JohnCh

Earlier this week, I did a brief solo tour in WA that included Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier, and the North Cascades Highway. The short version is I had a great time, with little traffic and no conversations with state revenue collectors. For the truly bored, the longer version, including more photos and a recap of my interesting experience with foreign tourists, is here. http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=12830&stc=1 -John

Yep, same picture Skip. Picture was there for me earlier, but I don't see it now either. I should point this out to an admin... -John

Here is an overhead shot that compares the S3 to SV. http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=12754&stc=1 -John

I still remember Skip's initial posts elsewhere regarding his "heretical" idea of installing a Miata drivetrain in a Caterham. Given the required surgery to fit the gearbox within the tight confines of the frame, some people (mostly respectfully as I recall) thought he was...well, nuts. However, the output from that marriage showed Skip's internal wiring harness was not hemorrhaging Lucas smoke, and resulted in a very unique and desirable car. Sad to see it go, but hope Skip does continue to stick around. -John

Dave, are you looking for a vintage ride, or back road blaster that sticks to the lightweight ethos of the original Seven? If you want vintage, then look at an early Caterham, Pre-Lit Westfield, or Lotus. Big budget spread between the three, but they'll give you that experience. Move to more modern variants and the things do begin to change. Engines go from 2 valve to 4 valve, carbs and points to programmable engine management systems, options of roomier cockpits, IRS, alloy 4-pot calipers, and leather or carbon fiber seats. You can't go wrong with either style, but the driving experience is a little different. As for replicas; if you are a purist, buy a Lotus. Semi-purist, Caterham or Birkin. Just want something fun that follows the Seven ethos, then things open up. Most of these cars aren't replicas per se, but rather interpretations of Chapman's concept. Some stray from that a little further than others, but they all have merit. The thing is to find the one that best meets your criteria. -John

Given this began after a hard jolt, I'd check for loose electrical, pinched wires, or crank position sensor. Do you hear the fuel pump when you turn the key? If not, check the fuse and then the wiring. Next, check the fuse for the ECU to make sure no issues there. Also check any connectors in the engine loom to make sure they are still tight. It's also possible that the crank sensor wasn't fully tightened so it moved a bit when you hit the hole. Not sure how to check that if you don't have the plastic alignment tool included with a replacement sensor, but others might know. -John

Like Gert, I've had my Emerald for ~12 years, and have upgraded to later firmware. It's very user friendly, lot's of support from both the company and various UK se7en forums, and reasonably priced. They do make harnesses and can modify them to suit your needs. After developing some issues in the harness I built during the initial install in 2004, I bought a replacement from them this summer and had them prep it for some future mods I have planned. It's very well made. -John

According to this video posted by Edd China, he is leaving Wheeler Dealers due to changes implemented by the show's new owner (Velocity Channel bought it prior to last season.) Sad to see the specific reason below, as I viewed the segments with Mike Brewer as the tax to see the interesting bits with Edd, not the other way around: "Unfortunately, on Velocity’s first attempt at producing the show they found Wheeler Dealers ‘too difficult to make’, ‘at least in its current format’. In particular, the detailed and in depth coverage of my fixes in the workshop; what I consider to be the backbone and USP of the programme, are something Velocity feel should be reduced. The workshop jobs are certainly the hardest part of the show to make and reducing their substance and role in the show will save the production considerable time, effort and therefore money. However, this new direction is not something I am comfortable with as I feel the corners I was being asked to cut compromised the quality of my work and would erode my integrity as well as that of the show, so I have come to the conclusion that my only option is to let Velocity get on with it, without me." -John

I don't recall seeing Pearl before -- looks fantastic! Of course that appreciation is tempered by my frustration from seeing photos of a se7en under blue skies. -John (in Seattle, where we've had our wettest winter on record...)

