Clousta

Interesting. I have just rechecked the nuts that were fitted to the studs. They are normal M6 nuts and a 10mm spanner fits them. With K&N filters fitted there isn't a space issue and ordinary M6 nuts (or nylocs) fit. My engine was built by Oselli Engine Services in 1986. K&N fIlters are specified on the invoice so were probably fitted by Oselli hence the difference in M6 nuts compared to a Caterham supplied engine. Gavin 1988 1700 Supersprint (LA, long cockpit)

Squiggle mark is Greek letter Lambda which denotes the air/fuel ratio. Hence the air sensor in your exhaust system is often referred to as a lambda probe. Gavin 1988 1700 Supersprint (LA, long cockpit)

You could try here. Speed Shack Very knowledgeable and accommodating. Gavin 1988 1700 Supersprint (LA, long cockpit)

Graham, Yes. I have a selection box (stainless steel, I think) of metric nuts and metric nyloc nuts. I used this reference Dimensions of metric hexagon nuts (second table) and my micrometer to mark up the box with the correct M designator (I also marked up on the box what spanner size I needed for each for future ease of use). I now know that I have a selection of M8, M6, M5, M4 and M3 plain and nyloc nuts. M6 nuts need a 10mm spanner/socket. This table helped with the washer sizes metric washer sizes(third table). But once you know the right M size nut then getting the right M size washer is easy. Gavin 1988 1700 Supersprint (LA, long cockpit)

Elie, nylocs and plain washers fitted and tight. Everything looked clean and OK. The air trumpets do slide into the carburettor body but no gasket was present on any of the carburettors or any indication of one. The air trumpet retaining plates are firmly holding the air trumpets in place. They can't rotate. Air filters look OK and are back in place. Job done! Gavin 1988 1700 Supersprint (LA, long cockpit)

Elie, thanks for the technical advice! Unless Roger chips in I will go with this general advice: It will have to be done by hand/feel as I don't have a torque wrench that covers that low range. BTW Elie, I have made good progress with my fuel fill pipe/elbow problem. I reversed the pipe to avoid the memory effect of the crimped hose (the raised section). I took almost 25mm of the hose's length. The hose is now an elbow with a greater than 90 degree angle rather than less than 90 degree angle. I can see the top of the tank's filler pipe now. The path is definitely all downhill from the entrance to the filler cap to the tank. I can probably get the tip of the petrol pump nozzle into the tank filler pipe now. I am looking forward to a test......I just have to change a few important little nuts before I drive anywhere! Gavin 1988 1700 Supersprint (LA, long cockpit)

Pooh_R many thanks for the photo. I thought you were referring to the lock nuts holding the cab to the inlet manifold, hence my confusion. I see from the photos that you are talking about the split washer and nut holding the air horn retaining plate and of course the backplate of the (K&N in my case) air filter assembly. I have checked mine and all are held on by a split washer and nut. Fortunately all are there and still tight. They are M6 threads/nuts. So I will get on my bike and get do to the Bricolagefor some fresh M6 nyloc nuts and matching plain washers (Roger, I am assuming that you fitted a plain washer under the nyloc - is that correct?). I have looked through Des Hamill's 'Weber and Dellorto' book and had a quick look several photocopied extracts of manuals on Webers that I inherited from the previous owner and I can't find the recommended torque setting for the nuts? Any recommendations? Sorry about your damage - I hope it works out OK. But many, many thanks for the 'catch'. Gavin 1988 1700 Supersprint (LA, long cockpit)

Or its available as a complete kit. POR 15 car tank repair kit It might look expensive but its cheaper than a new tank. Product in use Gavin 1988 1700 Supersprint (LA, long cockpit) Edited by - Clousta on 23 Aug 2010 07:55:33

I have weber carbs. But I am struggling to work out where the nut was ingested from. I have had a look at my 40 DCOE set up externally and unless I run the engine without the (K&N) air filters I can't see how the engine could ingest a nut. All my nuts securing the carb backplate on to the carb are locking nuts and are tight. Please enlighten me. *confused*Or am I misunderstanding your description of carb back plate? Gavin 1988 1700 Supersprint (LA, long cockpit)

