Steve Campbell

Was just driving by in the tintop as you parked up. Edited by - steve campbell on 23 May 2009 16:06:27

Beat me to the spotted...yes very dirty..obviously "driven" 😬 He turned into the services......

No takers on "Where to get an exhaust welded ??" Steve Campbell P889 GRR

So what kind of place might repair......and what kind of price....I live near Slough trading estate so not doubt I will be able to find somewhere to help !! I have 2 cracks....one on the "engine side" weld just at the place the pipe starts to get wider going into the Cat....and one immediately at the exit of the "wide bit" into the last few inches of exit pipe...... both cracked on the welds. Am also looking at that one on e.bay and am in touch with the person via blatmail....

For what it's worth, I have a 1.6k ss but had the chance for a go in an R300 at Abingdon last Friday. The brakes were 2 pot I think and I noticed a significant difference in stopping power compared to my "normal brakes". Pulling power didn't feel like a big jump.... except when I looked at the speedo at the end of the faster bits and was ~ +20 mph faster in the R300 (120-125 'v' 100-105) so appreciated the better brakes !!

Hmmmm....can't seem to blatmail at the moment...will try and contact when the system is back up and running.....

Graham You have blatmail Can't see the eBay adds but I'm interested 1st dibs please !! (see tech talk question on replacement exhausts !) Do you have pictures....and what car do they come off ? R they ok for 1997 1.6k ss ? Thanks, Steve Steve Campbell P889 GRR Edited by - Steve Campbell on 1 May 2009 14:26:40

Hi all, Had the car 9 years and now looks like the welds have gone on the current exhaust near the "back end" (noticed at the end of Abingdon track day....note none technical terms..gives you an idea of my competence here !). I've read through the posts on Tech Talk and am a bit confused. My current exhaust has a single exit from the sideskin and I don't want to go for any expensive upgrades if I can help it. I was running 96Db at the track day & I'm happy with the car as is. Looked at CC and they want £750 for what I think is the right replacement which kind of shocked me !!! So..question is, can I get one cheaper....and ..can somone explain the value of all these different "primaries" and whether I should REALLY consider going for something different....also bear in mind I am looking to sell this car on in the next 12 months (for an upgrade 😬) so not looking to spend heaps of cash this year...just something to "work" and get me through noise tests on trackdays.... ..or can the current one be "rewelded" somehow ??? On the other hand, if something "better" can be had for cheaper I would be a fool not to consider it......my competence does not extend to cutting the sideskin myself so I would need somewhere that both supplies the exhaust and fits it unless a simple direct replacement ! Thanks for any wisdom or advice..... Steve Campbell P889 GRR

I just bought a new radiator and whilst it doesn't have a bleed point, it does have a top of the radiator "off take" which CC said needed to be connected to the expansion tank via a t piece. Wisdom here said don't use it so I just blocked it off 6 inches from radiator and used it as a bleed point when filling (with car as high as I could at the front end). See my other thread from a week or so ago. You are experiencing EXACTLY what happened to me ! I think I had an airlock somewhere which eventually made it's way to the top of the radiator during 1st run and expansion tank overflowed (I made the mistake of gently undoing the thing and for my stupidness got sprayed with very hot water 😬 schoolboy error of the 1st degree ) Sorted it at 2nd attempt. 2nd time around I made sure all was in good working order by following Jonty's advice and ensuring everything was hot all round whilst not moving, including fan kicking in etc (took about 15 mins). I did the heating up with header CLOSED after filling until header at correct level, filling heater top hose until completely full (took a while and slow addition) and finally filling radiator "off take" until full and then plugging and tightening up everything ....patience and lots of pipe wiggling during the process (especially J hose) seems to be the key ! Edited by - Steve Campbell on 15 Apr 2009 10:43:33

Fixed and MOT passed this morning. Thanks all...

Anyone triedf the Go Pro Helmet Hero camera's. Only supposed to be good for internet type watching but just wondering ?

Trevor, see my other postings about radiator replacement and you'll see I'm having fun bleeding the system too ! I think the wisdom for the heater piece is to put a towel below the pipes, not connect the top hose to the heater, put your thuumb over the "heater side hole" and top up in the "top pipe" until full (you will feel the water against your thumb as you top up...it's fiddly). Once full, jamb on the pipe as fast as you can and tighten up ! You will lose some water at this point, hence the towel. Cheers, Steve

OK..more help please. Radiator fitted (with no T piece). Bled the system (front of the car up, top up from expansion tank until ~3/4 full + joggling the J hose a lot, break into top heater hose and top up there until full and reconnect, finally top up from top of radiator bleed that I now have ~ 5 inch of hose then when full, block). Start -up and watch T carefully...all goes well, between 80- 90 the bottom rad hose starts to get warm and then fan cuts in on rad...T < 90 all the time. Great...take it for a 5 minute run...all is well T <90. Stop back at home, leave it running, check the oil...glance at T gauge...100 and climbing slowly ! Bottom hose now cold ! Doh. Do I just need to re-bleed...what is going on here ?? Too dark tonight to carry on but I thought it was sorted ! Steve Campbell P889 GRR

