philwaters

Can anyone out there shed any light of the differences between the two engine sizes? I am gearing up to replace my X/flow and with no real difference in cost between the two I am trying to decide which to go for. As I see it: 1800 will give around 150bhp verses 160bhp for the 2.0l. Insurance will be less for the 1.8 also - but not too worried about that. What I am really interested in is how the two drive. I will initially be running it in standard tune. Is there a difference in the way the two engine rev or respond to tuning (I am planning the next stage for the following year)? One last thing - any suggestions to how/where to sell my current 1600 x/flow? It is standard so would make a good starting point for a 17 or 1800 x/flow. Phil Waters The car in front must be less in control teeth.gif

Oh and yes, I clouted my Sump - BIG TIME - on the Rumble - had a good look at S' Mimms and it wasn't leaking having told the better half not to look away from the gauge smile.gif. Thats with 13" wheels and 310lb front springs so I have decided to need to jack the whole car up to avoid this - but then I know my car sufferes from Bump steer then. Must be a way of spending loads of money to fix it - Caterham.....? Phil Waters The car in front must be less in control teeth.gif

Are you sure that both were adjusted the same - if they are adjustable (i.e. Spax). Or, indeed, that they are both valved the same? How did the compression of the two compare - might just be bad rebound etc? Is it a live or a De-Dion car? Phil Waters The car in front must be less in control teeth.gif

I have a 96 Classic L/A and upgraded the springs to 310lb on the front and 115lb on the rear and have been really happy with this. I have not changed the ARB from the wimpy little thing but it is on my ever increasing list. Depending on what you are going from you may need to have adjustable heights to compensate and get back the ride height as the stiffer springs will not sag so much. However, if you speak to a few places, you might be able to find someone that can tell you what spring length you need to avoid this ??? Tyre pressure depend on what you are using the car for more. I have just lower my 185-60/13 from 22/23 to 16 psi all round and the difference is imense! I now have more grip and much more pradicatable breakaway when having fun. I would suggest lowering in stages and finding whats right for you. Between 16 and 20 would be a good starting point. Phil Waters The car in front must be less in control teeth.gif

Any comments from Roger King? Can we use it in any of the se7en engines, x/flow/k/VX/Zetec? or is it suited to the newer K's more etc etc..? I am always wary of fuel companies claims so wouldn't mind a bit of guidence. Phil Waters The car in front must be less in control teeth.gif

Maybe said about - but I have heard that Bracknell Tires are quite cheap, but not sure if they do 021's. And sorry no number. They are near the rubbish tip near to Homebase and the BP station. Phil Waters The car in front must be less in control teeth.gif

Cheers, I don't suppose you could point me in the right direction - what does it look like, where abouts is it located on the engine, etc? Is there anything I can do without tools, mine are in the 7 at home and his...well its an Elise owner (that'll start a row or two teeth.gif) Phil Waters The car in front must be less in control teeth.gif

Hi, A question on behalf of a friend at work. He has an Elise that has started to suffer from a sticking throttle. He says that it is pretty intermittent, but the engine revs drop to around 2500rpm and he has to blip the throttle to get them to go down again. I suspect the cable may have a kink in it or just some dirt, but is there anything else he can check or that might be causing this (ECU, throttle sensor etc?) I'm going to have a look for him at lunchtime, but other than the cable not sure what to look at on one of these modern things smile.gif Phil Waters The car in front must be less in control teeth.gif

You have new mail (ping!) (Ali Bellhousing) Phil Waters The car in front must be less in control teeth.gif Edited by - philwaters on 5 Sep 2001 13:13:13

Do you have access to a copy of the Build manual? If I remember right there is a set of instuctions in there under the Options section. Basically it involves measuring from seams and fitting the rear poppers (do you have the bases fitted to the boot cover?) and then working forward keeping the tension as well as you can. I think you are meant to fit the front popper last and make it a little over-tight. It is also a good idea to take the wheel off so that with it back in place it increases the tension when you do the zip up. Do you have the cut out required for the FIA Strut? It should have come with this if you told them you had one. As for the headreast - yes, they have to come out everytime - a pain if you have the seats back agaist the rollbar, but better than a wet bum. If you can wait I can e-mail you a scanned in image of the relevant pages - if i can find them, but will be tomorrow. Phil Waters The car in front must be less in control teeth.gif

