Tony C

Just a small point - merley because a torque wrench has been calibrated at the factory doesn't mean it will stay calibrated. Transportation and general bumping around will invalidate any calibration certificate. The "break" type wrenches are very prone to missuse and can give varying torque values. It's a free country of course and everyone can buy the tools they feel comfortable using. IMHO, paying big money for a torque wrench that will only be used rarely after a build is something I decided not to do. My Draper one was under 20 quid, goes up to 150 lb ft and was checked accurate throughout its range - why pay more? Being more expensive guarantees nothing - an expensive one can give false values just as easily as a less expensive one. In aircraft engineering it is mandatory to test a torque wrench each time it is drawn from stores at the specific value to be used. A bit OTT for car use, but does give an idea of how ANY torque wrench can give false values, however much it costs to buy. You'll also find it's not possible to get a torque wrench on some of the fasteners during your build, so it's necessary to guess - I did this a lot on the smaller nuts - just give it a nip, but everyones "nip" is different and the inexperienced may be too strong, so use a toque wrench if at all possible. BRG SV 😬 aka Bug Killer

Friendly van driver behind me in traffic yesterday informed me "ere mate, yer drivers side brake light aint workin" What a nice chap! Stopped-by Halfords to pick up some bulbs only to discover the bulb lit when I trod on the brake pedal. A bit difficult to check myself - had to heel the pedal while I tried to peer over the rear wheel arch - twang. Oh oh, transient harmonics or a joker van driver. Bought some new bulbs, just in case though. e-mail from Gareth waiting for me when I got home informing me he'd noted the same fault on Sunday - Thanks again Gareth. I assumed now that I had a dodgy contact. Had some assistance at work today and we discovered that the 5W filament lit with brake pedal. Side lights also lit the 5W filament - oh, oh! With lights on, filament lit, but brake pedal extinguished the filament - Huh? Imagined myself fighting with the wiring and plug, but inserting a new bulb cured the problem. Car's only a month old and there was no obvious signs of corrosion or anything visibly wrong with the "dodgy" bulb. I assume there was an internal fault with the bulb. BRG SV 😬 aka Bug Killer

IMHO, driving with headlights on in daylight too is a DAMN good idea. I can't see why other road users would object and if they do - well ........... I'll leave you to finish that statement 😬 BRG SV 😬 aka Bug Killer

Have a look at Torque Wrenches on 7FAQ. It's essential to test/verify the accuracy of ANY torque wrench. Be aware also of the effects of lubricant on the threads, including Loctite. I tested/verified the accuracy of a Cheap-o bendy Draper torque wrench and it is accurate throughout the range. Make sure you operate it correctly - no problems. BRG SV 😬 aka Bug Killer Edited by - Tony C on 1 Jun 2003 21:43:19

Geoff, During my recent build I did have a sleeve on the clutch arm pivot, a piece of clear plastic hose. The arm was quite a loose fit though, even with the sleeve. I kept tension on the clutch cable while fitting the gearbox to the engine to keep the arm in place. Hope this helps, Tony BRG SV 😬 aka Deep Throated

An old trick is to wrap the item to be gripped in a piece of emery paper. The extra friction should hold it still without excessive squeezing in the vice jaws. But be aware if the shock slips the emery will mar the paint finish. BRG SV 😬 aka Deep Throated

I agree with Chris W concerning ecu resetting. My understanding is that disconnecting the battery has no effect on the ecu "memory". To reset the ecu it's necessary to turn ON the ignition and depress the throttle fully six times before turning OFF the ignition. This is from Simon Lambert concerning my 1.8 140bhp K-Series in my new (March 2003) SV. I also understand that if you de-activate the immobiliser before disconnecting the battery negative terminal - it will still be in that state when you re-connect the negative battery terminal - stated in the Owners Handbook. BRG SV 😬 aka Deep Throated

Chris, Engines are quite sensitive to exhaust back pressure, so if the silencer is the only change you've made, it's likely to be the culprit. If you can, put it on a rolling road. Failing that, get an expert to tune your carbs 😬 BRG SV 😬 aka Deep Throated Edited by - Tony C on 26 May 2003 22:09:44

FWIW, my standard Caterham foam air filter is sitting in its plastic bag on my workbench. I bought a GREEN cotton air filter. The spec. is that it filters down to half a micron - which by any standards is pretty small. Personal choice, but I'm not too impressed with the foam "jobby" BRG SV 😬 aka Deep Throated

Chel, I think it was the 0.02 missing off the final drive ratio that was being disagreed with BRG SV 😬 aka Deep Throated

You'll probably find that whichever wire you connect to whichever terminal the fan will rotate in the same direction 😬 BRG SV 😬 aka Deep Throated

Washing-up liquid works a treat 😬 If you're fitting an FIA roll over bar - don't fit it until you've done the boot cover poppers, tonneau poppers and passenger outboard shoulder harness bolt, if applicable. You can leave the car on axle stands and not attach the rear shocks until after the poppers and harness bolt are finished and you've bolted-up the FIA bar. 😬 Otherwise you'll become an expert at removing the rear shocks and FIA bar Ask away - we'll all put in our respective 2d worth 😬 BRG SV 😬 aka Deep Throated Edited by - Tony C on 21 May 2003 21:41:19

