halstock

Please see PH ad for full details but in summary 2009 registered 1600K Supersport, factory built and refreshed in 2011 Very high spec with many accessories, under 10,000 miles, superb condition £18,500 ono http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/caterham/all-models/caterham-1600-supersport-superlight--high-spec/4647092

SM25T, any chance you could email the LF pdf to me too, please? andy at halstock dot com Many thanks, Andy

Smiffy, As a somewhat minor aside, I was thinking of this thread last night as I washed my car before the monthly area meeting (there are a few polishers there, mainly of exhausts judging by last night's turnout ). I don't find it any problem to wash the bonnet using little enough water that it doesn't go through the vents onto the engine. I certainly don't hose it or throw a bucket of water over it. Just squeeze 80% of the water out of the sponge (+/- 5% will be fine 😬) and I don't see a problem. It seems a daft thing to even have to discuss but as you're convinced that washing your car may have caused a problem I'd hate you to get hung up on it. Hope you get it sorted really soon. Andy

Hi Woody7, Whereabouts in N Devon are you ? Be good to know in case I'm in that neck of the woods - not common, but not unknown either ! Cheers, Andy

Lovely day for the coast road I was in the grey-with-black-stripes going towards Weymouth

Smiffy, I had a running problem on my 1.6K that shared many of your symptoms and for which I sought advice here amongst POBC. As with many of these problems it could have been any one of a number of things and I had lots of "try this" advice which is really useful for ruling things out but ultimately you want if fixed so you can get out and drive it ! I went for periods believing it was lambda sensor related, then TPS, and other things, but when I ran out of the ability to follow instructions (not v technical myself) I had it taken back to Millwood where I bought it. They only had to listen to it running to say "coil packs" and having those replaced (I think there are two) solved it 100%. Yours may well be something different but it sounds like ignition might be the right area to be poking around in. If you get chance to try new coil packs it might be worth a go. Good luck Andy

Rich, YHM re a grille for a 2006 S3 (fingers crossed you have one). Andy

Just thought I should update to say that I changed the tensioner, added a new belt and a bit of oil and all has been hunky dory since. I'm going to change the oil shortly just to check for 'bits' but it appears to be running 100% normally just now. Many thanks to all for your advice This is pretty much the first time I have ever unbolted anything from a car and replaced it other than a wheel (!), so for a simple job I'm feeling a little bit like I actually fixed it myself ! Andy

I've tried to trawl the 'noise' threads but can't find an answer. Does anyone know what noise level I would expect out of a standard 1600K Supersport-spec with an R300 exhaust with cat ? I would like to do some driver training with Ed Moore at MSE at Keevil which has a 100db limit and I haven't got a clue where I'd be in relation to that. If no one knows the answer, can you advise the best way for me test for myself to give an indication i.e. what revs, what distance from the car, etc ? Sorry for the newbie question, and thanks in advance. Andy

I suffer from the similar 'sister' ailments CAS and SAS ... Cymbal and Snare Aquisition Syndromes (Syndrums ?) The good (better) thing about drumming paraphernalia is that you CAN play more than one at once 😬

I am selling reg R300 LTE by auction on Reg Transfers. £100 starting price, got to be a bargain if your name is Leonard Terence Entwhistle and your R300 doesn't yet have a private plate ... or you want to read it as LiTE. Either way it would be nice to see it go to a Blatchatter. Andy

Malcolm & Stu, thanks for the info. I have the parts on order and will let you know how I get on. Fingers crossed I'll be back on the road in time for the next sunny weekend - gutted not to have been out the last couple of days ☹️ Andy

Just wondered if anyone with experience of the K series dry sump could confirm whether I've identified the correct parts in the links in my previous post ? Thanks, Andy

Guys, thanks for all your help and comments. Having spoken to Jon at Millwood and also my local garage I am inclined to take Richard Price's suggested route - replace the idler pulley and belt, add a little oil and check that the pressure is back up and oil flowing into the DS tank, then take it (gently) from there. The garage suggested that assuming all 'looks' fine at that stage I change the oil immediately to check for anything that shouldn't be there. As it's only about 60 miles old it should be clean enough to see. My questions now relate to the correct parts - I've trawled the forum as much as possible but am I right in thinking that I need : - this pulley here - this bearing here - drive belt ref 3PK765 Any alternative parts I should be considering on the grounds of either cost or utility (or even just the fact that I've found the wrong ones !!) ? Thanks, Andy