Hi, Not for the 7 this time, but my 170k Citroen's windscreen is decidedly marked from 8/9yrs of the wipers rubbing in the grim. Can anyone recommend an easy way to clean it up as with the early morning sun it is harder to see than it should be sad.gif. Thanks in advance Phil Waters Q181 ABL - 1600 X/F smile.gif

Hi guys, I haven't added anything to the car electically that has co-incided with the problems. I do have a friends old coil so I could swap that over and run that for a while or carry it with me so I can swap it when it conks out on me next. The trouble is that may be in another 3 months time - it is so intermittent. Also, by the time I get the bonnet off, it starts first time anyway so I wouldn't know if it was the swapped coil helping or not. I will check to see if the Vecta operates on that circuit, make up a by-pass for it and also carry the spare coil. If I get the money together for my planned engine change then hopefuly the problem will disappear. Thanks for all your help. Phil Waters Q181 ABL - 1600 X/F smile.gif

Thanks Chelspeed, I'll check that when next out to have a tinker. Phil Waters Q181 ABL - 1600 X/F smile.gif

Thanks Roger, The Vecta isn't cutting out and returning to the flashing red light when the engine cuts out, which is why I posted the question. It stays green as if all is well. Is it possible that the vecta can be in the 'happy' state and still be cutting off a circuit somewhere? Also, I presume that the initial damage is caused by the heating and cooling of the unit over time. I have found that it does not seem to matter what the conditions are like for it to fail. The haggis trip was very hot and it did it there whilst yesterday morning was overcast and drizzling. Phil Waters Q181 ABL - 1600 X/F smile.gif

Hi, Been having a very intermittent problem with my x/flow. It doesn't matter if it is hot or cold, wet or dry or how long its been running. Basically it will just cut out on me, typically when changing gear or holding steady rpm (i.e. not under acceleration - yet). I coast to the side of the road and try to start it and it just turns over with no hint of a spark at all. I then get out the car, curse and smile at the people in their reliable cars. Wait about 2 minutes, climb back in the car and it starts first time, nothing having changed. The cut out is far to fast to be connected with fuel starvation and the in-line filter shows the supply is there. I am assuming that it must be electrical. Having such a simple system with no real ECU etc, I'm at a loss as to what to check. This is made worse by the fact that up until yesterday morning it hadn't done it since May! It fixes itself so quickly that you can't get the bonnet off in time to test anything. I am now beginning to wonder if it might be the Vecta playing up. Does anyone know what circuits this acts on on a x/flow car and how easy it is to bypass. If I don't de-accitvate it it won't turn over so one circuit is the starter/solidnoid, any others? I am thinking that I could put a hidden by-pass switch on the car so that if/when it does it again I can flick a switch and see if it restarts straight away. Or does anyone have an other possible ideas? Phil Waters Q181 ABL - 1600 X/F smile.gif

I have seen one chap with a 4-2-1 side exit conversion on his x/flow. I think that he got this from Redline components (sorry no number) and it was considerably cheaper than buying the full 4-1 system (which is what I did - Doh!). You could look into this as I think it just involved a new silencer and an adaptor section for the 2-1 part. Just a thought. Phil Waters Q181 ABL - 1600 X/F smile.gif

Hi Michael, My better half complained of this too and after a long trip down to the Alps a couple of years ago she said her head was quite muzzy. Likewise it never effected me so I assumed that it was just her not used to being in an open top car that often. This year I upgraded to a side exit and on Haggis run to scotland she said it was much much better and even stayed awake for most of it (the 2am start sleep is forgivable). I can only assume that with the old rear exit, the fumes are pulled back into the cockpit by the negative air pressure created by the windscreen. I have to admit that it does smell fresher in my car since so would recommend this to anyone... Oh and the exhaust sounds great as well teeth.gif Phil Waters Q181 ABL - 1600 X/F smile.gif

