Midas

Good spot - didn't realise there was a rear belt! 😳

I notice from my workshop manual that in order to get the correct tension on my replacement cambelt on my VVC (manual tensioner), I am supposed to use a tension spring and a pillar bolt. Neither came with the kit, and the original 'well known' supplier has never heard of either parts. Apparently with the VVC you remove said spring and ditch it before replacing the cam cover. I've trawlled the net and these bits seem impossible to get hold of - a sentiment shared by the MGF community. the 'wisdom' on other sites is that you don't need to use these bits - just tighten it to about a 1/4 turn tension on the longest run. Any thoughts welcome?

Got it out 😬 Phew. Clearly not hitting it hard enough

I decided to change my cambelt - so I used the trusted 'screwdriver in the ring gear slot' trick and hey presto - the screwdriver is well and truely lodged solid i spent all day yesterday bashing and banging the thing but it is wedged solid - I put the car in gear and tried to rock it with no success. the screwdriver appears to have lodged itself between the flywheel and the bellhousing side. I think it would be easier to take the engine and gearbox out and then split them on the bench. is there an easy engine out guide (with gearbox attached)? And anyone in the Bristol area have a crane i can borrow???

😳good point

Thanks for all the replies. I think I'll stick to the current type but regap and clean this year, and then replace every 2 years.

I've waded through the archives, but cannot find a clear answer to my connundrum. I have a 2000 MY 1.8 vvc (an EU2 I believe). I'm servicing it today and was taken aback at the cost of the spark plugs. It was serviced last year by caterham who used Unipart GSP 9652 plugs. I cannot find a local supplier but an internet search reveals these to be Platinum (long life) and they're about £10 a go. I see they are about the same price from caterham, but the picture would appear to be that of an NGK plug PFR6N-11 - and this plug is also shown as the right one on 7faqs. My research would appear to suggest that this was an MGF VVC plug which, because of access was designed to stretch replacement times out to 60 000 miles. I'm not tight (but equally not rich!). I like replacing the plugs every year (about 3000 miles) but cannot help feeling that replacing the PFR6N-11 every 3000 miles/year is 'throwing money away' Other threads seem to suggest the NGK BCPR7ES as a better value alternative but I'm not sure this is suitable for a VVC (or the BCPR7ES-11 ????) Any VVC owners with valid experience, or do I bite the bullet and shell out about £45. Alternatively, I simply leave the plugs in for two years or so and clean them.

One of the small mods I want to do this Winter is insert a T piece into the coolant hose to help with system bleeding. you used to be able to get one off E bay - or on here, but I cannot find a supplier anywhere. Any advice gratefully recieved.

I asked a similar number of questions of the chassis makers at Arch when I was there having a reskin. Thier experience is that for the vast majority of cases it is surface rust that has taken hold as the powder coating has flaked away. The powder coating has gone through various phases of 'robustness' with the worst period seeming to be about 1999-2001ish. On the other hand if the car has seen extensive wear and use, and lived outside throughout the year I have seen occasionally rusted tubes that need replacing. But I content this is quite rare. Most cars are cared for by their owners and looked after. I think you would be very unlucky to find a car with serious rust unless it is a barn find or the most reckless owner. FWIW I derust and piant the chassis each year as a 'service item'. No proble, I just like a car that is a shiny underneath as on top 😬

Just a word of possible warninjg. I had exactly the same ideas as yourself two years ago, and ended up with the car off the road for almost a year!!! The reason was quite simple. All of the parts of the front suspension had seized themselves in place, most notably the bolt that holds the bottom damper bush in place and which goes through the bottom arm, and the top ball joints which would not budge. Like so many jobs, I got to the point of no return and ended up knackering both sets of wishbones which were replaced with sourced second hand items. My advice on a 7000 mile car - paint the suspension all insitu with POR15, and only take apart when absolutely necessary!!

I was always advised that new tyres go on the rear - that's where you want the grip. Doesn't matter whether front or rear wheel drive.