OK, so trying to read up on this and I've come across this thread here where the fifth comment recommends a full inspection of big ends, etc. Other threads suggest that the DS pump belt having 'gone' has led to total engine failure so how do I judge whether I'm in serious trouble or whether there's any chance I might have avoided that ? It's looking suspiciously like this is way above my head and I need to take it to a specialist. Andy

Now we're getting somewhere - thanks for recognising that I need even the obvious pointing out ! I thought the 'end' of the tensioner looked wrong but didn't know why. It's clear how much one must learn from building a car even with no prior experience. At least I can search for info, given a few clues, and it's gradually coming. One bit I don't know how to do/where to find is when folk talk about the "cap on the dry sump tank", to see if oil is flowing, and presumably to carry out the manual (non-dipstick) method of checking oil level". Can someone point me in the right direction, preferably towards a picture ? Thanks, Andy Edited by - halstock on 9 Mar 2014 08:51:58

Sorry, I thought I'd made it clear that I realise I have a belt missing What I don't know is how, where or when in relation to my last driving miles. What I also don't know is how best to check what damage may have been done. The only symptom I have seen for myself is the mayo in the catch tank, assuming that's what it is. Is there any chance that it might be OK when I get a new belt on or is the mayo a sign of definite damage ? Thanks, Andy

Ok, good news and what looks (to me) like bad. Please see some pics of what I found. What feels like the only automotive issue I've ever diagnosed outside of a puncture, it appears that I am missing a drive belt that should be wrapped around the gold scavenge pump pulley !! While I have the nose cone off I spotted what I take is the catch tank - white tank to the front left as I stand at the front of the car. Looking in here out of curiosity I see what looks suspiciously like mayonnaise as it is generally described in the case of HGF. What really puzzles me is that I noticed not a single symptom or problem last time I drove it (10 miles about a month ago during a gap in the rain) and I'm wondering when and where the belt can have 'gone'. It can't have been far away from home, can it ? Would the whole thing have packed up straight away ? So on one hand I have found the source of one problem, but have I uncovered something much worse ? Thoughts again would be much appreciated. Andy

Lovely day for it. You were just overtaking two cars...

Thanks for your thoughts. The only way I know to check the oil is with the conning tower dipstick, and I was told to run the engine for a minute minimum then check it straight away. When doing this previously it has shown a level between the marks on the dipstick but today it looked like there was only oil on the very tip. It is a Caterham DS with gold pump and as far as I'm aware is the bell tank type. I had the sender replaced while the car was with Millwood as it had been reading erratically and lower than 'normal' and it seems the crappy standard sender is usually the culprit. Ever since then it has been displaying much better pressure particularly when hot. I always keep an eye on the gauge when driving so I'm positive that it was fine the couple of times I've driven it since the service. I'll have to look up how to access the bell tank to try what you suggest and see if I can see the oil flowing. Thanks again, Andy

I've just rolled the car out for the first proper run of the spring and find upon starting that my oil pressure gauge isn't registering anything. Checking the oil with the dipstick makes it look like there is none (or very little) in there. My car is a 2006 dry sumped 1.6k. I've driven less than 100 miles since having the car serviced by Millwood including oil change and new oil pressure sender, which is still the standard unit in the standard position. The car did start and run fine (apparently) although there was a slight hissing noise coming from the engine (couldn't tell where exactly) for about a minute after turning off. I tried starting twice but no difference either time and didn't want to risk driving it. Any ideas ? I'm afraid I'm not very technical or knowledgeable mechanically so answers as if i know nothing, please ! Thanks, Andy

I was asking Dave Andrews (hi Oily ) a few questions recently about potential upgrade paths for my 1600K and he advised that the standard pistons are only deemed safe up to about 160bhp and anything above that would need forged. Andy

Mine arrived too, many thanks. Andy

Yes, I'm also interested. Thanks, Andy