and tried to find and cure the fault, I don't want to fiddle with it myself.

To answer Mike, yes, it starts easily every time. It often seems that turning off the ignition and turning it on again will clear the cutting out - until the next time.

The other clue is that I had no such problem until I reported that it sometimes took ages to get the ignition key to slide into the lock and Caterham worked on it to "free it up a bit".

There's a good auto electrician in Coventry (Reg Crowe). I can did out his number...

talking of ignition barrels, watched Wheeler Dealers last night on you tube, they were modifying a sigma-engined  sv and  dispensed with the key/barrel entirely so you just start the car with the transponder and a starter switch.

You've got a point there, and there are times when you need the ignition on without the engine running....might watch the programme again...maybe I dreamt it all (I did eat alot of cheese that evening!!)

Any news about your car Hampster??