Hi Heiko, If Simon's offer doesn't work out... I have a S3 hood and Caterham hood bag. In fact I have an early (circa 1987) hood that fits the original flat sidescreens OR a new style S3 hood that matches the hi-visibility doors (the ones with the elbow bulge). It has the velcro sleeve for the top hood rail and a zip out rear screen (zip works). I have just cleaned it up. It could do with an application of 'Restora' to improve the windows (but they have not yellowed). I only put it on the back of my Seven yesterday while Slider@7 is borrowing my half hood for his trip to the Alps in a few days time (Well it used to be his before he foolishly sold it to me ). Where are you in Germany? Is Stuttgart home or were you visiting? I am located 15km east of Brussels. Gavin 1988 1700 Supersprint (LA, long cockpit)

Source Wikipedia I use Vaseline or copper grease or at a push ordinary grease. I did have a can of stuff from Halfords once - it coated the terminals with a green goo but it seemed pretty expensive for the amount that it would be used. Gavin 1988 1700 Supersprint (LA, long cockpit)

Hi Elie, since I have got the thread gauges and the micrometer out this evening... The seat belt mounting bolts are 7/16 UNF. I have 8 seat belt eye bolts (they have a 1 inch long threaded section) which came off my Seven when I fitted the new 4 point harnesses . I also have 4 of the short mounting bolts (also 1 inch long threaded section). Normally these are the floor ones in a Caterham. I used them with the triangular plates that I fitted temporarily to the top mounting points to allow the boot cover (and tonneau to fit properly). I now know that the top bolts should be the long ones so that they go all the way through the crossbar behind the seats. I got the triangular plates and bolts from Luke (safety harnesses) (Chris Palmer). They don't normally sell them separately but they should be able to advise to where to source seat belt bolts. (Tel:+44 1424 854499 Fax:+44 1424 854488 corbeau sales(at)corbeau-seats.co.uk They have eye bolt sets (including the nuts and mounting plates + stress plates). Stress plates eye bolts I have 8 x snap hooks from the old harnesses in addition to the eye bolt and other fittings. You can have any of them if they are of use to you. Are you free any time over the next two weeks to assist in fitting the half doors and the armrest/escutcheon plates for my new side screens? Gavin 1988 1700 Supersprint (LA, long cockpit)

A quick search reveals a selection linky this is probably your best bet linky or look for Gavin 1988 1700 Supersprint (LA, long cockpit) Edited by - Clousta on 17 Aug 2010 19:24:10

I have got my alternator and alternator mounting bracket off at the moment (being painted in Red Hammerite prior to offering up the new alternator). The three big bolts that hold the (tall) triangular mounting plate to the block are 3/8 UNC x 1 1/4 (inch long) (they have a thread pitch of 16 per inch (UNC) vice 24 per inch (UNF). Pitch measurements were taken with a pitch gauge and bolt dimensions with a micrometer. Noting the threads in BC about Crossflows shaking their alternators off I intend to renew the split washers (or spring lock washers = Rondelle ressort) on all the bolts. I found the one holding the alternator adjustment bar to the block was broken. The spring washers for the alternator bolts, and alternator adjustment bar bolts are all equivalent to M8 split washers. The split washers for the bolts holding the alternator mounting plate to the block are equivalent to M10 split washers. I intend to fit split washers as there were only ordinary washers fitted. All the bolts were tight so they must have been loctited but I think I will fit spring washers. I haven't established the torque required when tightening them up yet. I bought a selection of nyloc UNF nuts from eBay - Quick delivery. There are plenty of suppliers out there - I can't locate the one I used at the moment. Gavin 1988 1700 Supersprint (LA, long cockpit) Edited by - Clousta on 17 Aug 2010 19:33:29

A description up front of what it does would have been helpful. Even though I am an engineer it wasn't obvious what the tool does from the pictures. Would a toothed belt really allow you to undo or tighten say to 50lbft? Its difficult to visualise. Wouldn't a chain be better? Gavin 1988 1700 Supersprint (LA, long cockpit)

Redline Components changed out my pads for new ones (standard). The originals which had been fitted for the last 22 years had a very dead feel and some indications of delaminating. So worth a try with standard new pads. Gavin 1988 1700 Supersprint (LA, long cockpit)

