OAP

Thanks for all these replies - very helpful

I had thought so too, but couldn't remember, which is why I posted this. I guess Oily Hands will know as suggested earlier. I'll give him a call.

Any recomendations for a replacement K gasket? Or should I just get a normal one from a garage? Failed on seven year old S2 Elise for no apparent reason. All the coolent disappeared from the header tank, and the dip stick showed blobs of water. The RAC man told my son he didn't need a break down truck as the car could safely be driven!! - son insisted and RAC man got very

So it makes sense to have first, the highest cranking amps, second the highest amp hours, when choosing between batteries of similar size and weight, irrespective of the car?

Sorry to ask such a simple question on here, but electrics are a mystery. Presumably it is better to use the highest amperage battery - all other things being equal - as this will have more lasting power, for example when starting?

Hi Geoff, yhm.

Thanks for all these replies - they confirm my suspicion that the problem lies with the voltage regulator, but I don't know why it might have failed. Any ideas? The alternator is a separate unit as Gridgway pointed out, and I see that the regulator is an integral part, so it looks as if I need to replace the whole thing. I'll get it off today and take it apart, but it might be easier just to buy a new unit from a breakers yard. I can only find two fuses, one in the starter circuit and the other in the ignition circuit, and sadly both are intact, so I'm uncertain yet what other damage may have been caused. Any speculation? I guess I'll find out when I am able to connect another battery.

This is not strictly 7, as it happened yesterday on my Radical, but the problem is generic so I guess there will be some knowledgeable BC users who are able to give advice. All the electrics failed, and when the car rolled to a stop there was a strong smell of battery acid. Investigation showed the battery swollen at the sides by a couple of inches, and hot fluid leaking out through the stretched seams. The engine is a ZZR1100 Kawasaki, and I think the starter and alternator are the same unit. I took the battery out this morning and it still gives a voltage reading (12.7v), so there must be a blown fuse somewhere in the wiring, which i will eventually find. Question is, how could this happen? Is it likely that the alternator regulator has failed, and the battery has seriously over charged? It is a tiny battery and I had to jump start the car yesterday morning in the cold, and it had been outside all night on the trailer, when it was below freezing. Anyone any ideas?

Faced with the same issue I just took the screen off and fitted the aero screen. It passed no problem

Bent or wrecked beyond repair, or just old. Must have clean registration and be very cheap.

Roger, YHM.

Complete with gaiters, balls, threaded bars and fixings, although the gaiters have seen better days - still serviceable though. Not certain how much this is worth so say £20 collect, £30 including postage.

Used for two years and stored in my garage for the past ten years. £30 + postage. 07970760462.

Used for three weeks,therefore fitted and removed but in nearly unused condition. Complete with plastic strip (cut to fit) and black rivets. £40 + postage. 07970760462. Edited by - oap on 25 Sep 2010 16:32:00

Thanks Mike - I have replied.

Repaired (welded) after "light" crack at the leading edge. Complete with baffle plate. £65 + postage or collect. 07970760462 Edited by - oap on 25 Sep 2010 16:33:13

Fit the male press stud fasteners to the car following the instructions (fitting kit £7.05 from Caterham). Fit two central female fasteners front and back to the tonneau and attach it to the car. Mark and fit remaining female fasteners to the tonneau. Easy.

Still for sale

Hello Craig I've tried to reply to your e-mail letting you know the tonneau is yours if you want it, but the message is returned as undeliverable. Give me a call on 07970760462 to make arrangements. Thanks

S3 Tonneau with leather seat ears, unused, never fitted, £75. Reach me through blatmail, thanks. Edited by - OAP on 27 Aug 2010 10:42:24

Thank you Clousta I must remember to try Wikipedia first in future!

What causes the white powder/corrosion around the positive battery terminal? Will grease prevent it, and is there a special type?

Thanks Mark. Do I take it that if it shows 12v or less it is not working?

Sorry to ask such a basic question, but I can't remember how to check that the battery is being charged. Can anyone help please?

Arnie, thanks for the interesting response. My 7 is well catered for by a 7x30 Raceco can which has cured the problem of track day access quite easily. The issue I have now is on a recently acquired Radical which presents a whole new set of problems. The standard set up (4-2-1, 2.5" dia bore, 6x18" can) gave 104db at 8k rpm static. Fitting the aforementioned Raceco via a dia reducing pipe (2.5 to 2.25) reduced this to 96db at 7krpm static (one measured at Goodwood, the other at Castle Combe) but it fits badly under the bodywork and sticks out the back by about 18", and gives too much weight on the wrong side of the fastening. The 1100cc Kawasaki engine is mounted transversely with two primaries emerging from either side, lending itself well to having two smaller silencers, occupying less space and giving less leverage weight beyond the fastenings, but more importantly, providing more surface to absorb noise. So it is interesting what you say about length, as I guess two 20" cans equals at least one 40" can?