NSXguy

Thats a lovely setup. i would rock it.

I had the same blue one when I first purchased my 81 cat. Swapped it out during my baseline process as it was leaking like yours(it’s probably a very old unit). i installed the speedway unit and decided to fab a plate and purchased a bracket and threaded heim joint to support the back of it for a more robust install. The original configuration/assembly was prone to flex. (Refer to attached photos) links to bracket and heim joint: Hyperlink to clutch slave cylinder bracket Hyper link to clutch slave cylinder heim joint

Chris from Redline Components can sort you out. He's very knowledgeable on the early 7s and would be the best 1 stop shopping solution for all the bits you need. Granted, I haven't ordered anything from him in many years so not sure how/if the shipment/tariff shenanigans have affected his desire to send stuff here, but email is the best way to contact him and list the items you want. Redline Components: https://redlinecomponents.co.uk/

I like to do a full baseline whenever i acquire a new analog/classic car, especially if i don't have a full history or high confidence on the state of the car. It's a great hedge against getting stranded on the side of the road. So i'll share a few things i would recommend; I personally go deeper than this but this is probably a good rational place to start and you can add/subtract as you see fit. Fuel system. -Replace any existing rubber fuel lines (i believe they'll be 5/16" or ~8mm) -replace fuel filter- NAPA PN 3002 -Check operation of pump if electronic, confirm fuel pressure. Webers like <3psi -go through Webers and clean/recondition. -i would diassemble but if not comfortable; check internal filter. floats, jets at a minimum. clean any gunk at bottom of bowl. Brakes: -Replace lines if needed. -Refill with new Dot 3/4 and bleed. -inspect front caliper for proper operation. pad likely good as they go a long way on a 7. -Is rear Dedion or Live axle(looks to be newer chassis based on X brace in nose so could be DD). Either way. same as front. if live axle, check brake shoes, adjust hand brake. if dedion, check calipers/pads/handbrake -Older 7s had a hydraulically actuated brake pressure switch. confirm operation and replace if necessary. don't forget to bleed this location as well if it has a nipple as it may affect rear circuit. Hydraulic clutch: -Check and replace line if needed. -refill with Dot 3/4. -CLICK following Link to slave cylinder replacement - HYPERLINK TO REPLACEMENT SLAVE CYLINDER -Adjust clutch pedal if necessary to suit. Coolant circuit: -Drain fluid. flush engine and radiator and replace with new green Ford motorcraft or equivalent coolant- 50/50 mix. -replace coolant lines- to heater and rad (can order from UK or piece together from hoses at NAPA) -check and replace thermostat and cap. -Inspect waterpump (relatively inexpensive), so i would just replace if been sitting in coolant for a while. HYPERLINK TO REPLACEMENT PUMP -Check- operation of fan switch. doesn't seem to be connected in photos. Can have on a switch if desired. Ignition: -check distributor cap/rotor and leads. This is one of those items that would leave you stranded. I would recommend replace for -peace of mind. -Replace spark plugs - Champion plugs work well. (N6YC) or Autolite AR51. -Confirm timing with timing light. -Firing order FYI- 1-2-4-3 Oil: -drain and replace - Use Valvoline VR1 20/50 -Napa oil filter - PN/ 1516 Assess Engine Health: -If you have boroscope; doesn't hurt to put one down the bores to gauge. -Do a compression check. -Do a leak down check. -Check and adjust valve clearances. Drivetrain: -Depending on gearbox, may not be able to access drain plug. If so can suck out from the top. Refill with new Redline 75w85 GL-4 fluid or equivalent. -Drain and replace rear diff fluid (will depend if LA or Dedion). Either way should be able to use 75w90 GL-5 Redline or equivalent Suspension: -Check all bushings for wear and replace as necessary. Can order any new ones from Chris at Redline Components (UK) Electrical: -Go through relays, fuses. ensure everything works as intended. I decided to add standalone circuits for high load components to help with reliability. Hope this helps, Dez.

First thing i always ask if i'm helping diagnose something is; has this always persisted or did you make a change(hardware or calibration) before the engine started the intermittent starting issue? If your cold start and warm up enrichment is off, i would refrain from cranking too many times hoping for it to start. Cold starting is a high stress/wear state generally. If it's injecting too much fuel and washing cylinder walls without ignition you don't want to be cranking excessively. For an engine to start from cold, you need enough fuel enrichment(not too much, not too little), so enough prime pulse and cranking fuel, enough air and right spark and timing. All those have to dance in harmony for start to happen so it's just a matter of finding which one of those factors is not showing up to the party or not dressed properly (malfunction or not getting signal). Verification (a Multimeter/Timing light works here): If your pump is priming, which it appears to be doing, you can verify that your injectors are receiving signal and spraying during cranking (can verify physically or check voltage at injector when cranking). i suspect they are working and flooding your cylinders due to all the cranking i saw in the video. Next you want to ensure the charge can be ignited; you can check your coils are firing during cranking (again, can do physically by setting up a test with grounding coil/plug to a ground; or if not comfortable with, check voltage at coilpack while cranking). Another simple issue could be fouled plugs from excessive cranking and enrichment (remove plugs and check to verify- see if they are overly sooty or wet). I doubt the fuel system will drive the signal to the red light next to your speedo. It's more likely it has to do with ignition related status or some other condition/signal . I'm not intimately familiar with 620 architecture and glanced through the thread BUT watched the videos. Thats the basis for this reply. Another thing you can do is verify crank/cam sync - but it's a higher order test so i would suggest you do the basic ones first and report back. If you had access to the ecu programming via data connection/logging diagnosing would be easier. but some of the factory ecus come locked out. So I recommend working through the clues as they present, if it starts repeatedly and immediately when the red light is illuminated, then look at the wiring diagram or trace the wires to determine if correlation=causation; what it's for and what components are linked to it, then follow the clues from there until you arrive at the root and can either replicate the condition at will, or determine what controls the lights illumination.