Nice trip. I did Brussels - Caterham - Brussels last week. I agree with the above except my rear fog lamp is illuminated when the sidelights are switched on. Also when the rear fog light is switched on there is an amber light at the top of the rocker switch. However I understand the later switches are different - looking at the CC website the switch appears to have a red lens in the switch rather than backlit green. - That's progress... Gavin 1988 1700 Supersprint (LA, long cockpit) Edited by - Clousta on 27 Jul 2010 21:06:48

I got one last week from Redline components. on the invoice it is listed as QCC1061 Clutch Cable - RHD Four Speed Mick seems to have the full range in stock and can advise. Gavin 1988 1700 Supersprint (LA, long cockpit)

I got mine here linky Cheaper still however I haven't fitted them yet - I am focusing a other jobs at the moment but their time is approaching! Gavin 1988 1700 Supersprint (LA, long cockpit)

Trailer for sale linky Photos Gavin 1988 1700 Supersprint (LA, long cockpit) Edited by - Clousta on 13 Jul 2010 19:50:40

test

Yes that's an old system. It looks total original. Fill (when cool obviously) via the 'do not remove' cap. It is the refill point. (I think this is a very early Ford 'Elf and Safety' message 😬 or they had a Microsoft employee working for them using the same logic as '...press start to switch off Windows...') You will see that there are 2 sealing surfaces on the cap. After the first fill and run your level will drop a bit as system vents itself. It might drop down to the level of the radiator temperature sensor/switch. After you have topped it up again and the level has settled after few runs it will be totally full each time you take the cap off to check. To ensure this happens make sure that the coolant expansion hose at the radiator cap end has a jubilee clip on it. Then any coolant expansion past the first radiator cap sealing surface will expand into the coolant expansion tank and you will see the level rise . If the end of the expansion hose is sitting on the bottom of the expansion tank, with the all important 45 degree cut (so the system isn't trying to suck up the bottom of the expansion tank up the pipe!!) then the cooling system will suck up coolant and the expansion tank level will go down as the car cools. The system does work even on mine where the aluminium tube coming out of the thermostat tower (housing) has corroded away to a very short length and purchase of the jubilee clip is difficult to achieve. The top sealing surface is the pressure cap which will release if you manage to over heat/pressurise the system as in any other car. So the lower sealing surface must be set to allow the expansion water to pass at a lower pressure. To flush I unbolted the thermostat tower and removed the thermostat. It wasn't a problem as I was fitting a new thermostat anyway. If you are careful you can probably reuse the thermostat gasket but I would change it anyway - they are cheap and you will probably want to clean up the mating surfaces any way after thrusting the garden hose down into the block and flushing out all the detritus. The cooling system is very simple and straight forward. I note that others raised the front of the car or loosened a top hose to allow any air to vent out. I did neither and just let the system vent itself after running the engine for a few minutes after filling up and then and topped it up again after a drive. IRRC after the 2nd top up the level has always been full. No airlocks in the heater either (note at the moment I don't have a heater control valve fitted). Good luck. You'll be fine. And on a hot day like this do the job outside and have a good excuse to throw some cool water from the garden hose around. Gavin 1988 1700 Supersprint (LA, long cockpit) Edited by - Clousta on 11 Jul 2010 15:05:14

I used Wynn's coolant flush. I took the radiator off and forward and backward flushed it with the garden hose. Did the same with the block. Refilled the system. Ran it. when cool topped it up. Its been fine ever since. NB. I did sort the expansion tank out and trimmed the end of the expansion hose at 45 degrees to enable coolant to be sucked back into the system when the car cools (it does work!).When I change the hoses for silicone or fit my sealed cooling system I will flush the heater too. Gavin 1988 1700 Supersprint (LA, long cockpit) Edited to correct cooking for cooling! Edited by - Clousta on 11 Jul 2010 14:34:00

As they in Jamaica 'Maximum respect!' I have only done 1,350 miles since acquiring my Seven last August. But now that lots of the 'niggles' are sorted the mileage is starting accumulate quicker. And on the slapping noise have you checked for stones lodged in the tyre treads? I know its unlikely but its a potential easy fix. I have a gravel drive and apart from spraying gravel the AO21Rs can pick up stones which tend to make a noise until they are thrown out. Gavin 1988 1700 Supersprint (LA, long cockpit)

Dave, happy to buy at £22 all in. I look forward to your BM. Gavin 1988 1700 Supersprint (LA, long cockpit)