7_Malc

Hmmmm. This is not going to plan. The bleed screw / but on my radiator does not have any kind of washer. Now when I try and tighten it, the thread stops but the nut still rotates in the hole. I can wiggle it up and down. Not a good seal. Should there be a washer here? If so, what kind / material?

It's loose now. Bloody tight!

So coolant has been replaced, and ready for warming / bleeding… can I get the rad screw/bolt undone. No. 1. Does it unscrew to the left (standard direction)? 2. How much torque can I put on it? The rad seems to deform slightly under pressure from the ring spanner so I am loathe to bend it too much… I have filled from the heater end, but usually bleed from the rad nut / expansion bottle. Is there a bleed method using the heater hoses instead? might be safer than ruining the radiator…

Cheers for the tip Nick - will apply that tomorrow.

David from SFS has (personally) delivered my replacement hoses and clips on his way home this evening. Top bloke, and the shiny hoses look great. The fitting marathon starts on Friday, so any tips / advice for a complete novice would be welcome, thank you.

Update: So I was about to refill the system to pressure test, when I noticed the heater hose was wet… (see photo) this is possible the leak. Having removed the hose, its actually two short hoses joined together. Is this standard, or should a replacement be single piece of hose from the heather to the engine block? Should this be a single hose? … so I think this needs to be an upgrade to a Silicone Hose set… before I call Chris @Redline, are there any brands more suited to the stresses of K-series life, or is all silicone equal? Thanks for your continued assistance, Malc

Thanks everyone, much appreciated. Condensation under to bonnet would account for the floor puddles 10mins after I parked up in the garage. I will attempt to construct a pressure test cap (I have an old cap) and hook up my foot pump (with gauge) to see if there are any leaks. I have found this guide to a DIY pressure cap tester… https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/home-made-cooling-system-pressure-tester-save-yourself-£70.111882/ but if anyone knows of a better one, please share it here. Q: Should I test with the heater valve open or closed?

Static in line waiting to cross the Thames at Sonning, around midday today? Was in the Viper Blue Roadsport heading the other direction…

So after a fabulous day blatting round Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and lots in between, I have arrived home to find my Roadsport 140 (supersport upgrade) dropping whats left of its coolant on the garage floor. The expansion bottle is empty. It ran great all day, not getting over 80*c and the fan kicking in as needed… now small puddles on the floor :( I have had a look underneath with a torch and squeezed all the (still hot) hoses, but the big puzzle is everything looks dry and firmly attached. The only damp-looking areas are the down near the sump, above the oil pressure sender – the low 'v' shaped black line – and the distributor cap and HT Leads seem to have spray / condensation on them? No sign of any oil/water mix u​nder the oil filler cap. All clean. The puddle locations suggested front of engine, and possibly radiator… I foolishly moved the car back to get a better look. Doh! Pics for reference. So, do I refill and test for leaks in the garage, or is this a more serious issue that needs professional help before I risk running the engine again? many thanks, Malc

Where are you based? My 1800-K Roadsport was serviced and MOT'd at Ratrace Motorsport in Potters Bar earlier this year. Rob is an old hand at Sevens - and can steer most through the tests. He also rebuilds engines so is used to fault finding and rectification. http://www.ratrace-motorsport.co.uk

Nice friendly wave from the other Seven on the A507 around midday today. I hope you found a gap in the traffic, my run from Buntingford to Cottered was clear, less so on the second half.

Blat Mail sent re: Lego seven… thanks malc

I too have 14" minilites and Toyo R888Rs. They are a very good Caterham-friendly tyre and were highly recommended when I changed from ancient Avons. I believe all R888Rs are now "GG" which is a medium compound, and can recommend Simon at Meteor Motorsport as a reputable source if you need them.

Looks like a might be replacing them all…

Thanks Foggy. Mine are a little longer at 36mm and take a 19mm socket to rotate them 7 times to finger tight. The thread cavity is 32mm.

Thanks Foggy, I'm going to remove one for measuring tomorrow and will post a better photo. If yours does match then I would be very happy to try one and reimburse you any costs.

Thanks guys… Redline doesn't have any. No washers involved, just plain chunky nuts. Chris@Redline and I are going to do a thread-length comparison over the weekend, as I am a little worried the newer (shorter?) nuts might not have as much thread. Ideally I would like to keep the car original, so I am still after a single matching nut if one turns up.

I am looking for an older-style Caterham wheel nut to match the exisitng ones on my 2000 Roadsport 140 (as pictured). Does any one have a spare that they would be happy to part with? Many thanks Malc

Sevens and Classics do refurbished wheels…

Yes please – I'll cover the postage to Hertfordshire.

It really does depend on the age of the tyres. Without the date stamp data, readers might assume they were old and need to be replaced. Sevens and Classics sell these wheels refurbished "as new", so that would be a good indication of market value (per wheel).

Seems expensive… The age of the tyres will be a key factor - what's the date stamp on them? 14" wheels are less popular now as the range of tyres made to fit them is shrinking.

You could ask Simon at Meteor Motorsport… his advert is on rotation at the top of this page.

New tyres to scrub in. MOT and service at Ratrace next month. Pay road tax. … want to drive it now though. Getting impatient.

Steve - could you send me a couple of larger pics, or the ebay link if active, thanks Malc