tomlil01

Thanks, Dave. The car seems to keep running ok with ~3.5 on each barrel. I can obviously increase the idle to increase the air flow to something nearer 5. I am just a bit confused, as then my idle will be above 1000rpm, and 1000 is what they recommend in the setup guide. Is it normal to have to use an idle above 1000rpm to achieve this air flow?

Thanks, yup, I'll remember to let the car warm up first

Thanks, Steve. This is actually the guide I was using.

thanks, JV. This is interesting. So, it sounds like I should probably increase my idle to 1100 (or perhaps even higher) to try to achieve this air flow of 10 per pair. At the moment I have 3.25, 3.25, 3.25, 3.75 at 1000rpm idle, so nothing like 10 per pair.

Thanks for the responses.I've been trying to follow this guide: http://www.bikerhouse.com/testsite/minister2011/support/roller_barrel_setup_k-seriesr.php If there is some way to balance between the two individual throttle bodies in each pair, then it doesn't mention it. I'm not really sure what I'm looking for, but I can't see anything obvious that might be this "bleed screw". The guide says to use 1mm opening for idle. Lee

Hi, I am trying to balance the roller barrels on my R300K, and I had a few questions that maybe someone with more knowledge might be able to help with. With the idle set to 1000 rpm, I am only getting about 3.5 on each barrel with my synchrometer. Is this normal it should it be higher? In order to achieve a higher air flow I assume I would need to set the idle to more than 1000rpm? In order to get the roller barrels as closely balanced as possible, they do not all seem to be open 1mm at idle. Rather the two barrels towards the back of the car are open ~1mm, and the two barrels towards the front of the car appear to be completely closed (as far as I can see). How does the balance adjustment screw work? Does this balance between all 4 barrels or just the left 2 vs the right 2?Thanks Lee

Hi, Thanks for that. Very helpful. I just checked again and mine is a 967. So, the CAN connector (box) that I bought is no good? What do I need in terms of connecting to the serial connector? Thanks Lee

Hi, Hoping someone might be able to offer some advice. I'm looking to adjust the Throttle Position Sensor on my car, as I am getting bad throttle response/kangarooing at low revs. Up until now I have taken the car to a specialist to get this sorted (along with balancing the throttle bodies), but it seems to not last long before I get problems again, so I want to learn to adjust the TPS and balance the RB) I understand from other posts that I should be able to check the TPS voltage with "easimap" software, by connecting my laptop to my ECU. I ordered an MBE CAN mapping kit, and received this today, but it wasn't until I went to connect it that I found that the garage had installed a serial cable onto the ECU instead of a OBD. The guys who sold me the CAN mapping kit said that I can get a OBD connector (which I can wire into the back of my ECU plug in place of the serial cable), then I Can use the mapping kit Should this work, or is there some reason why the garage attached a serial cable instead? Am I on the right track? The car is a 2004 R300 k-series (with RBTB). There doesn't seem to be anything helpful written on the ECU itself. Thanks Lee

I had this problem. I think it is caused by the clear lacquer wearing thin and letting water in. It seemed to get worse and worse over time. I sanded mine down lightly, then resprayed them with "Hycote Clear Lacquer" that I bought online, and they look pretty good now. Haven't been out in the rain much since but I'm hoping the water marks won't come back.

So, I think the car starting after I rocked it in gear was just a coincidence. I just tried the same a couple of times and also hitting the starter with a hammer and it won't start. It feels like the voltage not dropping at all when I turn the key is a clue, but I don't know anything about this stuff. Seems almost like the immobiliser light has gone off but the immobiliser is still on. Anyone got any other ideas? Thanks, Lee

Hi, Jonathan, I am currently waiting a few days before I can test the "starter motor hypothesis", by rocking the car when in gear. I only tried it once so may have been a coincidence that it seemed to work. I was just wondering, does the fact that I get no change at all to the voltage when turning the ignition (when it won't turn over) indicate that it is probably not the starter motor, but something else. I was assuming that if it's a problem with the starter motor I should still see a voltage drop when turning the ignition? Thanks Lee

For anyone else looking, I found what seem like some good instructions for removing and cleaning the starter motor here: http://www.alcester-racing-sevens.com/solenoid_service.htm

I'm not sure how many SV R300s were built. I do appreciate the extra shoulder room though! And I understand that the old SVs had the same size tillett seats as the S3, so no "rattling about" in the car that people speak of!

My chassis number starts with SDKRDS5R3300. I think the "3" you refer to is perhaps "series 3", as I have "S5" (SV). Yes, I think my next step is to confirm that rocking the car always works, and then I will try cleaning up the starter motor. I'll take a look at your blog. Thanks.

