old captain slow

Hmmm! SWMBO is also making progress in the right direction. I was outside enjoying the sunshine and fiddling with the throttle stop position when she came out and said "Don't you think it's running a bit rich on tickover" C7 CDW

The Apollo is an oil de-airator tank. The K engine has a very shallow sump and the oil pick up gets exposed under cornering g forces with the result that the oil pump delivers an air/oil mixture to the engine which can lead to damaged bearings and other problems. It's a cheaper solution than a dry sump and works adequately but not as well as a full dry sump system. I have a similar 7 with clams to yours Bloggsy. I changed to 13" wheels running 185/60s which dropped the ride height by just about 1" which on my car was enough to have the sump clout the road if at all bumpy. I fitted adjustable platforms and no problems since. The other effect will note if fitting the smaller wheels is that the clams may look silly with a huge gap between the clam and the rubber. You can sort that by a little careful fettling of the clam support strut. The difference in handling is very marked. The smaller wheels are much better. I ended up changing the springs as well because although the handling was no great shakes with the 16" wheels it went a bit evil with the smaller wheels. Ended up with the 5/8 roll bar and 300lb springs at the front but kept the soft 🙆🏻 springs (100lb) at the back. That combination is probably not the best but it's pretty forgiving if you get things out of shape I find. Also I wouldn't muck about - get an Apollo. C7 CDW

If you dilute the waxoil with a bit of (check the tin) white spirit or similar, it runs in to the nooks and crannies better. (Down side is it also makes a worse mess on the floor). Mines had these bubbles in a few places for at least 7 years and I just use WD40 at regular intervals. C7 CDW

If you can't remove the brace it will foul the inlet plenum. I think what Angus did to solve that problem was to get a few mm milled off the mating surfaces of the two halves of the plnum so he could drop the height and retain the original engine mount. Send him a Blat mail. C7 CDW

If your friend is doing track days without at least an Apollo tank fitted he's going to run into expensive trouble as others have posted above. Just to re-emphasise - one good surge will wipe all the bearings and (speaking from experience) could also lead to more expensive damage. We had a K that wiped it's bearing to the extent that the pistons hit the valves. Ouch 😳 C7 CDW

Fitted one to mine. It needed the VVC engine mount, VVC clutch cable because the normal one fouls the plennum, and a VVC cross brace on that side of the engine that has dimples in it at the right place to clear the bottom of the plennum. Alternatively you could drop the existing cross brace under the mounting position I think and use spacers in the gap when you bolt up. Seems to go like a train, but I'm sure oily's comment will be correct. Anyone put one on a RR? I thought the Megagrads claimed about 150 hp with this mod. Of course I never made any detailed notes but I'm pretty sure I compared the port diameters with a spare plastic 1600 plennum and they seemed the same - could that be right Oily? The VVC plenum has loads of casting cr*p in it so it needs a bit of TLC to get rid of it. C7 CDW

There's a drive by at Combe at Camp Corner now as well. Dave F. Did they let you through at 100.6 at Combe? C7 CDW

Re the tonneau problem. I've just been sitting in the car admiring the view from the drivers seat inside the trailer (really sad I know). Seems to me the shift light's optimum position is just to the left of the steering wheel on top of the scuttle. In that position the wire from the shift light lies naturally in the nick between the borrom of the windscreen frame and the top of the scuttle. I'm inclined to run the wire along the bottom of the screen then trough the skin where it curves down on the drivers side. This would mean when I fit the tonneau I can unclip the shift light and drape it inside the car out of sight and the tonneau goes on just fine IYSWIM. What do you think? Need a small grommet for the hole - Maplins I guess. The easiest way to wire it is going to be into the back of the tacho, but mine goes haywire when I'm on track giving it beans. It's nice and steady at any revs on the road once it's settled down. Do you think TADTS or do I need to sort the tacho feed as well? C7 CDW

That would be a real easy fix so interested in the views. My tacho goes all over the place when I'm giving the cars beans. Do you think that means there's loads of noise in the tacho signal line and that this would screw the shift light? C7 CDW

What's the percieived wisdom for the set up ie Hi and Lo and flash set point for a K series 1.6 SS? C7 CDW

