JohnCh

I like how the word "Top" is on both the top and the bottom of the lens. That will drive perfectionists crazy Looking forward to hearing your impressions once they are installed. -John

Hmm.. Maybe we should have a local field trip to view CatKong. I have a custom "I'd rather be driving a Westfield" license plate frame I need install on the rear of that car. -John

Who knows, you might get tapped to help me install mine and will then have first hand experience on how to do it -John

Thanks Greg, that's what I figured and makes the decision easier given I'm running a different ECU. An external set up with return and inline regulator won't require ecu programming so that aspect is easier, as are troubleshooting if things go wrong, and replacing parts if they do. A little more weight and not as elegant as in-tank returnless, but probably a better choice for me. Thanks, John

On the newer Caterhams with returnless fuel injection and the in-tank pump, do they control fuel pressure via voltage adjustments to the pump, or is there an integral mechanical fuel pressure regulator in the tank? I'll need a more powerful pump to address hp levels on my incoming Caterham and am assessing options: keep things returnless with a higher capacity in-tank pump, or go with a return system with external pump. I'm leaning towards the latter, but would like to understand the stock system a little better before making any decisions. Thanks, John

Your oops helped me finally realize this video thread is not in the video forum. Moved! -John

There's been an electric Westfield in Barbados for years that's reasonably fast. Nicknamed the MegaWatt, here is an 1/8 mile run in 6.462s seconds at 109mph. I'd tell you to turn up the sound, but... -John

Only mentioning it because it's so basic it's easy to overlook: have you checked the fuse and/or relay for the fuel pump? -John

I'm still recovering from watching your last video, but towards the end I did notice what appears to be a bleed port on the top driver's side of your radiator. Hard to see from the angles, but it also looks like that might be higher than your expansion tank. If it is, another option is to jack up the front of the car as high as you can to raise that point, and bleed from there. That said, methodically following the steps outlined by @Croc and @ashyers should be your first course of action. For power flushing, check with your local auto parts stores. One of them may have something available for rent and you can probably rent a small nail gun air compressor from Home Depot. -John

It's a longshot, but check with Bruce Beachman at http://www.beachmanracing.com/ and Josh Robbins at http://rockymountaincaterham.com/. They both stock parts and could have one in stock. Classic Carbon in the UK also makes them, but they appear to be out of stock. -John

There is no universal right or wrong, there is simply what's right for you. Couple of additional points to consider. If you are going with a Duratec with cams, you will likely use 7000rpm or potentially 7500rpm for the redline, not 6200rpm (even Ford sets the limiter at 6750rpm for the stock engine in the Focus.) Although for peace of mind I'd upgrade the rod bolts to ARP for that higher figure. Tom and his engine guy can provide recommendations for your engine. The problem with the really short 1st gear is usefulness. When I first built my car, the 2.0L Duratec had stock cams and Jenvey throttle bodies, a 3.92 open diff and the stock Type-9. If I eased out the clutch, then nailed it, the rear tires went up in smoke and I was banging off the rev limiter within 15-20 feet. Next, I swapped in a 3.62 diff with limited slip. Now I could make it a bit farther, but anything close to 3/4 throttle in 1st was still pretty pointless. It simply couldn't put down the power. Next I went to a BGH gearbox with the 2.98 1st. Yes, I could still get a little wheel spin in 1st, but it was entirely usable and it has never felt remotely tall. Hopefully others will chime in with their experiences, which may be different than mine. Best thing to do at this stage is gather a lot of input, then make a decision based on which aspects are most important to you. -John

I'd do a little more research on this. The stock 1st gear is absurdly short on a Se7en, particularly with a 200hp Duratec. I'm not sure what options Tom has available, but a common gearset upgrade is often referred to as the Long 1st Gear box. First is 2.98 and the remaining ratios are the same. There are closer ratio sets available that have an even longer 1st (BGH offers 2.83, 2.75, and 2.66), and taller 2nd-5th, but those gear sets are generally better when coupled with a shorter diff ratio. Speaking from experience, and having run 190hp, 210hp, and ~225hp Duratecs, 2.98 is not too long for street driving, is actually usable, and puts you back in the sweet spot after the shift into second. I will caveat this by stating my car has a 3.62 diff and 205/60-13 tires, so my gearing is 3.6% shorter than yours, but I'd still get more input before locking that aspect of your order. -John