You’re welcome.

i shared this last year on another thread as a replacement alternator for Xflow powered 7s. You might want to consider if applicable. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZYNNBH2?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_2

It turned out beautiful! Though it also appears that the restoration took quite a toll on your co-driver

You're gadget master!! I will order one as well and play around with it. Comparing values against other stand alone gauges. I can see this being a neat tool on track if the data proves reliable.

I have a (at least to me) very early Cat 7 that looks very much dimensionally and mechanically similar to a period Lotus 7 s3 (and maybe even s2?- less power/drivetrain). I've always wondered how many late 70s/early 80s Caterhams there are in the states. There are relatively lots more of the 90s 7s that i've come across in person or online , of similar configuration (clamshell, xflow, 4spd, Live axle). ] -Dez

Thanks for sharing; that’s very unfortunate and frustrating. I’ve received the best overseas shipment performance with DHL and almost exclusively use them now as I got very disappointing service from FedEx and UPS.

send it to me; with enough financial motivation and i'll sort it out for you ...

I assume you're bringing this car to NJMP? looking forward to checking out the rx7 live axle upgrade. Also- info on the bmw diff upgrade on the merkur (in person) -Des.

i almost bought that car. it was on Facebook i believe. very solid buy and great price! enjoy it.

i shared an assembly (disassembly) manual for an early 7 in the file archives section. It'll be helpful with your chassis/ wiring efforts. Edit: here is the link

Since you have a standalone engine management system, it could be whole host of issues preventing start. Ecu/engine calibration/software, triggers being off, hardware or electrical wiring. If you’ve never done this before and picking up from an “unfinished” project it’ll be a steep learning curve. if your car/chassis is an 83, then it is of the same vintage as mine(confirmed by examining your picture link). Likely started life with a ford Kent 1600 xflow, 4spd box and non ford/ital/marina live axle in the back. The PCD confirms this. there’s a considerable amount of work already done towards the efi conversion but looks like lots still left. it may have other changes not readily evident from the photos but at a glance: -fuel tank is upgraded(good thing given the switch to efi) -front suspension is heavily changed to allow for camber adjustment. ARB has also been modified as a result - horizontal engine brace is square stock; should be round. - different brake master cylinder setup lastly, you’ll want to confirm what box and rear end is currently installed. I would hope (expect) that they have been upgraded as the 4spd Type 2 and standard rear likely won’t cope with the output of this engine package at all or for long.

if you got the car to run, albeit rough, I would suspect the pump is OK. Whenever I pick up a car like this(classic or used); no matter what the previous owner states(especially if not verifiably documented) I would replace all consumables/wear- plugs, filters, cap/rotor if equipped, tstat, water pump if car has been sitting long. They’re cheap and It’s critical for me to baseline a car so I can maintain going forward; it’s been my experience personally and helping others that the one or two things you don’t replace are the very ones that will leave you stranded on your “new” car when you least expect. Relay/Fuses- can locate relay even without diagram- there will likely have one for fan, horn, pump, injectors, coil(s). Once you locate the cluster of relay and fuses, quick process of elimination to remove each one and map which deactivates what. (Same applies for fuses btw if no manual on hand) Physical components- as far as physically id’ing filter/pump. Just trace the fuel line from the fuel rail back towards rear end and you’ll find them. Easier to do with car in the air but can do from above if you have access to tunnel and a removable boot section to access rear end area. If you don’t see pump in-line, then it’s in the tank. Typically a submissive pump will have a filter on unit and there will be another external serviceable filter in line between tank and rail.

