timb2117

Ahh Aerobod I hear your pain, essentially I had the same issue did a bit of trial and error including changing pads but always found the rears to be overcooking, also just did not on track get the most of the big brake front set up - does look pretty though :)... My eventual solution was a brake in line bias adjuster mounted on firewall - BEWARE this may not be road legal dependent on your regs! I then trialled repeatedly - long deserted flat road stopping hard until I could just get the fronts to lock up first. Then forget it. Most road cars are set to around 60-70% bias to front but for some reason the Cat seems to do more rear....I have come across some manufacturer systems that alter this. Totally get Wrightpaynes contention that if she pulls up straight and true then that = safety and is good. If you'd like photos of my set up just post me and I'll drag the bonnet off.

Totally hear you, if you can twisting up and round in the seat is the best bet, using true vision not mirrors, depends on your flexibility though. Alternately I got some cool motorbike mirrors which are on longer, higher stalks than most and fitted those so I can clearly see wings etc. In the photo ignore the sidescreen mounted ones its the taller ones that do the job.

Hi I tried sending a link but it wouldn't work, if you go on ebay and search "car heat shielding" you will come up with a ton of silvered/ foamed stuff, at pretty cheap prices - that's the big roll here: . I also use a lot of the turbo wrap type stuff in bottom of photo, its a chunk more expensive but is glass fibre matting with adhesive and silvered finish, also the preformed strip is actually a tube that goes over wiring, called here non imaginatively - "heat wrap" I guess to bear in mind though is that these are particularly good at reflecting radiated heat so I have lined the firewall with the product on the ENGINE side, but I reckon the foam cannot hurt under your carpets in the footwell.

wow good on ya MJW. Holes in front footwell I cant see but would cover up with at least fresh alloy panel riveted and sikaflexed in place - its supposed to slow fire down from engine bay, not duct it onto your toes:) I am sure you know this but the one next to where your left knee sits, adjacent to gear lever is access to work on the gearbox drive for your speedo. Looks like you're doing a great job and I always try to belt and brace these jobs with maybe some heatproofing in the passenger side to reduce radiant heat from exhaust? Well done looks good and thorough.

I did note when updating mine that the '05 hoses were uber solid, not just heat tempered but really really well made (they did easily last 16 years without an issue!) I wondered at the time if maybe they were a bit too firm and not damping engine vibration/ movement enough....Perhaps I just need to get out more and find another hobby :)

I bought a Radtec from Demon Tweeks, excellent in all aspects. They can be repaired professionally with some epoxy stuff, need a big fat clean then glue her up.......? Yeah I know I just buy new - do it once do it right. I also concur with Jonathan, need to know how shes mounted and what are the stresses on her, many mount with exhaust type bobbins etc to reduce stresses.

And the Doctor diagnosis award goes to SM25T!!!!!!! 8v under cranking, and thanks Revilla and all for your patience - note to self engage pragmatic brain before bothering the forum heavyweights ! Lithium in tomorrow thanks everyone!

AGM so I charged it up fully - reliable charger and it showed just 12.45 and it went back down to 12.25 in no time, will try starting it tomorrow with the meter on and see but I think its a done deal... Thanks Jonathan appreciate your time. If I could just also publicly ensure that Kmaps are not maligned by any of my "assumptions" in this thread - I had nothing but great service from Kmaps and am super happy with the results of the remap. - This would seem to be a very straightforward battery fault after all.

Cleaned the IACV, Checked the battery voltage after a run - 12.25v -DOH! Never assume! - I put a new one in but that was 2 years ago and "there's no warranty on that because its fitted in a car" followed by "yeah unofficially 2 years is about right for that" - didnt tell me that when I paid a lot for it to be reliable.... Soo hi ho its lithium I go, - oops don't want ot start an internet frenzy as I know there's huge pros and cons, but just 1 Q? - 300 CCA is that about good enough? Thats what was in it and it HAS done ok for 1 3/4 years of sporadic use. And thanks again all for your great help.

Thanks all - she did have a new battery about a 18 months ago, but I will follow Jonathans advice, was sort of hoping it'd hurry up and die so I could go Lithium :) it will be;- 1. Try old ECU. 2. Test battery. 3. IACV clean up as you suggest, all nice easy things to try, if that doesn't work......More to follow

Yes I have tried Revillas TPS reset and it hasnt made any difference, this weekend I'll pop old ECU on and see if that helps - if not IACV may be next fairly cheap option.

You are brilliant thankyou very much, no I didn't recalibrate so will try that before swapping back out. Will post again the result of that but I think you are on the money if its cured I'll donate to the charity as a thankyou. Immobiliser yes it was a delete by Mark so now when parked it flashes (which I quite like as deterrent (a casual onlooker would think the immobiliser is on and working.) But only when ignition on and driving it then stays solid red, not a biggie doesnt bother me at all. Thanks again fingers crossed.

