ECR

I am modifying a carburated HPC engine for a friend. The engine has plastic timing belt pulley wheels fixed to an aluminium casting which is in turn fixed to the block (which makes it an LN version I think).The belt tensioner is also different to the early XE's. This version is not covered in my Haynes manual so I wondered if there was any information available regarding how to set up the tensioner. Better still, does anyone have a manual covering this variant ? Anything else I should know about this engine that is crucially different from my early XE ? Ex Chairman Roger

No Nuts Thanks for that, You, Graham and Steve can take it in turns.... Roger

Don't despair if you haven't had a reply yet. Those who didn't use the web site to register are having to wait till I can decypher their writing and get their info onto my database. I also have not yet replied to all those that have registered via the web site.... Trying to fit this in batches whilst scraping a living

Isn't it nice when things work......

Main bearing cap bolts for XE engines are 75mm under the head Main bearing cap bolts for the very late XE engines are 65mm under the head, possibly because these engines may be using the thinner ecotech main bearing caps. The part number for the shorter bolts is 5#90502412

We have invited Caterham/lotus 7 driving members of the marshals club to our event for quite a few years now. We have never had one entry from them (nor do we/they realisticaly expect to get one) We do this because they invite the Seven Club to their event on the same weekend and quite a few of our members take up this invite. We have a win/win situation which is not one I am proposing to alter..... The price for May Curborough is £53.00 as per the regs which I submitted to Roger Green and Barry for inclusion in Low Flying/publication on the web site. Where any other price has come from I do not know..... I have however amended the regs appearing on the web site to reflect the class changes re 1800cc K series. Although I checked before publishing I was told that there were no changes from last year............ All entrants will receive a correct class structure with their acknowledgment of entry and I have advised the MSA Next......

The most relevant thing when discussing paddle clutch plates is the material they are faced with. The options are Sintered, Cerrametallic or Organic. When I first fitted a paddle plate I fitted a sintered plate (cause it was a "racing" clutch. This WAS difficult when moving off from a standing start (traffic lights etc) but I got used to it. I subsequently fitted a cerrametalic plate and the difference was marked. It is much closer (but not the same) to a "road" clutch and in my estimation quite acceptable for road driving (once you have got used to it) I would guess that organic plates are even nearer to road plates but will also wear more quickly. So you really need to define which plate you are going to consider if you want meaningful comments As far as the driving experience goes the paddle plate has no springs in it to take up any shock when the drive engages. This does not feel as bad as it reads however.... You can get a paddle plate with springs, but this seems neither fish nor fowl to me.... As with most upgrades the main "advantage" of a paddle plate is its reduced weight. Because it is lighter it allows the engine to spin up more freely

You DO need to send a signed hard copy with payment as well as filling in the on line form. Please use the on line form. Its crushingly tedious having to come home from work and then start trying to decipher your handwriting so it can be entered on our database (yes my writing is bad too !). You will hopefully enable us to acknowledge your entries more quickly if all/most entries use the web site. This is a trial run and if it proves succesful then it can no doubt be used for other Club events as well. Help the poor organiser !

Hi John Finally going is it ? What are you instructing ? Ex Chairman Roger

This is the car I drove in the Club sprint at Curborough. Although I have driven Sevens with more outright speed, this is far and away the most exciting Seven I have driven.. Buy it you wont regret it Ex Chairman Roger

Due to other commitments Roger Green is unable to commentate in May (he can do August). If you, or someone you know, fancy having a go let me (or Barbara) know. Remember that Murray Walker started off this way........ Ex Chairman Roger

I know of a set off an early XE that will be for sale....

Anthony I believe that the Quartermaster clutch requires a round faced bearing (cause the fingers on the pressure plate are straight) The Ford bearing is flat faced so that might be a problem in the solution you offer I will speak with Chris and see what he says. Mark I would be interested in pictures (worth a thousand words apparently !) Many thanks Edited by - ECR on 24 Feb 2004 15:16:06

I am fitting a twin plate quartermaster clutch to a VX 2.0L for a friend We are retaining the cable clutch arrangement and I will be modifying the clutch arm to suit. I need to fit a round faced release bearing to the Ford clutch arm to suit the quarter master pressure plate. Is there a bearing carrier that I can fit the new bearing onto that fits the ford clutch arm. When we did Alex’s car we used an alloy bearing carrier from Burtons. The bearing was an interference fit on the carrier but the carrier just sat on the clutch arm with no mechanical fixing and relied on a DIY arm stop to prevent the arm moving back far enough to drop the carrier (which I didn’t like very much...)

I changed to steel hubs with standard stub axles after cracking 3 alloy hubs. I do a lot of track miles and have had no trouble with stub axles. Has the new alloy hub/stub axle run long enough yet to prove bullet proof............. ?

PLENTY of heat Then if it still won't move hacksaw it leaving as much protruding on the threaded side of the wishbone as possible. After the damper has been removed cut a screwdriver slot in the protruding stub and try again with plenty of heat. We managed to remove Alex's this way. Good luck !

I have started to use Mikalor clamps instead of "jubilee" clamps. Prior to this I used a socket to tighten jubilee clamps and whilst it does allow you to tighten them better than with a screwdriver it also allows you to overtighten them and strip the worm drive....The Mikalor design reduces/eliminates this greatly It sometimes works if you place the hose clamp over or adjacent to the area of the beading on the outlet from the rad and tighten there

The standard pistons in the Vauxhall XE are forged (made by Mahle ?)

Mike Swindon advised Scotch Weld DP460 to refix alloy trumpets (0161 237 6363)

Chelspeed is correct. I strongly advise you not to replace them. I have experienced a WOT caused by a broken internal spring (not funny !) All the MSA scrutineers I have spoken with confirmed this advice.

Thanks for all your replies: I now make it: Pre 1993 XE 1993 to 1995/6 XE "LN" (low noise) 1995/6 onwards Ecotec

Paul I am in the process of upgrading a friends HPC and was mildly suprised when I found the belt arrangement and pulleys were different to my (early) XE.Of course I knew of the existence of the "plastic pullied engine" but this is the first one I have worked on. I am just trying to find out the exact description of the engine that I am working on and to identify any issues that need watching out for !

Can anyone confirm the existence of a LN (for low noise) engine then ? Or is an LN a post 93 XE engine fitted with the plastic cam belt pullies and a different belt path to the "early" XE's ? Edited by - ECR on 6 Feb 2004 15:32:44

What year did the LN change to the ecotec ? As far as I know the other change points were: Pre 1993 Vauxhall 2L 16V engines are XE type 1993 and onwards they are LN type ???? they are Ecotec type

My Mocal sandwich plate has 3 "O" rings. Two are 2.5" ish in diameter and square in section and one is 1" ish and round in section. The square rings fit one between the engine block and the Mocal plate with the inlet/outlet tappings and one between the Mocal plate with the inlet/outlet tappings and the Clamp plate/lid. The small round section O ring fits over the cetral pillar in the clamp plate/lid. Caution: not all sandwich plates may be the same.....