David aka Blue7

Ally McDonald said

Effective if the puncture is no more than a nail, glass etc or (as in my case on the tintop) a foot long welding rod. It won't fill a big hole.

 

Just don't go doing doughnuts or long distances in it. Deflating the tyre as far as you can is the key, without that it won't work properly. Don't leave it too long to replace as the tyre will slowly deflate again.

---

Thanks Alex, after carrying a spare wheel all my life it is kind of hard to have confidence in a wee can o' spray but I suppose in hindsight in all my 43 years of motoring I can only recall one serious puncture ... but all it takes is one

Blue7

Always remember that you're unique, just like everyone else

Blue's pics

John said

Do you have minilites with ZV3s? If you do, don't worry about the can, nothing will puncture the hard plastic!!! (*Touches wood*).

No, I have 10 spoke anthracites 195/45 R15 CR500 front and 255/40 R15 CR500 rear hence no spare ☹️

I have to be honest, I don't bother carrying even the can most of the time. I went on a 1200 mile round trip about England and Wales, and forgot it. Oops.

Good grief 😳 totally carefree ... now if you had ventured north there is bound to have been a wee sharp Scottish nail lying in wait and ready to ambush you

I'm sure it works though, no doubt someone will be along in a minute to describe their experience of foam going everywhere...

Yes I wondered what the substance is and assumed foam but it seems to be gaseous because after 6 miles you are advised to reduce the tyre pressure which I wouldn't have thought possible if it was foam?

For ultimate peace of mind, get breakdown recovery

Yep ... got that free RAC cover from CC 😬

Blue7

Always remember that you're unique, just like everyone else

Blue's pics

My Caterham has no spare wheel so a can of Wynn's Tyre Fix repair spray is supplied instead

Instructions on the can advise removing the object that caused the puncture, turn the wheel until the valve is at the top, deflate the tyre and then inject the entire contents of the can. Drive for approx 6 miles at 30mph max then stop and adjust tyre pressure to normal pressure and then get the tyre repaired or replace at earliest convenience. Sounds simple enough Has anyone ever had cause to use this spray to repair a puncture and if so is it quite effective? It would put my mind at rest to know that it works and I won't get stranded somewhere 😳

Blue7

Always remember that you're unique, just like everyone else

Blue's pics

Hi Phil

I am too far away to call in on you but I thought it worthwhile mentioning the new department recently set up by Caterham Cars called Caterham Heritage, here is a quote from this months edition of Caterham Life:

Caterham Heritage has been established to manage the parts needs of anyone who owns a car built before the year 2000. The plan is to greatly improve upon the level of service we currently offer, and to do this we need someone with an encyclopaedic knowledge of Caterhams.

Darren Phillips has been working for Caterham Cars for nearly 20 years, and in that time he owned and built no less than six Caterhams. Originally starting out picking parts for kits, he soon showed a natural aptitude for remembering a freakily large number of part numbers. This knowledge was soon put to use in the parts department, where he naturally progressed to become Parts Manager.

For 2009 Darren has relinquished his Parts Manager duties to concentrate fully on Caterham Heritage. Darren and Caterham Heritage will be based at our factory in Dartford. All at Caterham wish Darren well in his new role, and we hope all owners of cars pre-dating 2000 will experience Darren’s wealth of knowledge and enjoy a much improved level of service in the future.

For any enquiries Caterham Heritage can be contacted on 01322 625811 or by email Heritage@Caterham.co.uk

Blue7

Always remember that you're unique, just like everyone else

Blue's pics

ust had the filler modified by CC on my Sigma, they seem to have widened the neck slightly but still left the flap in place. I don't see how this is going to help if the nozzle can't open this flap. Should I bite the bullet and cut it out?

No ... I had the CC modification which still has a flap and it works perfectly ... you are good to go

Blue7

Always remember that you're unique, just like everyone else

Blue's pics

Interesting topic because I have been considering fitting a spare wheel rack to my CSR for a holiday journey to the Outer Hebrides but have been deliberating as to whether it is going to spoil the looks of the car. CC say they have a product pack specifically for the CSR, namely SWC58K retailing at £212.77

A removable rack might be the ideal solution but my other school of thought is to carry a couple of inner tubes (one for front and one for back) along with a portable tyre inflater. Most punctures are usually slow punctures which can be temporarily remedied with the inflater, failing that the puncture repair sealant and failing that one of the spare inner tubes can be fitted inside the tyre. Last resort being to call out the RAC ☹️

Another option would of course be run flat tyres which are fitted to my Mini Cooper S but I am not sure if they would be either suitable or available for Caterhams and would be a bit OTT expense wise.