I don't recall seeing such a tall bonnet bulge on other S4s. Special engine, perhaps? -John

Regarding the steering column's contact with the exhaust manifold, have you checked the engine mounts? One might be collapsed or broken. -John

Have you changed your wheels since I saw the car? If not, then I'm pretty sure those are manufactured for Caterham by KN Wheels in the UK. A quick search on BlatChat should confirm and a call or email to KN might get you a definitive answer. -John

Based on what I've read, this is one of those "it depends" scenarios. Lots of people powder coat their wheels with no issues, but I have occasionally heard of wheels that have subsequently broken. I even know of one wheel vendor whose warranty explicitly denies coverage to problems arising from powder coating. The crux of the issue seems to be the age hardening process. Depending on the alloy, that is done at a temps near or below those used for powder coating, over a multi-hour period. If the cumulative aging time for the wheel with powder coating is over the accepted range, then the tensile strength will be lower. If it is still within the target time range, then there is no negative affect. For example, 356-T6, which is often used for cast wheels, is aged at 305F-315F for 2-5 hours. In this example, if the original age hardening was done close to the 5 hour mark, powder coating could tip it over the edge for the application. If it was only done for 2 hours, then it would be fine. To be safe, I'd contact the wheel manufacturer and ask their opinion. -John

I'm not sure why you are trying to draw attention to the driver of the hot rod. I'm familiar with him, and that guy is a snake... Oh, and second the kudos on your photos. -John

I also wear 11-1/2 and found out the hard way that I cannot drive a Caterham S3 without driving shoes. With driving shoes, or their equivalent, not a problem. -John

At least I didn't say it stands for voluptuous... -John

And all this time I thought the V stood for voluminous -John

There should be a coolant table that adjusts ignition and fueling based on coolant temp, but I'm not sure it's possible for the table values to change on their own. Are you able to log the AFR once you hit 60C? If so, what does that show? Are the values showing extremely rich or lean, or jumping all over the place? Does your ECU have a native driver for the WBO2, or are you running a standalone system like an Innovate? It's possible that the controller is fried, or it could simply be a wiring issue. Have you checked resistance of the WBO2 wires to confirm there isn't a partial break inside the insulation, and also confirm the voltage reading as Tom suggested? Lastly, when you replaced the WBO2, did you calibrate it? -John

I checked my notes regarding tensioning the chain with the Raceco manual chain tensioner. Ammo said to push down hard with the heel of your hand to ensure all the slack is between the cam pulleys, and then adjust to 10mm of movement, which should result in the optimal 3mm of movement when hot. He indicated that verifying the critical hot measurement is a good idea, so it might be worth doing that if you can't find another culprit for the rattle. -John

This seems odd. A single injector shouldn't be inputting that much fuel at idle/very low load. I wonder if the injector is failing and sticking open, thereby dumping far too much fuel into the cylinder? -John

Not yet, but please PM me if it happens again. There has been some weirdness going on with random moderation of new posters even though that option is not set. -John

I did 765 miles solo the day I bought my car, and 635 miles with a passenger on the way back from USA2005. I've also covered several thousand additional miles on subsequent tours, which included both freeways and backroads. As a device for covering a lot of freeway miles in a day, se7ens suck. Period. They are noisy, drafty, and "just" a bit lacking in creature comforts. However, blasting down deserted back roads for miles on end is a different story. If you love cars and the joy of pushing a communicative steed, there is simply no better experience. The positive and negative aspects of se7ening combine to make a memorable experience, which is just the sort of shared adventure that helps people bond. Prepare yourself and your son for the good and the bad and ensure you spend part of the trip on winding back roads and you'll create a memory that you can both talk about for years to come. -John

Aryan, I see four posts from you in this thread , two of which include a number of photos. However, your post count shows you've only made three posts total. Should there be more posts in this thread, or are the ones I'm seeing not visible to others? Thanks, John

I can't answer your specific question, but have you considered a third option; buy a car now, and sell it before returning to the US? This allows you to begin the se7en experience to determine what you like/don't like before making a longer term purchase after returning home. I personally learned a lot my first few years, including use-patterns, which ultimately led me to effectively start from scratch and head in a different direction from my original car. -John

It's the engine wiring harness that connects the ECU to all the sensors, coil, and injectors, not the car harness. I had Emerald start with the Caterham long loom and add wiring for the Map Selector switch and a VVT controller. I'm toying with an engine upgrade that includes variable intake geometry based on a motorcycle unit I bought a while ago. The VVT option native to the Emerald will allow me to control the actuator based on rpm and would theoretically offset some of the low-midrange torque loss from more aggressive cams Me? Slide around on the streets like a hooligan?? Never!!! That comment was purely for entertainment value. Really. -John