R400 'S'AGA

[Jon Layton]

Having sold my K series R300 a while ago and been Caterham-less throughout the summer (what summer?) I was immensely excited to be collecting my new toy from Caterham yesterday. A Duratec R400 (You know, A Caterham with the exhaust on the wrong side!).

 

My pleasure soon turned to disappointment as heavy rain determined that I would have to start my 150 mile journey back to Derbyshire with the hood up.

 

Once on the M25 I encountered heavy traffic and travelled 5 miles painfully at 5-10 mph which in an R400 is a torturous experience in itself but this was nothing compared to the agony I was next to experience. My feet began to cook!

 

At first I thought it was me being a whimp and struggled on, but after 30 minutes I was in real pain. Pulling into the Services I took off the roof opting better to get wet than bake. With the roof off I thought that my feet would remain warm but not impossibly so.

 

50 miles on my feet were burning and I was writhing in agony. Services again and cold water puddles to stand in.

 

Another agony filled 50 miles and I was home.

 

This all sounds very dramatic but the Duratec set up with a seemingly smaller cockpit, engine mounted further back and exhaust being on the drivers side, seems to have converted the car into an AGA cooker!

 

Am I alone in finding the Duratec not drivable for prolonged periods?

 

I would be very grateful for any help or advice?

 

 

Jon

[Julian Thompson]

Sounds like you (they ?) need to fit some heat reflective material to the outside of the footbox, Jon.

[martinwhitcher]

It seems to be a common issue, the racers have a scoop fitted to the pedal box for that very reason , i thought caterham sorted a fix involving insulated mat to the pedal box? or was i dreaming?

 

Martin

 

MW 51 CAT

Superlight No.171

now known as:Superlight DVA 250

 

Edited by - Martin Whitcher on 24 Aug 2007 09:43:45

[Richard Price]

Am I alone in finding the Duratec not drivable for prolonged periods?

 

Jon,

You're not alone. There is a owner just along the road in Uttoxeter with exactly the same situation! (along with several other issues)

[Gavin H]

I believe this is common to the R's. I have the same problem (although on the passenger side - one friends shoe melted to the end of the footwell!) in my R300, and generally the cockpit is more than toasty...

 

I am planning to try some bits and bobs to draw the air through the engine bay - obviously I'll post the results if it works, although others have done some (significant) research and not found a solutuion that doesn't involve butchering holes in the bodywork.

 

The insulation will help, but I have also read on here (I think it was RiF (?)) that removing the gearlever gaiter is the best way to increase air flow, as the air is simply trapped in the engine bay! (Alternatively some use a water spray to cool off!!!).

 

Hope your feet are a little better now...

[Casbar]

You'll be warm in the winter though

[BAZZA]

glad I didn't spec a heater only done 30 mile runs so far at running speeds, but it does get hot, but not painful yet. Heat does seem to be in the tunnel area as the side does get hot. I will give any more info as and when I can get out in the car in this p*xy weather.

[Jon Layton]

Richard

 

[You're not alone. There is a owner just along the road in Uttoxeter with exactly the same situation! (along with several other issues)]

 

Would be grateful for contact with other wheel chair victim for comparing burns!

 

Jon

[Tom_C]

The passenger footwell in my 1.6k was getting hot enough to split a wooden wedge shoe, so maybe you only notice now what your passengers have been putting up with

 

Seriously though, I've now wrapped the primaries on mine and significantly reduced the temps in the car. Might be a mistake in winter though.

 

BTW please give generously to Bundle's Big Charity Walk for Asthma research here Ta.

 

Cheers

 

Tom

 

FH54WLX

 

see here - UPDATED again

[I.Mupferit]

When I built my Duratec car I covered the complete footbox area under the bonnet (3 sides) with reflective faced insulation and the primaries are camcoated and even in temperatures of mid 30's in France last year and the year before, my footwell was never uncomfortable. Admittedly mine is an SV so I'm not sure how much that helps but excess heat just isn't an issue on my car.

 

My old S3 car with a Zetec was always unbearably hot in the passenger footwell though.

