exfordy

My Sigma 150 SV rad failed after 2 years and 8000 miles. I bought a new one from CCS and they sent the failed one to their supplier with my completed warranty claim form and the supplier paid the cost. But now at a further 2 years and a further 8000 miles that rad has failed. Unbelieveable. I don't know whether to get yet another standard CC rad and try to claim again (I have a good precedent) or give up and get a Radtec one. Are Radtec the only people who do an all-alloy direct replacement? Is the Radtec one literally a direct replacement with no reworking?

I'm 5 ft 8in tall and in my SV I have the seat forward a bit and have adjusted the pedals back towards me (that is when I found that CC had used a wrong thread bolt in the original mounting position...) Viper Blue Sigma 150 Roadsport SV

Domus, I took early retirement too and building the 7 was all part of the enjoyment. BTW the build is covered day by day in photos here. I had loads of problems - delays in delivery (was told Jan 07, actually May 07), missing power socket (because they omitted it from the order form so I couldn't know it was an option), many shortages (including the engine not ready for the delivery day), late availability of Sigma Assembly Guide, ignition switch wrongly wired by the factory so the car wouldn't start, poppers wrongly positioned so the roof couldn't be fitted, wrongly made loom so I had to solder in a fly loom. All this is laughable but pales into insignificance once you can drive it. Then, however, the inevitable raditor leak and two weeks wait because they were out of stock. Then the windscreen cracked and another two weeks wait because they were out of stock. But I am still smiling (or is it laughing hysterically?) Viper Blue Sigma 150 Roadsport SV

Domus, are you planning to build or buy a ready built? Brian

To Jon Crofts: "...it's now a £356.50 part from CC..." must be a standard narrow body? I just rang CC and they said £410 +VAT=£471.50 for an SV screen? Big difference for a little difference if you see what I mean.

Didn't get a reply to an e-mail sent two days ago to the Parts Dept so rang today. No stock, not sure when some will be in, could be tomorrow or next week and then probably only five and those may be swallowed up by production. *Sigh* Viper Blue Sigma 150 Roadsport SV

James Gibson said "We did have a problem on early radiators but all failures were pretty early on in the radiators life as it was a seam failure so unable to retain water for long. I would be surprised if your radiator was from this batch". My car was I believe the first Sigma 150 delivered for self build (early May 8, 2007) which would make it an early radiator? Anyway I am now stuck because... they are out of stock! Methinks they must have some for production. Shouldn't they let me have one of those? Viper Blue Sigma 150 Roadsport SV

Mine has a leak at the joint between the top plastic and the metal. 2 years 8000 miles. Suppose I'll have to buy one even given the recognised problem with these rads :-( Viper Blue Sigma 150 Roadsport SV

Malcolm, I got it at CC South, Dartford. Robin Sedgwick arranged it but I am sure James Gibson would know about it. Brian Viper Blue Sigma 150 Roadsport SV

Malcolm, during the early months of driving my car, when CC were sorting various problems for me, they fitted what was then an experimental throttle quadrant. That made throttle progression much better from initial movement. Do you have that? If not I recommend you ask CC for one. Brian Viper Blue Sigma 150 Roadsport SV

Toby my upgrade was free. While it was there they stuck a new 'CATERHAM' badge on the cam cover (the original came off) and fitted a replacement side screen strap (which I hadn't realised had come off) - all foc. I went to Goodwood today and this was the first cold start since the upgrade. Cold running is hugely improved. Viper Blue Sigma 150 Roadsport SV

If I am right about the same performance for less throttle it might be interesting to see if fuel consumption is better. Last year a 790 miles trip to Dartmoor gave 25.3 mpg (either motorway blast or country lane crawling). What do others get? Brian Viper Blue Sigma 150 Roadsport SV Edited by - exfordy on 26 Jun 2009 00:34:43

I called in to CC Dartford this morning and had the new mapping. I did ask James what else would be done and, if I remember correctly, he said that the map sensor would be disconnected and blanked off. (Must take a look at that) So - it is better but I wouldn't say it was a transformation. My last map was May 2008 so I don't know how good an iteration that was compared with today's. Now it doesn't pop and bang at all on overrun like it used to (makes Dartford Tunnel blats less amusing...) but it does pop and bang on low speed down change blips which I don't remember it doing before. Weird. More weird is I am convinced that it gives similar performance to before on less throttle. I'll be interested to see what cold running hesitation is gone. It wasn't much of an issue but it would falter if you were a little exuberant. James Gibson said the work would take half an hour but I waited almost an hour and a half. But they did give me two coffees, replace the missing 'CATERHAM' sticker on the cam cover and the missing strap on my side screen foc so all in I am pleased. Brian Viper Blue Sigma 150 Roadsport SV Edited by - exfordy on 26 Jun 2009 00:12:05

Mine has always been a little lumpy when cold but quickly improves as the engine warms. It's not perhaps as smooth as I thought it might be and seems to run out of puff at about 105mph. I've done over 8000 miles so can't be too unhappy! I know two people in Sussex - one whose Sigma 150 has been on the road for some time after mine and another whose is giving him awful running problems but is going to CC for supposed fixing. I should be meeting them soon and we might drive each others' cars to compare. I might be pleasantly surprised or not... Ivan, What's the basis for CC doing the latest fixes you describe? Only if a customer complains? They agree a car is running unsatisfactorily? They charge if the car is more than a year old? Brian Viper Blue Sigma 150 Roadsport SV

Now that is really interesting I clearly have the earlier one. I remember the kit came with only one but during one of the car's visits to CC they fitted one the other side. I shall try adjusting the gap first and then, if necessary, consider these later brackets.