John, perhaps I didn't describe well. I was thinking the spacers might be for the radiator connectors, not the fan legs. With the radiator on, the fan sits tight against the ARB...so putting the spacers in on the rubber bushes will move the radiator forwards a few mm...... does that make sense ? The fan cowling is TIGHT against the radiator....and pretty tight against the ARB at the back (it was a fiddle to put it on as I'd already fastened up the radiator which I had to slacken off to get the fan in)....not sure about the actual fan...will need to take a look tonight.

Many thanks all. T piece binned into the "bits and bobs box" in the garage. Now hunting for a bolt to block up the pipe 😬 Any other comments on Q1 & 2 ? I guess I'll just have to try it and see....

Hmmmm...ok ..got the rad home tonight and trying to fit it : 1) I have the new fan legs..fitted. Fan fits flush / tight up to the radiator...not sure it did this on the old one...I think there was a gap of couple of mm held by the longer legs.......any comments..might get the old one back out and see 2) Caterham have also supplied 8 shiny aluminium spacer washers....the fan is VERY tight fit so presume the spacers are for the radiator "legs" to give some clearance of the fan from the front suspension thingy (anti roll bar ?) ...spot the numpty who didn't build his car 😬 3) New arms are just plastic...old ones had captive nuts..so now I've got to go and find 4 new nuts .....and too late tonight to find them..GRRRRRRRRR 4) Still interested in this T piece...why would C supply radiator with new design ? What was the reason and why are they still supplying it (further advice welcome). If I do fit it...presume T piece pointing down, run the pipe under the expansion tank to radiator...? Any tother suggestions...I can now wait until tomorrow seeing as I can't fit the fan anyway ...doh.... Steve Campbell P889 GRR Edited by - Steve Campbell on 6 Apr 2009 18:56:49

Hmmmm....mine was the original late 90's set-up with the older radiator that did not have this "enhancement". Anyone know why Caterham have changed the design of the radiaotors then ? I do a few track days a year (1st one on 24th April) so don't want any problems !

..and get an eezibleed from Halfords for ~£16...saves having to bribe 2nd person to pump the pedal. Just did mine for the first time ever at the weekend and it was a doddle (although mine was definitely different colour, old was golden syrupy colour and new was much light yellow).

Hi all, 1997 1.6kss with heater....simple questions .... Just got a new radiator from CC and will be fitting it this week. They have also supplied a new T piece + hose as the radiator has a new connection from the old one....I think the t piece goes between the expansion tank and submarine and this connects to the radiator..... Where do I put the T piece (ie is the above correct, close to submarine / close to expansion tank ? or where ?) Does this modification alter how I bleed the system ? Previously I've jacked the car up at the front, cracked the pipe at the heater, filled until overflowing at heater and then topped up at radiator which was the highest point.....always worked before...how might I do it differently with this new pipe in place ? ..and final question..the Temp sender from the Rad, when I refit it do I just screw it in or does it need some kind of "gunk" 😬 to ensure proper seal ? Thanks Steve Campbell P889 GRR Edited by - steve campbell on 6 Apr 2009 21:34:47 More HELP please...see end of thread.... Edited by - steve campbell on 7 Apr 2009 19:43:46 Edited by - steve campbell on 9 Apr 2009 12:43:37

I'm planning to bleed my brakes this weekend for the first time (as in me doing it 'v' getting it done at a service 😬). Manual says Dot 4...is Halfords standard Dot 4 fine for the 7 ? (1996 1.6kss) or should I be looking for something else ? I do a couple of track days a year but mostly low mileage road blatting..... Thanks Steve Campbell P889 GRR

On a trailer past LHR T5 at 7pm last night. Sat behind and stared longingly for a few miles before I had to divert down the M4 !! Steve Campbell P889 GRR

Yellow 21 on M4 Brentford - Slough just after 6pm. Definitely not a polishers car...or at least it had been "enjoyed" today 😬 Steve Campbell P889 GRR

Hi, gave you a thumbs up from the tintop somewhere North of High Wycombe. Looked like you were well stacked up for a weekend away (or longer !) Steve Campbell P889 GRR

Between 11 and 12 Sunday Purple travelling out of West Wycombe towards Princes Risborough (lady driver, male passenger) Yellow and Black heading towards Beaconsfield from M4 Jct. I was in tin top silver audi (tried to "flash" the purple car as I was travelling other direction, saw yellow as we came off the M4 sliproad) Steve Campbell P889 GRR

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