Tony C

Rob YHM If anyone else would like a parts list for the mechanical gauge and low pressure light, just drop me an e-mail and I'll send it to you. BRG SV 😬 It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye. (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)

I always disconnect the negative battery lead when working on the electrical system, but will now disconnect it whenever I'm fiddling about in the engine compartment with anything. Doing the 6000 mile service today and happily check-tightening away. Unfortunately made contact with the uninsulated positive terminal on the rear face of the alternator and earth when I attempted to put an allen socket on the top left hand engine mounting bolt. Luckily the shower of sparks caused an intense reflex action which broke the electrical contact - DAMN I have now put one of the SVA plastic nut protectors to a GOOD use and insulated the positive connection on the back of the alternator - I've used them on the connectors on the starter solenoid too. I hope I've not fried the alternator gubbins thingy whotsit, whose name escapes me. Hope this will prevent someone else making a similar boo-boo BRG SV 😬 It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye. (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)

Fitted my mechanical oil pressure gauge yesterday and the oil pressure reading, whatever it may be is now rock steady 😬 28-30psi hot idle and depending on rpm, 50-65psi hot running. My LARGE low oil pressure warning light is now wired-up too and set to illuminate at a falling pressure of 35psi I feel a lot more confident with the oil pressure indication now BRG SV 😬 It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye. (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)

Gave all the wheels a good spin with the 7 on axle stands and my ticking noise is only coming from the front wheels. After removing the wheels and spinning the front hubs by hand it's possible to hear the pads slightly rubbing on the discs. This displaces the pads on their support pins and causes the ticking noise. If I push on the pads with my fingers, the rubbing still occurs but no ticking noise. I'm satisfied there's no problem with my set-up, and am now happy to ignore the ticking I'm getting 😬 BRG SV 😬 It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye. (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)

On my de Dion rear, the order of fitment was drive shaft, ears, disc, caliper, big nut - so I guess the reverse would be true for removal. BRG SV 😬 It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye. (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)

Halford sells clear or black silicone. Loctite 243 is ideal for our type of threadlocking, I assume that's what you need it for. I called using the phone number on their (UK) website and they gave me the local stockists - as it's not available in every car parts store. 10ml is all you need. BRG SV 😬 It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye. (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)

I've got a similar noise I can hear coming from the front offside wheel when it's rotating slowly. I can't hear it with the brakes applied or when travelling at speed. I jacked the thing up and rotated the wheel by hand and the noise seemed to be generated by intermitant contact between the disk and the pad(s). Decided not to worry about it, but will check again during the 6000 mile service this weekend and will post if I discover anything significant. BRG SV 😬 It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye. (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)

My oil pressure indication has just started to "waver" in the reported "usual Caterham fashion" after 5800 miles and nine weeks from new. It always used to show 4 bar when hot and running and 2 bar hot idle. Today it was showing 2 1/2 bar hot and running and 1 bar hot idle for a while, then going back to its previous values, then down again. Gives you the heeby geebies The engine sounds healthy and the oil level is fine - checked hot and running. Luckily I have already purchased a mechanical gauge and connectors from "Think" so will be fitting it this weekend when I do the oil change - hopefully it will return to steady reading - and in psi too 😬 BRG SV 😬 It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye. (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)

I don't know about how much it "should" be drinking, but my SV with a 1.8 K is not using any oil between oil changes at 5300 miles in 8 weeks of pretty spirited driving. I must admit and agree with you that the dipstick is not the easiest thing to read when checking the oil level "hot-and-running", as recommended. A quick stab and withdrawl (Ooer!) and the right lighting usually gives satisfactory results, but I do it several times to make sure I'm getting a good average reading. All the recommendations I've seen from "knowledgable" sources suggest that it's better to stick to the exact same oil for topping-up as is in the sump - both viscosity/grade and manufacturer. Hope this helps 😬 BRG SV 😬 It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye. (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)

Heat build-up under the bonnet can vapourise fuel in the line, thus giving "warm" starting problems. BRG SV 😬 aka Bug Killer

Cough BRG SV 😬 aka Bug Killer

MGC BRG SV 😬 aka Bug Killer

Thanks Chris. So it's a case of call the AA then - that's all I needed to confirm. I was hoping there was some sort of get-you-home-trick available Cheers, Tony BRG SV 😬 aka Bug Killer

