StewartG

What ecu and cams are you after?

Rather than blocking the inside, air sucking pickup, mechanically with sliding weights how about using an external g force sensor to electronically control valves in the two pickups?

I've just found the bush and I'm sure I have the T bolt and the y piece. No longer needed due to spare wheel removal so open to offers

Tim, YHM I'm in Barnet.

These sound like the anti roll bar linkages and if one has been removed thats a minimalist way of disabling the arb. It shouldn't affect the handling unless it's fouling something. The proper way to do away with the arb is to remove it and all it's linkages completely.

There's nothing wrong with the steel ones, just clean it up and polish it nice and shiny and stick it back in. In my opinion the nylon ones can chafe (spelling) and cause the problem they're supposed to cure.

Yep I've got one somewhere.

When you say you checked the venturi screw did you check all four of them?

Pair of 185/60/13 48R's just about down to the wear markers but several track days left in them. How does £25 sound.

Told you there was a blockage! Didn't think of the non return valve though. Has it returned the oil pressure to normal and stopped the tapping?

Converting to solid lifters will cure the symptoms not the problem. Unless the problem is the lifters themselves. I have a spare set of lifters you can try. I am using 42h cams with 10w40 with no tapping. I still think you have a blockage maybe the filter. If you do have a blockage it follows from the high pressure that not much oil is circulating. Is there the usual amount being pumped into the dry sumo tank? Edited by - StewartG on 23 Apr 2005 00:16:12

George Poley is not usually open on saturday and I don't think the 7 workshop fit tyres themselves although I'm sure they use someone local. I use Crystal Autos at the back of Ratrace in Barnet. Ask for Rob he's a really nice guy.

I adopted a belt and braces approach with mine. Fitted a longer bolt still screwed through the threaded bush but with a nylock on the inside so that it can't come loose.

Even when mine was tapping badly there appeared to be loads of oil in the head however adding oil to the sump cured it. I know QED say the ball cannot go in too far...... But if it has the oil feed to the rear exhaust cam bearing will be cut off. This will make that bearing overheat . Check the bearing cap for signs.

Could be a sticking hydraulic lifter or even one with a blocked hole. Doesn't account for the high oil pressure though unless the disturbed adjustment theory bears fruit. I have a set of lifters. Although when I replaced mine it didn't stop tapping so don't jump to the conclusion it's them. Could the oil filter be blocked? I've just remembered I have a spare set of hydraulic lifters. Edited by - StewartG on 21 Apr 2005 18:02:11

Bloody hell, this sounds scarey. You have my sympathy. But before you jump to the conclusion that you've a blockage somewhere just double check the oil level is ok. On mine the level seems to influency tapping more than anything else. Having said that, with a noticeable increase in oil pressure and the suspicion of wayward tissues it does sound like trouble. I guess you could start by making sure all the externally accessible orifices are clear. Maybe look in the oil pressure relief valve, the filter, the oil pressure sender, the dry sump pipes (mine have little mesh filters in), the sump. Then check the oil ways in the head that feed the cams (you'll have to remove the cams for this) Can't think of anything else. Good luck Edited by - StewartG on 21 Apr 2005 16:51:30

I don't think there's much wrong with the standard Bilstein dampers and although they can be improved upon, at a price, I don't think they are the limiting factor. Why don't you try stiffer front springs as most suggest but be aware that this could well add to your understeer problem. It will however make the front more responsive to steering input making it feel more direct. To reduce the understeer you need to lower the front ride height or raise the back and perhaps experiment toe in/out and think about a softer front arb.

Took me all weekend to shorten the footwell with much bending and re-bending of the plate that Caterham helpfully supply flatpacked. Then trying to drill the rivet holes to match those already in the chassis rails. and moving some of the inner trim because it covers the pop rivets you need to get to. Not rocket science but a major pain in the arse.

The second take off from the bottom hose allows coolant to ciculate through the engine and head before the thermostat opens and allows it through the radiator. You might ask where the coolant goes without this pipe returning it to the inlet of the pump? Perhaps it gets forced into the expansion tank from the other head outlet and then back to the pump inlet from the bottom of the expansion tank .

Just had a look at the plumbing on mine with no heater and carbs, it's fairly simple. Rad bottom hose goes to water pump. Two feeds are tee'd off from this. The front one goes to the bottom of the expansion tank. The rear one goes to the bigger outlet on the head. The small outlet on the head goes to the top of the expansion tank and has the restrictor in it. The thermostat outlet on the exhaust side of the head goes to the top of the rad. The restrictor is there to control the flow to the expansion tank without it when the engine is stopped coolant trapped in the very hot head boils and violently expands into the... err expansion tank. The restrictor in controlling coolant expansion also helps maintain coolant pressure which maintains a higher boiling point. Adding a restrictor should help the boiling over but lack of one may not be your problem. Are you sure you've no air in the system? Did you use the correct head gasket, did you fit it the right way up and tighten it OK? Did you fit the correct inlet manifold gasket? Do you have any leaks? I had a problem sealing the bottom rad hose until I discovered the jubilee clip must be at the top to align with the flat on the outlet. Hope this helps

Did you look to see if the restrictor was fitted in the expansion tank hose?

Yes I agree. Popping and banging and flames are caused by an imcompletely burnt fuel mixture meeting a hot exhaust which leaks fresh air in through its joints. The combustion can be incomplete due to weak or rich running as in either case the mixture is not being burnt optimally.

Thanks for the info Peter. I know it's a guide problem as I've replaced the head with another one and the problem has gone away. I'm assuming this tells me the rings, bore and piston are OK and the problem lies with the head. I can also see that oil has leaked down the guide and onto the back of that valve. So I guess I need to find someone to check out the valve and maybe renew the guide.

I have a coscast XE head which leaks oil down one valve stem, this results in an oil fouled plug, puff of oil (large) on start up and oil consumption. The obvious thing was to change the valve stem seal but this didn't cure the problem. I'm now wondering if the bronze valve guide is worn or could I have a slightly bent or undersize valve stem? Is DIY changing of valve guides possible? If so how? Are all XE valve guides the same size/fitment? obviously some are bronze and some aren't . Anyone played this game already and fallen down the holes? Thanks Stewart

Suggest you contact Alan Collins at Webcon he told me he helped develop the JPE weber alpha system in conjunction with SRE.