Hi all, just after ideas.... '07 1800 K series roadsport, extensive rolling reno' has included, plugs, idle air valve, coil packs, fuel pump,injectors cleaned, starter motor refurb, battery and lastly a lovely "swapped in" ECU from K maps. Since the Kmaps she has been tricky to start cold (previously awesome) at fist two cranks and now 3 or 4 to kick over bit of a throttle blip and great. Hot - first time every time. Really don't want to blame the Kmaps which is instant awesome, (as is his customer service) any alternate ideas? Only thing I have noted is the flashing red led for immoblilser now stays on when I'm driving, not a biggie but linked? Thanks Tim

Yup sounds like you've got it, any re- occurence I'd definitely swap out the thermo, cheap cheerful and easy fix, with the drop of coolant from the T keep an eye on it, try a magnifying glass, quick weld would repair it. Good work! Always refreshing to find the thing and fix it, I have never had any issues with airlock but a good long run and re check often is the answer.

Hi Tim, Prop from gearbox nope you can just remove it not the diff. Fixing the leak in car (if it is the type 9 arrangement) I think would be hugely painful. Also you don't mention engine type or age but it would probably pay to change engine seal and maybe clutch too while you're at it which would be easy if out of car..

QED_0.pdfHiya Samsul - in essence sounds like a simple fix, - thermostats can get sticky and erratic with age. I note the very good advice here about the fan direction and thermo modifications, I went a tad further and installed a QED bypass system, and also fashioned a cowling for the rad, and extra fan (manually operated) in front of rad - bit OTT for your symptoms but in sunny AUS it works a treat. Essentially from my reading the K series is the "car school drop off" type engine, - heat up quickly in cold climate and stay hot to run the systems, in our sevens we need more reliable longevity out of our head gasket/ engines so less thermal shock and more competence on track/ fast road. It would be interesting to look at the Chinese MG marque engine systems as I BELIEVE they are running a re engineered K series.

Basic, low rent but works a treat.

Only guessing - rear wheel bearings maybe? definitely wouldn't harm to freshen up the diff oil.

Hi Colin/ Jonathan, yup is the easy answer. I MAY have photos somewhere but essentially I did not want to dislodge wipers etc to take scuttle off so did it in situ. Carefully removed wiring and labeled every wire, undid/ drilled out rivets, then used original dash to template hole cutting on new one, decent holesaw and temporarily mounted carbon dash to a sacrificial wooden backing board. Cut all holes then offered up for fit (steering wheel off too) - huge NOTE figure out some dust extraction unless you want asbestos lung the dust is evil. - I had a vacuum set up with gaffer tape worked a treat, and mega face mask protection. When I was ready for fit used uber heavy duty velcro (saw a video of factory doing this too) and mounted straight on to chassis tubes, then sikaflex around edge of scuttle to seal and bond it on (sorry Jonathan not sure WHICH Sika, the sticky one! :)) Then gently and carefully teased all instruments and switches back into place. Feel free to PM me as you go and i'll try to help - it wasn't a technical job and only took about a day and half, taking lots of care. - best advice is "you're going to be looking at this sucker for a looong time so take it easy don't be tempted to cut corners" Cheers Tim

thanks SLR. no 77 that's the scientific answer I knew would come up!

I believe a lot of the pop rivets are alloy with a steel core/ pop part - I've used aluminium pretty exclusively not having thought it through. I guess you've 2 choices, aluminium which will get some galvanic corrosion inside the (thick) steel tube. Or Steel and you will get highly obvious corrosion against the (thin) alloy panel. I believe a fair few members spray rust inhibiting liquid in the holes..... I've got nothing more = would wait for a more scientific answer if I were you :)

I'm with BrettJ - thoroughly cleaned out when I had engine/ gearbox out, then liquid/ waxy sealer and finally really strong adhesive silvered heat shield tape, to prevent ingress again.

OH gosh DEFINITELY apply protection to carbon of whatever you feel, using the advice above;- I didn't then luckily was using a powerful work light and could see lines of light through the carbon! Its super tough but super brittle too and where my sticky tyres had picked up and rolled stones around the inside they were gouged and whilst not easily visible (yet) were literally see through! Please learn from my near miss :)

Totally in the shadow of the other guys here - but I use insulated adhesive glassfibre/ silvered turbo type heatshield on all areas around the exhaust. Including battery, wiring, sensors, and starter motor. Sorry Mr Chapman sometimes I need to add things.... I did have an awful "7 wannabe" years ago that looked like your photo in terms of proxemics and it fried the alternator about every 10 months which was cool coz I kept getting new ones under warranty :)

Ashby I had a few months night shift packing biscuits at UB foods, have literally never touched a biscuit since :) Yup resale is extraordinary when you compare them to the usual tin marketing hyped money pits that are called cars nowadays, I made about a 1k profit on my Robin Hood when I emigrated, then over here a big gap til 3 years ago got a westfield, spent a year renovating it and sold that for a 10k profit then got my current 7 - every other car (of zillions I seem to have owned) tank terribly and I wonder why i bothered looking after them fastidiously! Great for you on the Grad program I watch the youtube here and it seems darn close racing indeed, I do a few track days but lack the adventure/ balls/ talent to go out with a chunk of others racing hard :) However I have had a ball teaching police to drive here in their ludicrous commodore v8's etc. Money across and charity done now. Many thanks and great to chat brings back some lovely memories. Tim