I think you are supposed to drill right through the floor pan too, then fit a spacer between the bracket and the floor. However, you may find that the hole in the bracket does not line-up with the existing seat bolt strengthening channel - go figure. This is outlined in my Assembly Guide. BRG SV 😬 aka Deep Throated

Switch the ignition ON. Fully depress the throttle six times Switch ignition OFF. This came from Simon Lambert last week for my 140 bhp 1.8 K-Series. Good luck BRG SV 😬 aka Deep Throated

Oh good 😬 I suspected as much, but wanted a second opinion. Thanks guys - it's all part of the 7 experience 😬 BRG SV 😬 aka Deep Throated

I'm getting a small oil seep from the speed-o drive in my 6 speed. Every morning there is a SMALL pool of oil about the size of a fifty pence piece. Checked the oil contents at 1000 miles and still OK. Do they all seep or do I need a new oil seal already? 🙆🏻 BRG SV 😬 aka "Deep Throated"

Only been driving my SV for a couple of weeks, but have noticed quite a lot of noise from the drivetrain. Never having driven a 7 before I don't know if these noises are normal. When doing the 500 mile service with the car on axle stands and the rear wheels removed I was able to move both driveshafts by twisting them in opposite directions and get quite a "clunk" while not moving the prop shaft. Sitting on top of the gearbox, prop shaft, diff and drive shafts like we do, we're bound to hear noises which are present, but muffled in a tin-top. Under acceleration I get "normal" drivetrain noises, also while "cruising, but when in that region between driving and back-driving there is quite a lot of clunking and whining going on. Are they all like that? BRG SV 😬 aka "Deep Throated"

here, here and here are three photo's. They're a bit big so don't download quickly - sorry 😬 They don't really do it justice, but give an idea. Sorry, got it dirty today and the Lambda probe wiring is only temporary. BRG SV 😬

My 4-2-1 exhaust mated to the new silencer was 450, including the Lambda boss. An extra 25 quid covered silencer brackets, clamp and modifying standard cat/silencer to fit new exhaust. With VAT it all came to 558.13 The workmanship is visually first class and the slip joints, where the four pipes mate with the two, are double - Graham described them as "Lesbian" slip joints 😬 As Paul says, Graham is an artisan and will make whatever you ask for. I delivered the car to him at midday Monday and it was ready Thursday lunch time. The ss silencer was 170 I'll take some pickies when the weather improves. BRG SV 😬

Just returned EBD at Buckingham with a NICE shiny new 4-2-1 exhaust manifold - Oh boy is it pretty 😬 Graham mated it to a 6" stainless silencer from Car Builder Solutions, but made it possible for me to refit the standard silencer and cat., if required 😬 The car now sounds like a sports car should - Rorty and deep throated without being LOUD, if you know what I mean 😬 The only trouble, is that I will now have to carry out an extensive and detailed driving analysis to determine the performance gains 😬 EBD, highly recommended BRG SV 😬

Thanks Len - a definitive answer at last ! Why oh why do some people not listen when an expert gives the reason 🤔 BRG SV 😬

Both from a logical and practical point of view, I cannot for a moment imagine that just to compensate for a shallower sump the advice would be to check the oil level with the engine hot and running. The two things do not compute - whatever Caterham say. I've discussed this with our good friend Oily and his opinion is that the reason for the hot and running advice is to allow for oil retention in the head - his opinion I trust 😬 I was being diplomatic earlier. Standard procedure on the majority of four stroke piston engines of which I am aware is to check oil level with the engine stationary, after enough time has elapsed for all the oil to have drained back into the sump. This ensures an accurate oil quantity. The dip stick on my 1.8 K-Series goes into the sump at a very shallow angle, nearly horizontal. The yellow plastic end has a cross hatched section that gives an indication of low and high - with the engine hot and running. I have not removed the sump, so do not know how close the cold and stationary oil level is to the bottom of the engine "block", as it were. I can only assume that the cold and stationary "full" oil level is in some way made innacurate by the extra shallow sump/engine "block" interference. However, I stand to be corrected by those who actually know the reason - over to you Oily BRG SV 😬

As I understand it: the reaon for the "hot and running" advice when checking oil level on the current K-Series 1.8, is to allow for oil retention, I assume in the hydraulic tappets. I would also assume that the shallower Caterham sump has been compensated for by the dipstick markings. Also an asumption: it is more important to ensure a correct oil level when the engine is hot and running because this will give the correct volume of oil that the engine requires - but not too much, which would result in excessive windage. BRG SV 😬

When I was fitting the cycle wings to my new SV I had to belabour the wing stays with a LARGE piece of wood and a LARGE rubber 'ammer in order to position the wings centrally over the tyres. The stays are a bit springy, but persistance does pay off. You may find that bashing the side part bends the top part too, so it's a combination of whacking the side and then bending the top so that it remains parallel to the tyre tread - I used the stem out of an axle stand, suitably padded of course. Do I need to mention that it might be best to remove the cycle wings before the bashing begins? BRG SV 😬

Shortly to do the same thing myself and intend to have the Lambda probe boss fitted in the 1 leg of the 4-2-1. This is where Caterham have the Lambda probe in their competition exhaust, i.e. just before the silencer - you may have to extend the wires a little. As I understand it: the ECU needs the information from the Lambda probe so it can give accurate fueling, which gives a pretty clean exhaust. And the catalitic converter contains a metal (Platinum I think) that chemically cleans the exhaust of the remaining noxious gasses. BRG SV 😬