 

Brent

 

2.3 DURATEC SV Reassuringly Expensive

R 417.39 😬

[neil.cavanagh]

Brent,

The SV just doesn't seem to have heat soak issues like the old skool S3 cars. On the USA trip when running in 40+C temps all day across texas my SV never got too hot inside, unlike the poor (small) souls in their whippet cars. I think the extra inch or two of space all around the engine makes a massive difference in giving the heat somewhere to go other than into the cockpit...

[I.Mupferit]

It's hard to believe just how much difference it makes isn't it.

 

Brent

 

2.3 DURATEC SV Reassuringly Expensive

R 417.39 😬

[MikeE]

 

mines fine you wimps 😬

 

 

 

R400 Duratec Build and Modification Pictures

here

[RWHomer]

Looking at Jon's post I am surprised that your new R400 did not come with underbody factory insulation. I had the same experience with my CSR which was subsequently returned to the factory and insulated. The insulation has made it bearable rather than unbearable but is not exactly comfortable. I would be interested to know if anyone with a Duratec has wrapped the primaries and whether any significant heat reduction resulted

 

CSR260 Hillclimber

[Richard Price]

Jon,

You have mail.

[Wingnonut]

Jon, not wishing to hijack the thread, but what time were you on the M25 yesterday (and what colour is the 7)? I think I may have spotted you about 18.30 There can't have been too many Duratec 7s on the M25 yesterday.

 

W.Nut .

 

Rosso Superlight no.087 (no longer)

[RiF]

No serious problems with my Raceline Duratec set up. Had it for 4 years including driving with roof up and in temperatures over 40 degrees. Reduced it with a change of tunnel top (trying not to sell here) but really never that bad before even in 35 degrees. Definitely CC have a problem, you are not the only person commenting, it seems to be everyone with an R400. Really can't see why it is any worse than my set up???

 

RiF Driving one of the first Duratec 7, and building CA07BON for Henrietta 😬 😬 😬.for pictures of 7 and carbon andCA07BON

[Gasmaninaseven]

Jon,

 

I was rather surprised that the new R400 would come without any heat protection 😔; experience of USA 2005 and following the CSR developments lead me to expect some heat shielding to be in place. Indeed, at least one of the develpment R400s has some material protecting the driver's footwell as per the CSR. The C400 heat problem is well documented.

 

I decided to do something about it in my build- heat reflecting material ( I wish I'd put more on before the engine went in) and ceramic coating of the headers ( Zircotec ).

It looks tidy; I'd love to let you know how it works, but my car is subject to yet another delay before it hits the road; I'll report back the results at some point, but I suspect it will be next Summer

 

Neil

 

Build pictures here

Guantanamo Bay Orange SUPERLIGHT R400......

 

[nickh7]

Try this fron Frosts it may help

 

Regards

 

Its Yellow And Black and Makes me 😬here

[I.Mupferit]

That's similar to the stuff I used and found very effective.

 

Brent

 

2.3 DURATEC SV Reassuringly Expensive

R 417.39 😬

[Rob Walker]

I wrapped my primaries with exhaust wrap, my car also runs an aero screen so there is a lot more air movement within the cockpit. No real problems with heat so far.

 

i noted that the race C400`s run with a fresh air duct into the drivers footwell.

[paul jacobs]

I've also done my primary's in exhaust wrap and although warm, even last year, have never burnt my feet, so I think the answer is a refelctive mat over the complete inside of the tunnel and footwell and wrap the primary pipes.

 

Paul J.

Loud pipes save lives, but quiet ones save your hearing.

[Jon Layton]

Wingnonut - bet it was me!

 

The car is Silver and carbon. If the driver looked stressed and was playing the clutch like a Bullworker to maintain 5/10/15 mph it would definitely have been me.

 

I guess I stupidly also didn’t realise the car internal dimensions had shrunk with the Duratec set up from the k series and with the pedal box set right back have the pedals too close for comfort. Hence some extra distance being left to the cars in front!

 

I need to look at the pedal spacing.

 

 

Jon

[Wingnonut]

Well, consider that your first spotted then

You were actually moving when I saw you but being on the clockwise side I knew what you were coming up to ☹️

 

W.Nut .

 

Rosso Superlight no.087 (no longer)