Efi conversion on a Kent / Crossflow is project, among others that has been on the docket for me but just haven’t had the time allocation to bang it out. It’s a really nice upgrade if you’re not a purist and appreciate better driveability/road manners and “reliability”(I would probably call it increased vehicle up time). i’m Currently doing a dry sump conversion on my xflow. If I get it completed early enough, I will likely do the conversion- don’t want to risk car not being ready for the driving/track season. I would say If you’re fairly technical, then it’s pretty straight forward and doable from the hardware standpoint; the tuning bit has a learning curve if you’ve never done. If you’ll have someone else tune then get that squared away before you commit to the conversion and make sure said tuner is comfortable with the software you will be using- sometimes the hardware suppliers like Jenvey may offer an all in one solution that includes remote tuning after hardware install. It’s better than nothing but may leave some performance and driveability improvements on the table. I was pretty much going to source my own bits but if you buy a kit, then that simplifies the process. anyway, some high level points to consider: fueling: in essesnce, the fuel system will need to be upgraded from a low pressure to a high pressure one. Few ways to accomplish. Lift pump, surge tank, high pressure pump to rail is one way. Some just use one high pressure pump after tank, but might be prone to surge depending on driving situation. Install Inline filter as well. Then decide if you want return or return less. Trigger: you’ll need to mount a new trigger wheel(36-1, 60-2 etc) and crank sensor(webcon makes a kit) for precise timing control. If you want sequential spark you’ll need a cam sensor installed for signal( a bit more involved, not totally necessary; something I’ll likely do on mine) Ignition: you can keep your ignition system with dizzy if you’d like (based on your tuning and trigger choices). I’m assuming you’re already on electronic ignition at least. you can also decide to go wasted spark ignition using which is between dizzy and fuel sequential spark. Will need two coils for this, deleting the dizzy. Air: the throttle bodies will come with everything you meed. Sometimes you may need to purchase the tps sensor. (I suspect the Jenvey has all this covered). exhaust: you can keep your existing exhaust. I recommend you add a bung after the collectors for a wideband o2 sensor and tie it into the ecu to closely monitor afrs and for close loop corrections. Management: any competent ecu of your choice. wiring: Can start fresh here Or add circuitsto existing harness. New looms for fuel pump(s), crank sensor, tps, injectors, cam sensor and coil(s) if sequential etc. then tune, tune, tune!

100%… so many variables and while Past performance is not always a reliable predictor of future performance… I will say if one is open to truck life, I’ve been very happy with my fully optioned crew cab, 5ft bed Taco 🌮. Rock solid during my ownership (with standard regular maintenance only) and I suspect it will be so in another 10 years. it is very practical, roomy (re: 4drs), enough power (large displacement v6) yet fairly decent mpg, can run on 87, contemporary tech, Navi and creature comforts… I truly want for nothing 😌. Oh, and for all these reasons it holds its value pretty well, I’d say.

After an extensive (similar) search, I decided to send the coilovers from my Cosworth to Angelo from Anze suspension. He is highly regarded in the racing community here in the Tristate and recently relocated his shop to Florida.FYI- I had to source and send him the seals for my kit, but i'm sure he can sort you out. Give him a call. The website: www.anzesuspension.com Disclaimer- first time working with him but after chatting a few times i can tell he knows his stuff and supports many top tier racing teams/programs from my understanding.

pretty straightforward to test the purge valve specifically and check the entire evap system (components, wires and hoses) generally. I would confirm defective before replacing. it could be else something in the system. The purge device as stated earlier is simply a 2 wire solenoid (12v & ground), so can bench test with a spare battery and two wires to the solenoid terminals. if it passes, look for fault elsewhere. They can fail but it's easily a vehicle limetime item unless tank has been overfilled too many times in the past.

Really cool developmental progress on this tech. However, regarding implementing on a 7, i think it depends on the purpose (fit for use/fit for purpose), but overall i would think not an ideal fit for our cars, given Chapman's ethos... But it is possible to make happen if someone REALLY wanted to do it for coolness mainly. 1- Most 7 alternators at 45-60(?) amps don't put out enough power (watts) to drive the proposed unit. assuming the lower end of the SC power requirements of 1.5-2kw you'd need a larger (120-150a) alternator to drive it. They are available but will take some work to package(. Might also need storage for steady state/continuous supercharging (read more weight). all this may counter the gains of the SC boost. There are more efficient ways to get a lil bump in power (camshaft if one wants a bump in a particular rpm range) or even a little more "safe timing" if there's Hp on the table.

Sign me up! Looking forward to any year of track time in the 7️⃣ thanks @Croc 🫡🤝

The reason, as you have discovered is that the electrode went bad(try to find out why!) and by the photos something caused the center electrode to slide out from within the insulator tip and contact the side electrode. This will undoubtedly cause a misfire(no fire) condition as no gap for the spark and therefore no combustion in cylinder 4 which explains why the plug is black and sutty, the engine was shaking due to imbalanced harmonics and all that unburned fuel being introduced and igniting in the exhaust, thereby causing the loud pops and bangs you heard. I think your setup warrants further investigation to rule out positively the root cause of the issue. Assuming you don’t have an eye on afrs while running, how do the other plugs look? What are jets and carb setting(venturis, idles, emulsions, mains, float heights etc), ignition timing at WOT? With the 4speed boxes on early cats unwell he cruising sometimes on the main circuit at highway speeds so if ignition and afrs are off as the condition is held for prolonged periods something may give. You may not see that otherwise just driving around town or during momentary periods of WOT blasts. just some things to consider. -Dez

Signed up for Saturday. I haven't signed up yet for Friday but 90% sure i will make it.