phatcat

oops, sorry for double post 😳

Just spoke to Caterham Tech, and they say that as long as the red light is not on, then the immobiliser is disarmed and the car should run. I also think that I must have tried at least 20 combos of turning the immobiliser off and on! The fuel pump sounds ok, so I guess I'll just to get them to fix it at the PBC. ☹️

Just spoke to Caterham Tech, and they say that as long as the red light is not on, then the immobiliser is disarmed and the car should run. I also think that I must have tried at least 20 combos of turning the immobiliser off and on! The fuel pump sounds ok, so I guess I'll just to get them to fix it at the PBC. ☹️

Still no joy. Tried these combos: Arm 4 times wait for rapid flash to finish and disarm. Arm 4 times, don't wait for rapid flash to finish and disarm. Arm 3 times (because mine rapid flashes on the third press) and disarm. Turn off BMS, turn on BMS, disarm/arm/disarm/arm, wait for flash and disarm. I attempted to start it after each of these combos, but the engine always ran for a few secs then cut off. Any other ideas? I've packed in now for the day anyway, so the best idea is probably to get a shower and get to the offy before it shuts - need to fill my jerry can with beer or I won't start tomorrow either.

Update: Oil pressure sender - disconnected, added a little WD40 and reconnected and it started reading 4 bar! So: I connected up the inertia switch. Pressed the inertia switch button. Connected up the battery to my other car to get some more juice. Turned the ignition. Pressed the starter button... Engine fires up... ... then 3-5 secs later it stops. I've tried about 10 times, and added a little throttle the last 2 times, but to no avail - it always stops. Any ideas? I think the neighbours might be getting a little upset by the noise now 😳 Thanks.

Ok, well it's cranking over ok now, but there's still no oil pressure registering. I have cranked it for 6, 30 second bursts, but nothing. The ECU is still whistling at me, and my battery is getting flat. ☹️ The oil pressure gauge is connected at the back, though I've no idea if the oil pressure sender is connected, because I don't know where that is. Any ideas on : a) Where I can look to see if the oil pressure sender is wired up? b) What else might be causing no oil pressure to register? (would a minor oil leak do this?) c) Why the ECU is still emitting a high pitch whistle (with or without the ignition on). Thanks.

Update: 1. Actually it's only 0.1 miles per attempt. 2. The ECU stays whistling even after I turn the ignition back to 0. 3. It's definitely the starter button - as it the starter motor kicks in when I press it. When I did 3, I only did it briefly, as I am not sure what this will do. Am I basically supposed to hit the red button for 30 secs while it makes nasty noises? I have no oil pressure as yet.

(Academy car, new build). Ok, I finally got the plumbing and electrics sorted, disconnected the inertia switch, and went to turn over the car, and here's what happened: 1. Whistling noise from ECU. 2. Odometer registers 0.2 miles. If I disconnect one of the ECU leads, the whistling stops. If I then go to turn the ignition on again the odometer registers another 0.2 miles. I'm now up to 0.8 miles! Any ideas? Are there any electrical connections I've missed that the guide doesn't tell you about? Note that I have a red button on my dash - I assume this is the starter button I ordered, but not sure, and also not sure if this changes the start up procedure or whether additional connections are required. Stuck, but putting lots of miles on ☹️

Ok, thanks. I'll go back into the breach when I've had a quick scrub down. Actually, I think it smells better than the diff oil.

Scenario: I put the gearbox filler plug in about 3 turns by hand (I have gearbox oil in my armpit as I type! Time for a quick shower after this...) Then I got my cut down allen key and got it about another 5 or 6 turns, then it went tight. Question: I assume then, that the gearbox filler plug does not screw flush to the gearbox? (Just worried that I somehow managed to x-thread it). It seemed to go in quite nicely to me, but it isn't flush, in fact about a third of it is still sticking out.

There is what looks like an earth lead coming from the loom near the ecu (picture available here ). What do I connect this to? I can't connect it to the negative battery terminal, as the Academy only allows one lead on the battery, and it's a small diameter hole, so not sure where else I can bolt it to. I assume I'm right in thinking it's an earth lead?

Thanks for the replies, I just needed some reassurance before trying to get it started >Where in Cheshire are you? Middlewich. >Are you aware of the Staffs and Cheshire local area meetings at Wybunbury? >The next one is next Wednesday. I won't be there, I'll be at work, but I'm sure there will be plenty of freindly faces there! I've thought about attending these, but my job keeps me very busy, and with the Academy stuff and other social commitments I just don't have time at the moment. If I don't carry on racing after this year, and decide to keep the Caterham 😳 🤔, then expect me there next year

(Academy car, new build) Just wanted to check that I'm on the right track here: Section 9, Para 48 (low pressure fuel return) says "Attached to the fuel pressure regulator is a flexible fuel hose... push... over the end of the black nylon pipe (which runs along the RH engine bay diagonal)". Well, there wasn't a hose attached to the fuel pressure regulator, but there was a fuel hose lying in the coolant box, so I cut a piece off that and used that. I'm guessing this is correct so far. Para 64 (expansion bottle) then says "apply lubricant...to the small diameter rubber hose and fit to the connector on the LH side of the coolant expansion bottle... fit the other end to the water connection on the inlet manifold adjacent to the number 1 cylinder". Well, I had used up all the hoses in all the boxes by this stage, but the fuel hose I had used above is the correct diameter, and I had just enough off-cut left over to connect the expansion bottle and the inlet manifold with this. I've no idea though, if this is what I was supposed to do, or if there is any difference between a coolant hose and a fuel hose that could cause a problem? Then I came to fit the heater blanking plate, and note that the assembly guide Para 66 tells you to "locate the 5/8' ID hose from the thermostat housing and ... connect to the heater outlet (upper)". I have therefore assumed that as I don't have a heater, I can connect the pipe direct to the water rail parallel to the cylinder head. Is this all ok? Thanks.