Blue7

Always remember that you're unique, just like everyone else

Blue's pics

Do you know if the revised cap and filler is now fitted as standard and is it SVA compliant? Do you know it feature on the Caterham WEB Shop?

I would assume CC are now fitting the revised filler neck and cap as standard and SVA compliant otherwise there will be a lot of very angry customers. What has complicated the issue has been filling stations switching to higher pressure pumps to speed up filling and also what they refer to as eco friendly nozzles that allow less petrol vapour to escape during the filling operation.

The stock codes for the revised parts fitted to my car were:

30T033A Fuel filler neck aero cap only modified

30T032A Aero filler cap black finish 2008

The CC on-line store search engine finds the stock code for the aero filler caphere but not the filler neck.

Blue7

Always remember that you're unique, just like everyone else

Blue's pics

I am amazed that this thread has been going for almost a year now. I had the problem with my new 2008 CSR and the CC Salesman's advice was to prise the flap out with a screwdriver 😳 A very large lady at one local small filling station succeeded in inserting the nozzle with brute force and said "well that's got it in, I just hope it comes out and we don't have to cut the hose!" 😳 I eventually made up a flexible tube that would go past the flap at one end and take a pump nozzle at the other end, this worked but it was a bit embarrassing on forecourts 😔

As stated earlier, the cheap solution is to remove the flap which I understand is only fitted so that the cars will pass the SVA test. The other alternative is the one I eventually chose which was to return the car to CC and have a modified neck and aero cap fitted to the car. The revised cap is £72.00 + vat and the neck £40.00 + vat and fitting is around 1.5hr’s @ £58.00 per hr + vat. A lot of money but it was worth it because I can now look again at the filling station instead of and that very large lady will no longer abuse my neck with her nozzle

Blue7

Always remember that you're unique, just like everyone else

Blue's pics

Is there very much CSR specific content?

---

A lot of the content is identical to the previous handbook for Classic / Roadsport / Superlight but in the new book there are specific references to Sigma 120 / 125 / 150, R400, CSR200 / 260 & R500. There are specific references to oil levels, tyre pressures and the dipstick issues as well as the problems of filling the tank with petrol . If you have any specific content in mind let me know and I will check but it is always advisable to have an up to date handbook

Blue7

I have just received in today's post, the new Owners Handbook for Road Sport, Superlight and CSR. I purchased a new CSR from Caterham in April this year, which is why I have been sent a copy but anyone who owns one of these models and has not received a copy should perhaps contact Caterham.

Blue7

Ah as simple as that, many thanks for the explanation Pat

Blue7

I am intrigued to know how some members are able to embed a url within a word (e.g. "here"),to turn it into a hyperlink to a website?

Blue7

Have just read all this - but still cannot find anyone confirming at what point to check the oil - have checked cold, then when warmed and get two very diffrent readings - which one is correct?

The official advice from Caterham is check when the engine is warm (but not running ... duh). I have checked when cold and the reading always seems to be lower than when checked at operating temperature.

Caterham further advise that with the CSR 260, which is fitted with the race pistons, you need to keep topping up 250 ml at a time until the engine breathes oil into the catch tank (after you have driven it). Caterham also advise that you can't recycle the oil from the catch tank back into the engine ☹️

Blue7

I have just measured the new dipstick and from the bottom to the first part of the flat section measures 216 mm and to the top of the flat section it is 248 mm so 245 mm from the bottom is about right.

Measuring down from the mark at the top of the new dipstick it measures 322 mm to top of flat section.

I have often used old coat hangers to mend exhausts, open a few car doors and replace broken aerials ... but never to check oil levels and especially on a car costing £30k + but good idea

Blue7

>>This is the one I have - here

That is the redundant one

>>Which one of these two should I have - here

Yes, that is the one Caterham supplied me with

>>or here.

I have not seen this one before but it looks to me as if it is the new dipstick with a screw cap attached so that it can replace the original redundant dipstick in the swirl tower. If it is available I can't understand why Caterham didn't fit this one to my car instead of the redundant one?

>>The second one looks like it has no threaded part at the top, is that correct?

Correct

>>If you can email me the info please email

Will do

>>Was the replacement FOC?