Ta each. C7 CDW

Anyone got the standard ratios as used in the 1996 C7 to hand please? C7 CDW

Ok will try it. Thanks. I can always put it back. C7 CDW

Ok but does that take the edge off the performance. I'm very happy with the wa y it goes so I'd rather put up with the tick over if you know what I mean. It was transformed after you did your stuff on it. C7 CDW

Oily timed the cams for me good couple of years ago and we went for the "aggressive" setting because I couldn't see much point in anything else. I just put up with lumpy because actually the car has done it from when I put in the SS cams (2000). It's also got the 52mm TB that makes matters a bit worse and the VVC plennum that makes no diffence to the tickover. I'm actually not that bothered about it but it just seemed an inelegant situation bearing in mind the engine isn't any more than mildly tuned. I'll fiddle with the vacuum pipe and see if that makes any difference at the weekend. I have got the throttle stop set just shy of the point where the "switch" effect comes in and the revs leap in one step to 2k, but I haven't tried re-setting the ECU. C7 CDW

That sounds hopeful. No I didn't think to reset the ECU. It's EU2 but has the step change you describe. ALso I wasn't expecting perfection because even though it's only got SS cams it's timed aggressively. I'll give it another whirl at the weekend. Wish it was lighter in the evenings. Roll on summer. Ta. C7 CDW

I only have humble 2 pot calipers. ☹️ However, I've got RS15s at the front and 1155s at the back. Very pleased but haven't been able to test the balance in the wet. The rear pads throw out tons of dust though. Previously had green stuff at the front and standard pads at the back (whatever they are) both ends burnt out and fell to bits. C7 CDW

Nope and Nope. It's not the battery - the car has always done this, I'm just getting fed up with it. Guess what 😬 - it's a 52mm ali throttle body. I think it must just be the MEMS is no good at idle. The engine appears to be overfuelling on tick over. C7 CDW

Ok so I tried as described in the link, but no go. Warmed up the engine but failed to be able to get a stable idle or even run at less than about 1500 rpm. The ecu behaves as if it has a switch in it. 1500/2000rpm or higher is ok but anything less and the engine stalls ie just cuts out. To get it to run at all without the IACV it needs really winding up. Seems to be something sadly adrift around the tickover position. It's got a new throttle pot by the way. Also it goes like a train in other respects. Confused! C7 CDW

Looks like a good potential solution. I'll give it a whirl at the weekend weather permitting. Ta. C7 CDW

I know TADTS, but mine is particularly bad and it also smells very rich on tick over and kangaroos when trying to go slowly in traffic that can be a real pain. It's got the std Rover SS MEMS. Could it be something like a US lambda sensor or one of the other sensors do you think. If so is there a way of checking the lambda out? Other than the tick over it goes fine. Ta. C7 CDW

Hi Peter - where did you get the idea I suggested that? Fill it with coolant, bleed the air, put the cap on. Take it for a run - or - next time you take it for a run just keep an eye on the coolant levels just in case .. What's wrong with that? Oh by the way this is my last post on this subject. C7 CDW Edited by - David W on 7 Jan 2007 13:02:21

Oh for goodness sake Peter, which planet are you on? C7 CDW

I'm getting bored with this .. All I can say is air collects in the pipes at the back of my engine and it's the easiest way of getting rid of it. Are you also saying after you finish a job don't bother to give it a test? Just read the end of your thread Peter. No need to be "bleeding" rude old chap. C7 CDW Edited by - David W on 7 Jan 2007 09:26:36

Well at great risk of getting jumped on from a high altitude, I've used more or less Grant's method lots of times and it works fine. The only variation I have on it (and this is probably related to my particular hose layout) is that what air needs displacing ends up in the hose that runs round the back of the engine and in the radiator header tank. I displace it by running the engine up to warm but not red hot and with the expansion tank cap tight I slacken the bleed T raised to high level and the cooling system internal pressure blows the air out. Same with the radiator header plug. Once it all seems to have been displaced (few blips of the throttle) take it for a run then re-check. Works a treat every time. C7 CDW Edited by - David W on 6 Jan 2007 16:41:09