I didn't think you were being cheeky Bob. We seem to have wandered off my original point though - I think what Bob is saying is that if, for whatever reason, the immobiliser decides to stay armed you'd have a completely undrivable car. This would not be amusing - Murphy's Law and all that and of course it would probably occur in the most inconvenient location. Steve Blair brought up this point while discussing the 2005 US tour and I thought it worth investigating. Have I missed something BRG SV 😬 aka Bug Killer

Thanks Bob. I was thinking more along the lines of being away from home base and stopping somewhere and arming the immobiliser, but then being unable to disarm it when attempting to start off again - that would be a Royal pain Though if it were posible to bypass it somehow it sort of defeats the object of having one. Tony BRG SV 😬 aka Bug Killer

Pardon me if this is a stupid question because I would imagine being able to accomplish what I am about to ask is pretty self defeating - but: If it became impossible to deactivate the standard "Rover Robust Immobiliser" while out for a Blat, is there a way of bypassing it? Cheers, Tony BRG SV 😬 aka Bug Killer

Simon, You should be getting about 4-6 bar cold idle and about 2 bar hot idle. Unfortunately it's very possible to have a faulty sender or gauge. How many miles are on the engine? Before tearing the engine apart I respectfully suggest you try a known accurate sender/gauge. I assume you have checked the oil level using the manufacturers recommendations - hot and running for modern K-Series 😬 Hope this helps, Tony BRG SV 😬 aka Bug Killer Edited by - Tony C on 16 Jun 2003 23:56:30

Really clean and dry-off the suspected area(s) and apply talcum powder very sparingly. It sounds like you've got a seep rather than a run. The talcum should show the point source of the leak. Makes the car smell nice too. Good luck, Tony BRG SV 😬 aka Bug Killer

I'm sure our resident electrical experts will be along shortly, but I understand that a dynamo has brushes that will wear out, whereas an alternator does not. BRG SV 😬 aka Bug Killer Edited by - Tony C on 13 Jun 2003 19:00:39

Andy, A word of caution - if you do decide to shorten the axle you must leave a minimum of one and a half threads sticking out of the nylock nut to ensure they are "in safety" - industry standard for secondary locking devices BRG SV 😬 aka Bug Killer

When I bled mine post build I wasn't successful until I removed the bleed screw from the radiator and topped-up the radiator from there - after having primed the heater by removing the pipe and back-filling, as per the Assembly Guide. Didn't need to raise the front end - though that was the next thing on the list to try. BRG SV 😬 aka Bug Killer

If new bushes are required they can be fed over the end of the bar and pushed down and around to the required position. Application of washing-up liqiud helps a GREAT deal. BRG SV 😬 aka Bug Killer

For those of you about to build an SV, I have just spent 4 hours removing the underseat carpets. I got caught in a VERY heavy thunderstorm yesterday and just managed to get the hood on and threw myself back inside before it really let go. Driving along slowly with the wipers on full with standing (running) water on the road I couldn't see too much, but water was finding its way into both footwells from, I asume, the rear engine compartment horizontal tray. Floor was soon also running water, which quickly found its way onto the underseat carpets. Despite leaving the car out in the sun all day with the seat bases lifted the carpets were still wet tonight. Decided to remove them completely and wish I'd never fitted them. Any advice on where the water can be getting in? I've silicone'd all the rivets and seams, the ECU mounting posts, removed the battery tray and silicone sealed the tray and rivets before re-fitting it. I could see the water dripping down the rear face of the front passenger footwell. I'm suspicious of the side seam where the body panel wraps over the side top chasis rail, in the rear corner, by the ECU - More silicone required. I undersealed the outside of the footwells when I built it, so I don't thing the water is getting in from beneath - though not impossible. Any advice gratefully received 😬 BRG SV 😬 aka Bug Killer

I hate to "Rain on your parade", but if you don't have the car on a level surface your measurements don't mean too much BRG SV 😬 aka Bug Killer

The covers can be fitted to any standard toggle switch. I did a bulk purchase from in the States (Product code 73200) a while ago (non left BTW) Cheap as chips. BRG SV 😬 aka Bug Killer Edited by - Tony C on 8 Jun 2003 10:08:05