Mine certainly was but I would have kicked up a fuss if it hadn't been because I only bought it in May this year

In Caterham owner notes they say:

"A special revised dipstick was introduced in 2006 and issued to all original owners, along with detailed instructions for checking the oil."

"If you do not have this item, please contact Caterham Parts"

I assume it must have been FOC so if you bought your car new you should have been given one or sent one and if you bought second hand the original owner should have been given one and should have handed it to you with the car.

I have thought about putting the old and new dipsticks side by side on the bench and filing a couple of grooves on the old dipstick in line with the flat section on the new dipstick so I can just use the old dipstick but use the grooves as the new level indicator

Blue7

>>So, if I have the dip stick with the green plastic end on it, is it the wrong one?

Yes, if you have a CRS and you are using the standard dipstick which is attached to the underside of the screw-cap. You need to get the replacement dipstick which is a metal rod with a flat section part way along the dipstick, which indicates the correct level.

If you wish, I could email you the CSR owner notes which show a picture of the new dipstick and what the correct level should be?

Blue7

Blue & silver 7 in Alford Aberdeenshire 4.25 pm Sat 23/08/08 heading west ... driver looked even older then me

Blue7

Good to hear of good service. But surely the golden rule is to expect a new car to er work. Not that you need to keep your eye on all the gauges all the time?

Graham

---

Hi Graham

The car does work, the only problem was the oil leak, which was caused by a faulty seal. My understanding is that the engine is fully tested by Cosworth, then installed in the car and track tested by Caterham and obviously there were no initial problems evident.

Having maintained and modified many cars over the years I know only too well that you can sometimes buy a brand new part that turns out to be faulty and fails after a short mileage, replacement brake master cylinder seals and brake shoe piston seals used to be notorious for it and in the case of the latter it meant the shoe linings were ruined in the process. You are always at the mercy of the supplier and I think in the case of Cosworth they will probably be bending their supplier's ear about this small problem that has caused such a lot of work. To be fair, Caterham did after all just fit a Cosworth engine into the car and they didn't build the engine or fit the seal and Cosworth do have a relatively good reputation when it comes to performance and reliability.

The gauges are not fitted for cosmetic purposes and you do need to keep a wary eye on them, obviously not all the time but certainly at initial start up. There are no oil pressure warning lights or fancy computer displays to tell you of low pressures or high temperatures so the gauges are all you have. In the old days the only warning you got was steam coming from the radiator

Blue7

I am a bit late contributing to this thread but I only joined recently. I bought a new CSR260 in May and did have a few teething problems, the worst of which was an engine oil leak from the bell housing assembly. It was a bit annoying considering it is a new car but James Gibson and his team have been first class as far as co-operation and after sales care is concerned and I can only commend them for their help and attention. Caterham collected my car from Aberdeenshire and took it back to Kent for investigation and repair which turned out to be a faulty "O" ring seal. It is being returned to me next week.

The golden rule is to keep an eye on oil pressure and engine temperature gauges ... and also the speedo' ... if the boys in blue are behind

Blue7

LOL Richard!

I am just about to sit down and have something a wee bit stronger than a beer.

As you ask, my car is a new CSR260, just traded in my 1.8K Roadsport for it in May. It is a real animal but there are a couple of issues that I may post with a suitable "topic" later on tomorrow. First issue, can't fill up with petrol without using a plastic tube which has to be fed past the anti-siphon flap because most petrol pump nozzles will not get past the flap. Caterham say remove the flap or bend it back with a screwdriver

Second issue is an oil leak at the bell / sump assy, not a major leak but enough to irritate me as well as make a mess on the garage floor. Caterham have not produced any schematics for the CSR so I am not sure what is contained in the bell / sump assy (other than engine oil), that may be causing the leak or whether it is just a failed silicone seal. Local agent not too keen on breaking the seal on the new cosworth engine and I would not be at all happy to have to drive it all the way from Aberdeenshire back to Caterham Midlands where I would no doubt have to return home by train and travel back by train when it was repaired.

On the bright side, it is frighteningly quick, as a red ferrari driver discovered recently

Blue7

I don't understand either Delbert but GJT obviously thinks Aberdeenshire is somewhere in Wales so I didnae wan' tae disappoint

Blue7

Sut mae GJT

Mae'n dda gen i'ch cyfarfod chi ... Cer o 'ma, Cymru am byth!

Iechyd da

Glas saith

Blue7

new mwmber testing posts 😬

Blue7