I split this thread into two. If you are looking for the discussion on Birkinson's recent Birkin order, please go here:

This is a great topic and worthy of its own thread, so I've split it from Croc's initial thread on his visit to Tom's shop. -John

Westfield has been doing the Eco Boost for several years (the Sport 250), but I prefer NA in a very light car. I've spoken to Tom in the past and wouldn't hesitate to buy a car from him, but one of the draws of the Caterham is the fact that Bruce Beachman's shop is just 10 miles from my house. Now that might be something that @BruceBe lives to regret, but it is a great perk for me -John

Roulette Green is no longer a standard color, so not in the configurator, but here is a 620S in that shade of Kermit. Given I'm doing the 620 nose, it's close enough, although the wheels are wrong. -John

I knew I shouldn't have enabled GIFs... -John

Westfield places a bigger onus on the builder than Caterham, but when built well, I personally feel the the two cars are pretty close. There are some things I prefer about the Westfield and some I prefer about the Caterham. But they are my preferences so I don't want to go down that path as I will simply be saying my car is better than my car I've gone with the SV which compares favorably to the Westfield in shoulder width. As for the engine, some may wonder why the 2.4L and not another hot 2.0L if I like my current engine so much? Short version: weight and expectations for dollars spent. When introduced, there was a reason the SV quickly earned the nickname Fat Bastard. With its extra weight, it would be a touch slower than the Westfield with the same engine. If I'm spending a lot money to change cars, I don't want to go slower. I want to go faster. Much faster. With that mindset, the 2.4L makes sense. Since Caterham won't sell me what I want, I've broken down the spec into two parts: what's on the Caterham order sheet and the planned mods. Some of this is subject to change given the months I have to evolve the plan, and as Bruce Beachman can attest, it's already changed more than once in the past few weeks :-) Order Sheet 420R SV 620R nosecone Roulette Green (special order) Lowered floors Carbon Fiber seats with padding (Tillet B6 as used in 620R) Plain black leather tunnel cover from Signature catalog (not a fan of the standard carbon-look leather) Full weather pack Trackday roll bar Track suspension AP 4-Pots 3.64 diff 13" black wheels Mods Engine - 2.4L short block from Esslinger Engineering that combines a forged 2.3L keyed crank with a deburred 2.5L block, includes various oil gallery sealing mods, forged 12:1 pistons with a slightly thicker head gasket to lower static compression to ~11.75:1, forged, longer-than-stock rods, fully balanced, ARP fasteners, etc. Ported 2.5L head, Jenvey 50mm (possibly 52mm) DTHTB, Emerald K6+. Cam investigation is ongoing, but I'm currently leaning towards the Esslinger Stage 4 or Raceline RDL 270. VVT and balance shaft delete. Dry sump. The stock Caterham exhaust manifold and silencer will probably limit power to the 250hp-260hp range, which is plenty for now. A future upgrade will be a custom exhaust that should lift output to ~270hp. Traction control - either the native system in the K6+ or RaceTCS Higher flow fuel pump. This might take the form of an external pump with return hose with inline regulator. Raceline compact bellhousing, flywheel and starter. This places the bottom the sump and bellhousing on the same plane rather than have the bellhousing about 35mm lower. Carbon dash with custom configuration. Currently leaning towards 620R style toggle switches. BlinkStop wireless steering wheel buttons (4) to cover horn, turn signals/hazards, and high beams/flasher. Includes programmable self-cancelling function on turn signals. AIM MXS 1.2 Strada display that covers all gauge, warning light, and shift light needs and connects to the Emerald K6+ via a CAN bus. Lighting - front & rear LEDS with clear lenses. Roll bar mounted 3rd-brake light. Lithium battery Create cold air intake from intercooler duct in 620 nosecone. Locking boot lid - I have some ideas for this. More later. Hidden interior storage. I did this to the Westfield, but it's not yet clear how to achieve this in the Caterham without having the car on hand. That said, I do have an idea. New parts I'll need to sell because Caterham won’t let me purchase what I damn well want (bitter? me? nooo…) Complete 420R engine w/ dry sump, injectors, intake & filter, bellhousing, flywheel, clutch and pressure plate. I'll likely hold onto the alternator & bracket, COP, and clutch slave. Caterham MBE ECU w/ engine wiring harness Carbon dash with gauges and switches When the time comes, I'll start new build threads for engine and car assembly. Criticism welcome…but likely ignored -John