If it's any consolation mine also does that (1.8vvc), and I am told it is normal - after all the temp stays rock solid with no increase even in traffic, so the fan is doing it's job. If I'm wrong then I'll need the same remedy as you!

many thanks for the suggestions. Clearly, it's a case of faff - I'll loosen everything off as much as possible and then fiddle around 😳

I'm trying to fit a caterham luggage rack on my HPC - easily done I thought, but no! I notice that the bottom lugs on the rack, which sit on the spare wheel carrier, lift the wheel (16 inch) off the rack by about 1 cm. Because the spare wheel sits higher, the spare wheel retaining bolt cannot now be lined up so that it passes into the thread in the back panel. Is there some special technique - or is it just fiddle until it kind of fits. or can't you fit a luggage rack to a HPC? ☹️

I've recently done this, and can tell you thast in my case the gauge registered instantly at strt up. No delay while pressure built up. This might be spurious, but I bought the kit of parts from Think Automotive and it came to about £100. I wonder if you've got the set up correctly?

When we've toured in the seven I take a small two man tent - fits easily in the boot. Argos and B&Q sell them. they are the type that people take to the festivals. there is only just enough space for you two to sleep in - nothing else. On the other hand, as they pack up so small I have contemplated taking two. Have a look at www.gooutdoors.co.uk. They have some good deals at the moment.

I'll take the apollo tank - assume its complete for fitment to a K series? I can pick up on Sunday at Stoneleigh

Hi, can I ask about the tonneau. I'll take it if it will fit an S3 de dion - I've looked on the caterham website and it only lists a tonneau for an S3 - it doesn't distinguish between live axle and de dion

I've just fitted a mechanical oil pressure gauge using the recommended kit of parts from Think Automoitve - as illustrated in 7FAQs. I though the following advice may be of use to those contemplating the worthwhile upgrade: 1. Some of the part numbers have changed from those listed in 7FAQs - however when i read them out to the kind chap he was able to translate and all the bits I recieved fitted. 2. The T Piece has morphed into a cylinder - which is mcuh more difficult to mount. In the end I tywrapped it to the engine mount. 3. The engine takeoff (where the electric sender fits) for a Yr 2000 K series VVC 1800cc turned out to be the following current part number: MMS5-3-45 1/8 BSP x M12 x 1.5 (as shown on the 7 FAQs. 4. For the MOCAL gauge I found that the original gauge bulb fitted straight into the new gauge and illumination is thus equal. Current price for everthing was £111 😳

You have my sympathy - I'm in a similar boat. Three week old car and a dent in the door. The garage wants £750 to repair because it means a new door (most of the cost is labour). I've heard good reports of the SMART repairers. I'll be interested in any other posts on this topic

ha ha 😬 many thanks That's perfect. I noticed the little allen socket but never guessed that's how you adjust the reading. I'll get to it right away

I've just spent a very pleasant Sunday doing the first mod to my new Caterham (well - new to me!) - a 1.8 vvc I've fitted the kit that I bought from Think Automotive, and having run the engine from Cold to hot I get the following PSI figures: 75-80 at start up, which drops to 25 psi at hot (fan on, and showing 80+ degrees). These figures seem to be O.K. but I notice that the oil pressure warning lamp is meant to illuminate at 35 psi. I'm about to fit it but I can't help wondering.. If I'm getting 25 psi when hot, surely this big light will be flashing away every time I stop at the traffic lights? Not sure that's a good idea unless my engine really is knackered Am I missing something -

thanks to everyone for the info - I'll get in touch with norman to get the details for the seals. 😬

I've got one of those low reach jacks which I got as part of the club 'Bulk Buy' some years ago now. It's main seal has gone. Anyone had this happen to theirs, or know if they are repairable? Regards

My first Caterham - a 1992 Supersprint came with an SPR engine - the company was called SPR Engineering and it was based in Bishop's Stortford. It was an official Caterham 7 Service Centre and it offered Caterham builders a number of bespoke engine packages (a bit like Redline or Raceline do today). They marketed their own Supersprint and Supersprint+ engines for Caterhams (difference was the Supersprint+ was forged pistons and other nice goodies). The engines had their own unique SPR engine number. As far as I know they were well regarded. Their engine shop employed Mr Roger King (a well known Ford engine guru). He sometimes pops up on this forum. Roger had all the spec sheets for all the SPR-built engines, so if you can contact him he might be able to let you know exactly what the spec of your engine is. He was very informative about mine, and told me its complete history. I also recall that the Racing Class B Spec engines were very highly tuned and to a high standard. If that is what you have you are a 'lucky' crossflow owner.