R500 Duratec - Valve Spring Failure (yet another...)

[familymad]

45 minutes ago, Shortshift said:

Look forward to seeing you at one or more; Club trackdays are simply the best...

But you will need to replace your standard rollover bar with a 'trackday' or so-called, 'FIA', bar.

James

Hi James, is that just for Caterham club days? Sounds like a bigger job than just arrive and drive. I’ve just got a half hood delivered and that probably won’t fit with a different bar. I’ll probably just have to go where I can get access as my finance director won’t support further spend!

[Shortshift]

Yes, it's a requirement of this Club (Caterham & Lotus Seven Club) but it's a 30 minute job to fit and then you're all set.  They sometimes come up for sale second hand but you have to be quick - which also means they retain their value come the day you decide to remove and sell it (advice for your FD).

Has no effect on 'arrive and drive' and no impact on half-hood or even on full hood, in my experience, as the reinforcement is down to the spec and size of steel tubing used and in the addition of cross bracing.  And it's good to know that you have that extra degree of stiffness and strength in the highly, highly unlikely event of worst-case outcomes.

James

Edited April 8 by Shortshift

[familymad]

4 hours ago, aerobod - near CYYC said:

In terms of doing the springs with the head in place, after removing the cams (using a jig to hold the timing sprockets in place to preserve timing) and carefully labelling the bucket tappets for return to the same position, an adapter that screws into the spark plug hole and pressurises the cylinder with compressed air (to about 8 bar) can be used to keep the valves in place. Instead of a conventional ‘C’ clamp style spring compressor. A plate bolted to the cam bearing shell bolt holes with a bolt threaded into it to align with and compress the valve springs is then used. Keeping the piston at TDC and transmission in gear to stop engine rotation will stop the valves dropping in if the air pressure is less than required to stop the valve moving when the keepers are removed.

Without using this technique or a modification of it (such as the piston at TDC and waxed string stuffed in the cylinder on top of the piston to keep the valves in place instead of compressed air), an engine out job will be likely be needed, as head removal without removing the timing case is likely difficult, then if it is removed timing has to be redone due to the crankshaft bolt being disturbed.

Wow, great knowledge. Can I pop over with mine !!

[Shortshift]

Can't wait for the reply to this! 😊

James

[aerobod - near CYYC]

10 minutes ago, familymad said:

Wow, great knowledge. Can I pop over with mine !!

I'm only about 7,000km and 7 time zones away from you, but if the Caterham can be shipped as luggage from LHR to YYC......😁

[familymad]

Funnily enough, I am in aviation and do have an annual cargo allowance 🤣

Will pop over tomorrow 

[aerobod - near CYYC]

11 minutes ago, familymad said:

Funnily enough, I am in aviation and do have an annual cargo allowance 🤣

Will pop over tomorrow 

I was on the team that configured the WestJet 787s when working there until 2018, they have the pallet capacity with their daily LHR-YYC flights, a Caterham should just fit on to a PLA pallet, but I don’t know if your allowance would stretch to that size, as it has a capacity up to just over 3 tonnes 😀

[familymad]

787 not too big I agree. Have watched some lovely Ferraris being loaded into the belly of a 777 a few times.