Can this kit be fitted pre-SVA?

Thanks, I thought that was the case, I just wanted to check because I hate tightening up the nut on that copper solenoid bolt - I know it's dying to shear! )

(Academy car new build): In section 9, page 2 of the assembly guide it says: "Connect the brown lead from the alternator and the large red lead from the battery positive terminal to the lower connector on the starter motor solenoid". Then, on page 7 (relating to the battery master switch), it says: "Connect the lead marked 'starter' to the starter solenoid along with the large brown lead (with black sleeve) from the alternator. Route the lead marked battery to the battery positive terminal." Now, am I right in assuming that if I follow the instructions on page 7, then I shouldn't be following the instructions on page 2? Specifically, exactly which leads should I connect to the starter motor solenoid lower connector? Should I connect the alternator lead, the battery lead and the lead marked starter, or should I just connect the alternator lead and the lead marked starter? Thanks.

Quick question: Roughly how long can you suspend an engine from an engine crane? Are we talking days or hours? (new 2 tonne crane, 150Kg load). What I'm fundamentally asking here is, can I leave it hanging overnight? Obviously I'll support it etc., but I just want to check the hydraulics won't go down in a few hours, such that it falls off to the side. Thanks.

>As the veteran of removing my starter at least 10 times... it's quite easy to fit (I'm assuming it's a K). Ouch! Yes it's a K, it's an academy car, sorry should have said which engine it was - doh! I have done a trial fit of the starter (it's a Magneton), and basically there is a threaded bar screwed in to the block, and two other bolt holes in the block. There is then a big spacer with three matching holes between the starter and the block. The two bolts seem easy to get in, but getting the nut (+ a small spacer) on the threaded bar (which is closest to the block) is quite tricky even with the engine out of the car, as it's a matter of fiddling away with your spanner a quarter turn at a time. Not sure what you mean by "the two ribs have been ground off the block". I haven't come across any instructions to do that in the assembly guide, so I guess they have already been ground off, or presumably I would not have been able to trial fit the starter flush to the block?

Me again ) Ok, I have a new build engine installation to do, but the starter motor I was sent was broken in transit. So my question is, can I install the engine now, and fit the starter later, or is it just too fiddly to fit the starter afterwards? Thanks.

Thanks. >but there are other bolts on the rear suspension not done up until it is all under proper load. >For example, the radius arm bolts. I don't think so, as all the other torque figures are given as you go along, for example, this quote from assembly guide: "...radius arm...should be tightened to 25lbft with the arms parallel to the ground. This preloads the bushes in the correct position for when the suspension is properly loaded."

(New build). Ok, in the assembly manual it says to "place the axle stands under the De Dion tube such that the weight of the car is taken up through the spring dampers". Presumably this is so the A-frame bolts get tightened when the A-frame is at the correct angle (as all other rear-suspension bolts have been torqued up as you've gone along). Anyway, my questions are: 1. When should this be done? Can it be done as soon as you have finished bolting together the rear suspension or should it wait until you have the engine and gearbox in? 2. If the purpose in pushing up the dampers under the weight of the car is so the A-frame bolts get tigtened with the frame at the correct angle, then shouldn't this wait until you have the car's weight on its wheels? My guess is that I'm worrying too much about getting the angle perfect, and it probably can be done as soon as I have finished bolting together the rear suspension, but just wanted to check. Thanks for help.

That might explain it, as I didn't get the copper washers - so if the locknuts were supposed to be in the same bag...

Staring at my recon Sierra? gearbox bell housing, and the assembly guide says to fit the small hole in the bottom of the clutch release arm over the pin/plastic mounting point at the bottom of the bell housing. The pin/plastic mounting wont actually fit snugly in the hole at the bottom of the clutch release arm. If I force it on it will rip the plastic tubing, and if I don't it just sort of half sits on it, but is definitely loose. Is it supposed to be loose, or is it supposed to be a snug fit?

>I've got a male end to the hose and this goes through the panel, >then there's a nut and washer on the other side to hold it in place. I only have the "nut" that forms part of the female union. So I am missing a nut as expected... Caterham Tech support misleading me again! Thanks.

Can't work this one out (new build). The front brake hoses in the assembly guide have something called a locknut in the picture which looks separate from the nut built on to the female union. I don't have a separate locknut - should I have? Without a nut or some kind of other spacer, the brake hose will never fit flush with the bodywork. I have put on the plain washers and shakeproof washers and done up the nut on the female union finger tight, but this still leaves a cm of thread showing, and the brake hose it still loose in the hole with lots of thread showing. No clue on how to procede? - a call to Caterham just left me more confused as they reckoned I didn't need a separate nut. Thanks.