CSR Oil check

[oldgit]

Having only recently acquired a CSR 260, I am keen to ask two questions.

1. I was told by the dealer that the Cosworth 260 uses slightly more oil than a standard Duratec and to check more regularly. True/False?

2.Do you check the oil level from cold or warm? I think it should be warm, and obviously the level should be within the marks on the dipstick, but  what should be the level when cold? As in mine when warm the level is fine, but cold it's below the bottom line on the dipstick.

Any experience greatly received.

[Titanium7]

Lots of info re oil checking on the CSR in the forums.  In the end the most reliable is the 'fill till you spill' method. Empty the oil overflow tank fed from the dry sump tower and add small amounts (250ml) to the engine go for a run and repeat until you get it being thrown out into the overflow tank. 

Over time you'll work out the consumption of oil your engine uses and top up accordingly. The above method works best after an oil change when you have a known volume that's been put into the engine then you can follow the above regime.

 

 

[sjmmarsh]

Steve

1) True - the harder you drive, the more it drinks. Mine uses about 0.5l every 1000 miles or half a track day....

2) See http://csr.informe.com/forum/checking-oil-level-dry-sump-dt27.html?highlight=oil for more info

Steve

[jimh]

Mine never appeared to use any oil even after track days

I tried all the methods for checking the oil level and found that the cold method worked best for me. I would start the car from cold and run it for a few minutes then stop and check the oil level.

I found the over fill method leaked all over the underside of the car

[David aka Blue7]

I agree with Titanium7.  However, having owned 3 CSR's I didn't think they used any great amount of oil other than what I lost by overfilling until it spilled into the catch tank.  There are 2 CSR Owner Notes available from CC, they used to be available here until we changed to the new site but I can send them to you if you PM me.  Note 2 regarding oil, reads as follows:

OWNER TECHNICAL UPDATE NOTICE

Update number 002
Date of release 07/01/08

Applicable to CSR200 and CSR260
Build period – all


CSR ENGINE MAINTENANCE

The Cosworth engines are hand-built race-tuned units and as such require a little more attention than a mass produced engine. However, with this attention, the engine will continue to be a strong and reliable power plant, as proven in the CSR Masters race series, where the near-identical specification regularly runs at race speeds in extreme heat, on slick tyres and for extended periods with only routine checks and top-ups – clocking up thousands of circuit miles.

The key criteria for the Cosworth engine is the oil level. A special revised dipstick was introduced in 2006 and issued to all original owners, along with detailed instructions for checking the oil. As CSRs may now be with second owners, below is a summary of the procedure. The dipstick is identified by its single-piece metal design, looped end and machined flat section. If you do not have this item, please contact Caterham Parts.

The oil level should be at the top of the flat section. However, on the CSR260 engine which uses a race piston, and in common with other hand-built engines, each engine will vary slightly and if the engine is not breathing some oil into the catch tank (which it should), we would recommend finding your own level above this. After a track session, you should expect just a small amount in the bottom of the tank. If you’re not getting this, overfill the engine at approximately 250ml a time, until you get this.

Oil levels should be checked after every track session (assuming 20 minutes of track time), which is good practice for all cars! We would also recommend checking the oil level every 500 road miles.

 

[oldgit]

Forgot to say thanks to all for their comments.