Thanks, Piers. No, my car only has a key rather than red starter button. When I'm checking the earth I will see if I can access and clean the connector under the throttle bodies. Once the car starts, mine will now sit quite happily at idle without any revs. I used to have to rev it a bit to stop it dying but since having a faulty "throttle position sensor" replaced (which was causing all kinds of issues) it will keep running on its own. Lee

Hi Tim, I did this test and it seems promising! I tried to start the car this morning one time and I got nothing when I turned the key. I put the car in gear and rocked it a couple of times and the next time the car turned over. The only reason I am not completely confident is that I did try to turn the car over once or twice last night when I was documenting the problem to make my initial forum post, so the car hasn't been left "untouched" for very long (even though when I was trying to start the car last night it didn't make any sound when I was turning the key) Is there any documentation you know of which describes stripping down the starter motor? I will leave the car now until Saturday when I will be taking it out, and test the rocking trick again, just to be more sure. Thanks for our help, Lee

Hi Jonathan, Please see below some responses to your PM... When I crank and the car tries to start, the voltage goes down to about 10 or 10.5. When I turn the ignition and the car doesn't do anything audible, the voltage remains at about 12.5 (the same as leaving the key at the halfway point) When the engine actually starts and is running, the voltage sits at about 14 or 14.1. Revving to 3000 rpm doesn't seem to change much compared to idle revs. Maybe goes up by 0.1 volts.I am at work at the moment, but will check the other things you mention either this evening or at the weekend, as soon as I have a chance. Lee

Hi, all, Hoping that someone might be able to offer some advice on my starting problem if I describe the behaviour. My car is a 2004 R300 (k-series). I've only owned it a few months, and believe the issue may have been there since I bought the car, but just gone unnoticed as I was driving the car most days. Basically, whenever I leave the car for more than about 24 hours, then without fail it will not start correctly. What happens is that I turn the key, and use the fob to disarm the immobiliser. The immobiliser light stops flashing as expected, and I hear the sound of what i assume is the fuel pump (about half to 1 second). However, when I turn the key further to start the engine, nothing happens. No click. Nothing audible at all in terms of the car attempting to start. If I keep repeating the process, then eventually the car will turn over when I turn the key, even though I've done nothing differently. Once the car starts, if I drive it and stop somewhere for even a few hours, it will without fail turn over first time when I start the car to go home. Similarly, when I drive the car (or at least start it) every day then I don't get the issue. The problem only occurs after car has been left for over a day. Other observations/information: I have tried leaving the car on a trickle charger when not in use, and this doesn't make any difference to the issue. The car shows 12.9 or 13 volts when I disconnect the charger and about 12.6 or 12.7 after turning the key halfway (before I disable the immobiliser). When I have not used the car for a day or more, even when the car is turning over, I normally need to attempt to start the engine 3 or 4 times before it stays running. But, once it starts turning over, it will carry on turning over every time until it starts (it won't return to doing nothing when I turn the key). The age/condition of the battery is not known to me as it was on the car when I bought it in December. Any advice on what I should try would be very gratefully received. Thanks Lee

Thanks, Chris!

Thanks, all, for the advice. Very much appreciated. Just to clarify, I noticed that the TSRR does actually mention the 50mm clearance, but in section (5) "Recommended further safety measures", so it is recommended but not mandatory. I've now booked my car in to get the floor lowered before my first track day, and I will sit in a car with a lowered floor beforehand to see whether I also need the seat tilted backwards a bit as well. Out of interest, does anyone know where I can obtain spacers to tilt the seat back?

Thanks for the info. I don't think I'll go down that route, as I don't want to have to replace or stop using my hoods and covers etc. Hoping the lowered floor, possibly with a bit of tilt on the seat will be enough.

Aha, thanks, James. That is very helpful. I was looking at the PDF "Roll Bars and Roll Cages", and that mentions 5cm. However, I just re-read it and it says "for motorsport", so I assume not relevant for L7C track days.

Thanks, Stu. Think I had heard about tilting the seat with spacers, but had forgotten about that option. My only concern with that is that I'm potentially tilting my knees onto the steering wheel.

Hi, all, I am hoping someone might be able to assist. I am booked up for three L7C track days later this year, after getting my first Caterham and joining the club in December, and I am just trying to understand the requirements around roll bar clearance. I have an R300 SV with standard floors, tillet seats and an FIA roll bar. I am 6 feet tall. I have read the article about safety requirements for the L7C track days, and understand that I need at least 5cm clearance between the top of my crash helmet and the line between the rollbar and top of the bonnet. Sitting in the car today wearing a crash helmet just for testing, I found that my head was pushing up the half-hood quite considerably, and therefore would be above even the line between the rollbar and windscreen, never mind the line between the roll bar and the top of the bonnet. I appreciate that I can get a lowered seat, but I had some questions before going ahead with this: 1) Would you expect that at 6 feet I would need lowered floors? I don't consider myself particularly tall and I understand that the tillet seats already put me relatively low compared to the leather padded seats. Have any of you of similar height needed to lower your seat to achieve the required headroom for the L7C track days? 2) is there a risk that even with a lowered seat I would not be eligible for the track days. I am concerned that I only get about 5cm lower with the lowered seat, and I feel like I'm way off at the moment. 3) I was sitting with my back flat against the seat when measuring my height today. Obviously I could get much lower by sliding forward in the seat. Is that "the trick" to achieving the required headroom? Any advice very much appreciated. Thanks Lee