Warning: lots of drivel ahead! The short version for those with better things to do is that I will be asking a lot of Caterham-related questions over the next several months. And for those with too much time on their hands…After more than 20 years of Westfield ownership, I'm turning to the dark side; a deposit was placed last month on a new Caterham. The build slot is still pending given Caterham has yet to figure out their 2022 schedule, but it appears the kit won't arrive until sometime in the Spring. Although I love the Westfield and its recently completed 2.0L Duratec, that infamous engine build process showed me just how much I'm craving a big project. I'm also at a point where the window for me to undertake something like this is closing, so it's now or never. After considering several options, it came down to either building another Westfield or trying my hand at a Caterham. My Westfield has a number of custom touches to better align the car with my tastes and preferences. After living with those mods for years, I wouldn't do any of them differently. This means building another Westfield -- while vastly cheaper -- would simply be a rehash of the previous build. Not much of a learning experience or challenge. With the Caterham, both the assembly process and things I wish to change from stock are new puzzles to solve. Unfortunately, Caterham won't sell a kit without a drivetrain, and my original workaround of buying a 360R or 420R and simply swapping engines with the Westfield turns out to be anything but simple or cheap. Packaging differences mean the Caterham's intake would need to be replaced with Jenveys or their equivalent, then a programmable ECU to accommodate that change, followed by an engine loom for the ECU, and several other minor items. Yes, I could avoid this slippery slope and take cheaper shortcuts, but the Westfield is a great car and I want to keep it that way for the next owner. Surprisingly, the alternative of keeping the Westfield as-is, selling the 420R crate engine, and building a new, more powerful 2.4L Duratec is only marginally more expensive. The upside from this approach is a better Westfield that needs no effort to prep for sale, a much faster Caterham, and I can spend all my build, design, and fabrication cycles on the new car rather than plotting to pull the soul from an old friend. More to come on the spec…. -John

Sorry @Vovchandr, I should have been clearer. I mean a video that shows them in action on the road rather than in a brightly lit studio. -John

If the car was level when you checked, then either someone filled it when it wasn't level, or they filled it with the top cover off. Or you could be lucky and a previous owner added a filler plug on that top cover. Regardless, you don't want to overfill the gearbox. In fact, Ford reduced the amount of oil required during the type-9 run by lowering the fill hole location. Might be worth going through some of the downloads in the Gearbox section here. -John

Hopefully they'll publish a video soon showing these in action. The aspect I like most is the removal of the ponderous fog and reverse lights. I wonder if this package will become standard, thus eliminating the holes for those two lights and providing a cleaner look? -John

The range the throttle travels is less than the range of the TPS -- i.e. it equates to a smaller range than 0-5 volts. The ECU needs to understand what voltage equals idle and what voltage equals full throttle so it can interpolate the engine load at any given throttle opening and apply the right fuel and spark for that load and rpm. I'm not sure if Pectel has a calibration setting to do this or if you are supposed to determine idle and full throttle voltage settings and build it yourself. In the Emerald, you simply go to a settings page, click OK, floor the throttle, release the throttle, then click OK again. The software figures out the range from there. If I understand what you wrote earlier, it sounds like the TPS voltage is not sweeping linearly from 0-5 volts. If that's the case, the ECU will be feeding the wrong fuel and spark to the engine when the voltage reading is false. If you have a multimeter, do a search for how to check if a TPS is working correctly (I'm sure there are multiple videos showing the process) and see what happens as you rotate it from 0-100%. -John

Based on what you've written earlier, what makes you think it's an ECU setting as opposed to a failing TPS? Have you already confirmed the TPS is working correctly across its range with a multimeter? -John

I replaced both master cylinders today. The clutch MC had developed a slow leak which revealed itself a few weeks ago when visiting Bruce Beachman's shop (I suspect the Westfield was punishing me). Whereas the AP Racing brake MC was a planned upgrade. This is the same MC used by Caterham in the R-spec cars, but with slight differences to the lugs to allow more clearance in the Westfield installation. Compared to the stock Girling MC, the AP has a much beefier case, slightly bigger bores 60/40 split vs. 50/50 and each MC is individually shimmed to remove all slack. What a difference! Firmer pedal and much easier to modulate. Highly recommended! -John