Foxy Smith

I'm currently experimenting with different air filter types to try and get something that suits my new flat-slide set up. I don't want to go hacking bigger holes in my bonnet until I know I have to IYSWIM. What's the score with running on public roads with your engine exposed? I suppose I can leave it till dark and try not to be too blatant. Just wondered if anyone knew?? Alan

Nice one Dave The simple ideas are always the best. What's difficult is figuring out why I did'nt think of that

This may have no relevance to you as I have a Vx with Caterham dry sump system. My concerns were that the oil would take forever to get warm and never really get that hot. I had the opportunity to buy a Laminova cheaply and plumbed it in so that the coolant was supplied from the heater circuit so that the oil would be heated quickly. This seems to work well although I have to say I'd like to see the oil get a little warmer. I think there may be an oil temperature sensor issue here as well so not really clear cut but I would'nt scrap the Laminova just beacaue you're going dry sump, you may need it for a different reason.

If your happy with throttle cable and return springs etc. revs hanging up like that would suggest your idle setting is too lean. Does anything else suggest that? spitting back through carbs etc. I reckon I'd try richening things up a bit. Two turns out from closed is the usual starting point.

Must be a problem with your unit. I've run a VDO CO8 for 2-3 years now and no problems with speeds well into 3 figures. Also no change in accuracy as goes faster and checked calibration against GPS at various speeds, all spot on.

Yes, why do they always come off in the rain when you're rushing to catch a ferry. My wife was asleep in the passenger seat and just by reflex reached up and caught the hood as the last popper popped!

The standard Vx thermostat opens at something like 92degC 92-108 on the thermostat. You can replace this with a thermostat for a Calibra Turbo which opens in the low 70's This gives a rock solid 82 on the gauge. Prior to this I was getting huge oscillations in temperature. Apparently the problem is the Caterham gauge set up but I'm happier now seeing a steady temperature.

BTTT

Not too hot on electronics so got myself a bit lost here. I want to splice the audio output from my Garmin Quest into my intercom headset. The intercom is a Terratrip, it has a 3.5mm socket for audio feed. I checked this out by playing an MP3 through it with no problems. I used the headphone output from the MP3 player. I then connected the speaker wires from the Garmin to a 3.5mm jack but no matter which combination of wires I use I consistenly get a buzing from either the Garmin speaker or the Intercom headset. The Garmin and the intercom share the same power supply. The supply to the intercom is filtered with a resistor/capacitor. My logic was that the output to the MP3 player headphones would be similar to the output from the Garmin speaker. Maybe this is where I have gone wrong. Anyone got any thoughts on what to try next. Thanks Alan

Carl, that's interesting and something I had not considered. I'm taking the +ve supply off the coil not the tacho feed as that's supposed to be more reliable according to Omex. I (had) assumed that it would be a solid 12V. But something to check nonetheless. Thank you.

Slightly similar problem. My car has an Omex sequential shift light. When I first had the car it worked fine but then it stopped working. I tried alll sorts of things, spoke to Omex techie who was first class and eventually sent the unit back where it was found to be in perfect condition. Still does not work, even with it earthed right back to the battery post so given up on it. Sorry does not help you other than knowing you're not the only frustrated Omex owner!!

Even a very basic router as used for woodworking can be used to good effect for machining aluminium. You need to use carbide bits and only cut a small amount at a time but the results can be very good. Full face mask is a good idea also.

Arnie, I could do with some new leads, I'll try and remeber to give you a call! best Alan

The neatest cut in braided pipe can be got using a plumbers pipe slice with a bit of cylindrical steel inserted into pipe as a mandrel. For brake pipes a nail works well.

Paul, if you do turn up something useful be sure to let us know. Thanks, Alan

Last time I changed the belt I found it was a little slack compared with the previous one. I machined up new washers which from (unreliable) memory were 2.7mm thick. What they increased from I can't remember.

Paul, I've just put my engine back in. That's the third time in about four years of ownership. I've replaced seals, upgraded to the "latest" (steel piston) slave and use the recommended hydraulic fluid. As you can imagine I've put a lot of thought into solving this problem. The thing is I reckon the concept is brilliant just that it has not been executed well, which is what you allude to in your post above. I also thought about the possibility of resleeving and considered making up a stainless sleeve. What has prevented me from doing this however is the difficulty in achieving a tight seal where the drillings from the hydraulic feed and the bleed nipple would breach the new sleeve. I am pretty sure that however well fitted with the pressures likely to be generated fluid would find its way between the new sleeve and the bore in the bell housing so no better off the before. To be honest I think that if there is a way forward with this it is with improved materials for the o rings. I tried to source some Viton rings but have just run out of time and resigned myself to trying this next time which will be in another 11-12 months. I think what is a great shame about this is that Caterham have obviously "washed their hands" of this concept. Other wise why would they have gone back to the less competent clutch fork for the K series dry sump bell housing.

....leaving Crawley this morning. Which is probably the best thing to do regards Crawley 😬

Eh? I though Namrick were in Hove or Brighton??

Agree, remove before coating. Do watch however when putting back on that you use the correct rivits with a very thin flat head rather than domed head type other wise the hood studs won't go on. Also, depending on your pop riviter you may need a stand off to fit down inside the stud when squeezing up the rivit. If you don't do this the stud won't be fastened back tight against the screen frame.

Hmm I noticed that as well, and not a lot of metal around the hole either if you were thinking of enlarging it.

Could I have the indicator pods please. Will mail you direct for details. Thanks. Alan

Good luck with the new practice Andy.

1. being Italian it's going to metric 2. measure the outside (overall) diameter of the threaded post, if it's 5mm it's M5 and so on 3. It could be Metric course or Metric fine series, it's most likely to be course. The way to detrmine this is to count 10 threads and measure the distance between the first and the last, divide by 10 this gives the pitch. Once you know the size of the nut you can look up a chart to confirm whether course or fine. Look up somebody like Namrick on the web they have charts which you can refer to.

Nitromors does pretty well on most things and as long as you do a thorough rinse off I doubt that it would do any harm to aluminium alloy. Having said that surely there must be a powder coater in your area, they all have blasting equiptment and are rarely that expensive and gives you the option of having it re-done in whatever colour you like afterwards.