CPGCharlie

Hi All, I've posted a few times and my electrical gremlins and issues remain. I have just had back both my rev and speedometer, refurbished after what we believe is a power surge fried them both. I now am just looking for an auto electrician to try work out what the underlying problem is and fix it. The Toad immobilizer has been immobilised itself and now the cars misfiring. Help. Does anyone have a referral to an electric specialist. I'm based in West Berkshire Many thanks, Charlie

Hi Club, I've recently experienced 2 absolutely horrific experiences trying to get my 7 diagnosed and fixed. To the point of hoping the second garage has actually stolen the vehicle so I could claim the insurance. I dropped into the garage to find my prize possession discarded in the corner of a hanger layered in paint dust after going in for simple electrics diagnosis for gauges playing up. 11 weeks the car has been with them, ignored emails, disgusting woman on the desk completely unapologetic as if everything was my fault problem. No time line given for anything. Decision made to have the car cleaned and just picked up, no fixes, MOT run out while at their site. In the Berkshire Hampshire area, does anyone know of a normal, honest garage than can look at the electrical issues and gives quotes like a normal garage, and hopefully fix? Pretty much last plea before selling it as soon as it's MOT'd. Many thanks

Thanks Sam, something i will try to investigate. When it happened with you did the car run fine for most part, started normally...? just had no gauges and all sorts of intermitteet electical issues?

intersting will check as do not know

Hi John, it's a 2.3 Duratec R yes the same event te car as been off the road since, I've ben out of the country for nearly 4 months, just trying to get back to it. and looking for somewhere to take it. The wiring diagram seems like a good start though

Yes, please suggest an alternative in the Hampshire / Berkshire area

really made me consider selling it

they are just denying it, and insinuating i drove it to them for the service/tune, with no gauges or electrics working and it cutting out. Apparently i must have just missed all of that, over the 4 years I've owned it and had no problems. They also kept the car so long the MOT ran out and then couldn't be MOT'd as the Speedo didn't work, so going in for a service and tune t came back un roadworthy. Has been off the road traumatic experience, absolute disgrace

Hi guys, I'm experiencing all sorts of electrical gremlins, since my 7 had a visit to a Caterham "specialist" and the car has been returned to me much worse than it was delivered. ( they did replace some bushes and rose joints that were overdue - yay) On driving the car back from Maidenhead, on full tap acceleration the car would just cut out - which had a worse effect than randomly slamming the breaks on. not safe, very unhappy, managed to crawl home. Tacho and Speedo dead, no life. bulbs gone everywhere, half the dash lights gone. it's a meltdown. The first thing i need to get my hands on is the wiring diagram for 2005 SV (if its ever really changed?) If anyone can point me in the right direction i would be greatly appreciative. Charlie

yes Im mortified about the whole experience and the bottom line is keeping the car so long the MOT expired and being given back an unroad worthy car. Still waiting for them to hopefully deliver a solution but another week has passed and my summer driving is non existent. As soon as there is a agreeable conclusion I will absolutely disclose the outfit.

Hi Jonathan, it's 2005 series 5 SV with a 2.3 Duratec, I'm unsure on speedo drive, have received very little information from buying g the csr 4 years ago so have used "Specialists" hoping this would come with some level of information to fill in blanks from purchase. The digital odometer read out has gone down with the speedo. And there is only electric cable from the speedo unit, not sure if that helps?

I've just collected my 7 from a garage and unbelievably there are electrical issues that weren't no there when it was dropped of (8 weeks ago I should add! For a simple shake down service and some rose joint replacement - unbelievably disappointing!) Now neither the speedo or rev counter work at all. The car randomly cuts out completely, under hard acceleration ( at 6000 rpm in 3rd gear while overtaking is not safe) They say these aren't their fault and they kept the car for so long it's run out of it's MOT and now can't pass as the speedo doesn't work. I'm running a DTAfast Pro40 ECU and am about to try work it out. Any ideas what I'm looking for for the cutting out would be hugely appreciated. The underside of the dash is now a mess of wires and boxes that have all been disturbed since these lot had the car so no idea where to start with what they may have damaged to cause these issues. Any advice would be great Many thanks Charlie

we thought that was the issue but upgrade to the highest purchasable and still snapped - after wrecking the bearings in the rose joints before anyone asks no I'm not aiming for potholes!

Armenia! but only for a few more days and will be moving back to the UK and in Aldermaston.

Many thanks, Ian - great to know. any direction on where to look for parts, I wasn't given any details about the Diff when I bought the car so any way of deciphering exactly which Diff it is would be great? Will speak to Road and Race also

Hi All, for the second time, the bolts in the offside front Watt link into the rose joints have snapped, has anyone had the same issue? we tried bushing the entire system to stop play as no spacers were apparent when i took ownership of the car. This was meant to be temporary but have not come across a permanent solution to the paly across the freestyle setup. any advice greatly appreciated also im looking at £80+VAT for labour... where does that sit on the scale?

Hi all, My 7 has had a misting on diff advisory on the MOT and I've taken to a 7 specialist who have now said it's leaking badly and needs rebuilding, Diff out 10 hours work etc. The advisory was to simply change the washer in the Diff. unsure what to do and how coincidental it is that as it's turned up specialists it needs an immediate expensive repair. what can i check for to assess? Best

Just looking for a 7 specialist as close to Newbury as possible. 7 needs a full shake down and has a few issues, LSD misting and Issue with 1st gear. Also geometry to potentially sort negative camber at front if advisable Many thanks.

Many thanks all, its a Cosworth dry sump pan, and the R888 sounds like a good first measure. I need to recheck the dampers, currently, the front sounds like bags of mice having a party, i have tried drowning the suspension in GT 85 but the squeaking comes back fairly quickly, any clues on how to rid myself of the rodent noise?

Many thanks all, its a Cosworth dry sump pan, and the R888 sounds like a good first measure. I need to recheck the dampers, currently, the front sounds like bags of mice having a party, i have tried drowning the suspension in GT 85 but the squeaking comes back fairly quickly, any clues on how to rid myself of the rodent noise?

That's the first time I've heard that! Mines been modified so it's properly bushed with uprated bolts. It's stopped snapping them, no pot holes attacked I might add. The other issue Ive come across with the down size is the 2.3 lump sticking out the bottom and getting friendly with certain speed bumps.... Should I have gone up to 15" instead of down to 13"? Back to the tyres... Any suggestions on who to take it to to assess all the listed potentials?

About a year ago I moved my 7 from 14" to 13" wheels mainly due to rubber options but also due to club recommendations. I now have 185 ZZS on the front and it does the job well. I feel the turn in at low speed isn't always the sharpest and now wonder if this could be to do with no adjusting the toe or camber?? Maybe just pilot errors, however the uneven wear on the tyres is significant and it looks like negative camber is skinning the insides. My 7 has the rare and disliked freestyle suspension, I don't know if this is a factor or simple that geometry should be adjusted in moving to 13" wheels. Any advice or a place to take for answers would be greatly appreciated.

many thanks

2005 built - 2.3 Duratec put in in 2007, apart from that its all as it was in 2005. any suggestions fr who to take it to for a full Diff service?

Thanks Jonathan, I will clean and try to detect the source, however, I have just completed a Hampshire to Bucks trip over 5 days and no pink anywhere, so very sporadic. Just one fan on Rad and it does not come on unless i manually turn it on.... i guess that spells sensor is faulty? i will try replacing the wiring first as it looks fairly ropey. Charlie