K-Series Windage Plate

[old captain slow]

As some of you may know Will and I are in the process of putting a 1600K into his 7 in place of the 1400K that bought it at Croix. Well we got round to fitting the sump last night. While putting the baffle plate in place a lump fell out of it around a mounting bolt hole. On examining the plate more closely we noticed it had fatigue cracking at each of the 4 bolt holes and that the aluminium had gone brittle.

 

I mention this since we have been running without the foam insert and I wonder whether the fatigue is caused by vibration that would otherwise have been controlled/damped by the presence of the foam. If this is the cause then it might be worth a check next time you have the sump off if like us you have ditched the foam.

 

Any other instances of this? Caterham thought not many since they don't have much call for replacement plates, but if removal of the foam is a new thing per recent threads on the subject, then this failure may be a new thing too.

 

C7 CDW

[SLR No.77]

I've always run with the foam, and there's evidence of fatigue around the 2 end holes So bang goes that theory! Mine's not bad enough to justify replacement, but I'm swapping to dry sump anyway.

I think the fatigue may simply be the result of numrous changes of the foam during 20,000 miles of use.

 

Stu.

[phillinda]

Mine did exactly the same thing when I replaced the foam last October. Had to order a replacement plate from CC.

 

Not tried running without the foam yet.

 

Phil

 

1997 Brooklands Green 1.8 Supersport

[Englishmaninwales]

I run without the foam, but no signs of cracking....yet!

 

Malcolm

[Nifty]

When I last opened my sump I too had a fatigue like crack in the ali plate.

I run with foam.

 

Keep off the straight and narrow 😬

[PAUL MARRIOTT]

25000 mls and no problems, 3rd foam pad - no problems there either.

 

How come some people have problems and others don't

 

Paul M

[SLR No.77]

Because every Se7en is different 😬

 

Stu.

[Mick Day]

My car is a 1994 K series. The original manual recomends the baffle be replaced every 12,000 miles as it can break up, there is no mention of any foam.

[Nifty]

Mine's a '95 K and the foam is the baffle

 

Keep off the straight and narrow 😬

[old captain slow]

Right.

 

Got the new baffle and foam. Now do I fit the foam as well?

 

C7 CDW