Hi Ray, I run a bike speedo, a Topeak Panoram. You have to make up a small bracket to hold the sensor and fix the magnet to the wheel (a dab of Araldite works well) and then find somewhere to locate the display in a good position to view it. This is the hardest part I have found. The Topeak is pretty large, it has 3 displays for speed, distance and times so finding somewhere to put it takes a while and I am currently moving mine. In use they are great. much better than the Caterham speedo, and I was amazed how far out mine was from changing from 70 to 60 profile tires. These too can easily be tampered with, however. Becasue the battery will run down in time most manufacturers allow you to re-imput your total distances and total times, etc, so it would be very easy to knock off a few thousand miles if you wanted to. I have left my standard speedo connected from day one so this is the one I quote to the insurance company, even though I know it over reads by a lot... in effect I am loosing out on my limited milage policy, but its not worth the grief of getting the mot center to use the bike speedo's milage etc.... I agree with Aideen, how the car has been looked after is far more important than the milage. Phil Waters Q181 ABL - 1600 X/F smile.gif

Thanks. Phil Waters Q181 ABL - 1600 X/F smile.gif

Hi, Does anyone have contact details for Paul Harvey - of Fireblade and Blackbird fame (phone, e-mail, address) Want to change my x/flow this winter and want to be sure that I've looked into all variations. Thanks Phil Waters Q181 ABL - 1600 X/F smile.gif

I have also just fitted Brooklands screens to my car (see the thread a few days ago for the costs) and am really pleased with the look and the difference they make to the way the car goes. 4.5hrs is a bit long for the fitting TO the car, but if you are biulding up the screen assembly then it might be about right as you have to get the holes in the right place (the stantion comes with two holes pre-drilled and you have to mark and drill the rest) for the little screen supports and of course the mirrors (I went for a nice Ali domed mirror which has proved to be rock steady). It is also a good idea to put some rubber under the stantion to protect the car - although this does make it harder to line up the 4 bolts that hold it on. As you've got an R500 would a JPE type screen not suit the car more? It would be lighter, the Brooklands screens weight as much as a screen (as a rough guide). Let me know if you want a .jpg of my car e-mailed to you off line of my screens....or if you are in the North Hants area it is the club meeting at the Phionex (always spell that wrong teeth.gif) tonight and I will be there and can can take you out in it to see if you like then. Phil Waters Q181 ABL - 1600 X/F smile.gif

What tyres are you running on the Track? If they are very sticky I believe the ital axle suffers from poor baffling and will chew its self. I have heard that fitting an LSD will provide a tougher axle (SPC will do this for you) but can not comment for sure. Are you overfilling the oil - I think that x2 capacity is good for track use, but this might be higher - check the archives. This is interesting as I am planning on fitting an 1800 Zetec this winter and thought that the axle could take its standard power without too much trouble.....depends on individual build I guess. Something to bear in mind when I want more power later on. Phil Waters Q181 ABL - 1600 X/F smile.gif

Hi Clive, I have my limit set to 6500 on my 1600 x/flow sprint engine. I believe the max power (oh no, did i really just write that!) is at 6000rpm so never really need to go much above that. I used to set it at 6000rpm, but found that I would hit it when having fun, so upped so that it never gets hit anymore, but is not set beyond the limit of the engine. Hope that helps. Phil Waters Q181 ABL - 1600 X/F smile.gif

"I'm fitting new calipers and pads" does mean you are fitting big brakes? I think the Alcon ones use the standard discs don't they? If you have to fit new discs (depending on how much wear you have) then these will work fine with the current and then the new Alcon calipers.... btw - Areoscreens will be fitted tonight - although I am waiting for one last mirror (out of stock) Phil Waters Q181 ABL - 1600 X/F smile.gif

How much of the 2 weeks will you be building for? Are yo taking time off work or is that just evening? When i built my car a few years ago I took a week off work and had the car finished in 8 days. However, this was before the SVA tests so can not comment on this part of it. Technically enough time, but you aren't leaving much time for shortages in the kit from Caterham which may hold the build up, or other problems. I would feel inclined to give more time between the end of the buiild and the SVA, but then it is not nice having a finished car sitting in the garage waiting to be driven. Phil Waters Q181 ABL - 1600 X/F smile.gif