CarlB

Here are some pictures of the throw out bearing. This is the 2.5l engine one. this is a picture of the box for the 2.0L throw out bearing. At the top of the picture is the hydraulic connection. The black part is made of rubber and the connection sticks out of the bellhousing. This is the inside of the bellhousing showing how the throw out bearing mounts. the hydraulic line from the master cylinder is connected on the left. On the right is the bleed screw.. Yours will not look exactly like mine. where you see the brass color just before it sticks out of the bellhousing, I modified the stock piece. The stock bleed screw does not stick out of the bellhousing, and I did not like getting brake fluid in the bell housing.

The torque setting I was talking about was for the number 10-32 screws that hold the friction surface to the Fidanza flywheel. The pressure plate / clutch cover uses M 8 bolts. The '04 2.0L Zetec SVT slave cylinder will not work. the hydraulic connection will not fit in the bellhousing. This is based on using the bellhousing that mounts the starter under the intake manifold. You need the throw out bearing from the cars that used the 2.5L engine. The production car used a tube screwed into the throw out bearing. On our cars the tube isn't used. a flexible hydraulic line is connected. The throw out bearing housing on the 2.0L engine cars does not have screw in tube for the hydraulic connection. The housing sticks up. The protrusion from the bearing will not let it fit in the bell housing. "I have been advised it may be from Mystique or ZX3 but have also been told possibly Pinto....Frustrating." I believe the Mystique is one of the cars within the date range mentioned above. The bellhousings with the starter motor located low on either side of the engine, I believe, it is used on the Pinto and some English cars like the Escort. I haven't had those parts in my hand, but I looked into it because I was looking for a bellhousing. Be careful about speaking to anyone in the UK. Caterham never sold cars with Zetec engines in the UK, and most people are not familiar with the bellhousing with the starter under the intake manifold.

I believe that is the correct Torque setting. The bolt and nuts I used were 125,000 PSI. and the flywheel uses 10-32 bolts

I have a similar car. The cars sold here with a Zetec engine came with a bellhousing with the starter motor mounted under the intake manifold. There were cars that people put Zetec engines in that mounted the starter motor down low and could be on either side of the engine. My car has the type of bellhousing with the started mounted under the intake manifold. I do not know what clutch fits the aftermarket bellhousing. Fidanze can sell you a new friction surface for your flywheel. You will need to know the correct bolts that hold the friction surface. If I remember correctly the difference is the nuts. My flywheel uses jet nuts (small diameter flanged lock nuts used in the aerospace industry). The instruction sheet I got on the last one I purchased had the wrong torque setting. I torqued mine to 25-inch pounds. here is the clutch information. The clutch fits a 1995 to 2004 Ford or Mercury with a 2L engine. The hydraulic throw out bearing is from a 1995 to 2004 Ford/ Mercury with the 2.5L engine. The Luk part numbers are: Pressure plate - LC5142 Disk - LD5142 Kit - 07164 - The throw out bearing is not correct Throw out Bearing - SLC273 Clutch Master is an aftermarket company, and I have one of their clutches. The part number is FX250:07168-HDOF. They are familiar with the car and know what to give you.

I was stupid. I was at the track to do some testing. It started raining and I had very worn tires and wanted to make sure the car was running well. I lost it and got in a tire wall. It will get fixed. I have someone who is good at it and has the equipment to do it. Now if I can get Redline to get my parts order together I can get started. I built that stand to help me move it around and get it cleaned all over.

Not the picture I wanted to take.

A note of caution - this thread will produce multiple differing recommendations that likely conflict with each other. All reflect each person's own experience based on their context. You should consider everything and make your own decision based on your own circumstances, environment, track condition, your own driver skill/comfort level and car condition on the day. We will not be there to make the decision for you. Spoken like someone who has had to deal with our litigious society.

These cars do not need much. I would bleed the brakes to get fresh fluid. Set the alignment to 3 degrees of negative camber, 3 degrees of caster, and 1/16th total toe out. Make sure you do not have any toe out in the rear. Zero toe, to a little in, is what you want in the rear. Starting tire pressure of 20 LBS, You can probably go down a little. These are very generic and will get you started. Brake pads are a personal thing as well. They have different characteristics and I would try what you have and then read about and try something else. The cars are really good the way they come. At some point you might want to change springs and bars, but again I would recommend you go drive it the way it is. As you get familiar with the car, it will tell you what it wants. Everyone's driving style is a little different.

Thank you - I will see what they have.

I want to get new rear fenders, or as our English friends call them rear wings. Has anyone had good luck with the non-Caterham makers?

I was there just to make sure the car was OK. I was planning on going to a SCCA event over the weekend. Summit has a program called track time where you show up at 3:00 in the afternoon and follow the leader. It is for people who have never been on the racetrack. Before you go out, they give you an hour lecture about the line and follow them. One always has a lot of standing water on the line. I didn't want to get out of line but as the rain picked up my car was all over the place. So, I slowed down the next lap. Coming out of one I was trying to catch up and halfway to 3 I got on the throttle too much. Around I went! I should have known better.

Apparently I didn’t send the message I wrote this morning. thank you Croc. I have Someone to fix the car that is more than capable. I am questioning how I want it repaired. Do I want to get the frame fixed and drive it. Hopefully before the USA-7 event. Then deal with the body. The alternative is to do a lot more to a car that has been well used and could use a refresh. My car is an imperial and I am going to call Arch Monday and see if I can get a basket. That is definitely how I want to fix it. From racing stock cars it is common to do the same thing. They have a different name. They call it a clip.

Thank you. Buddy Norton at SASCO SPORTS is a good friend. He and his son probably have the fastest SCCA Caterham in the country. I spoke to him and he couldn’t do it. I think I have someone. Although if anyone else has ideas I would like to hear about it. The guy who built my roll cage has a the tools and skills to do it.

Thank you for the concern and help. I am fine. I was lucky I went in a tire wall. I didn’t have a head and neck restraint on and I am not even sore. If you look at the pictures of my car you will see the rear down tubes from the roll cage come down to the area where the jack points are located. I believe that stopped the damage and protected the fuel cell. I have more pictures if you think people would like to see them.

I went to Summit Point to test my car. I shouldn't have gone out in the rain, but I wanted to make sure it was running well and I thought I would just go slow. Big mistake! Avon ZZS tires that are almost worn out and me being stupid. I bent the frame on that side behind the main roll bar hoop, and I need to find someone to repair the car. The two people I have confidence in are both busy. Does anyone know a good race car mechanic with a surface plate?

I had this problem. I had a motorsport quality engine harness built for my car. The guy who built the harness is a very well-known tuner and he set up my ECU so the fuel would cut off on oil pressure.

There are 3 tracks at Summit Point. The main circuit is a traditional track Jefferson and Shenandoah are smaller and were built for NPDE. I actually really like Shenandoah.

Thank you - I appreciate the input. I am going to see if I can find these here.

I need some treaded tires. Does anyone have any information on the Kumho Ecsta V-70 tires? Jack Webb says they are about the equivalent of a ZZS. They are close to the size of the Avon / Nova 13-inch tires.

I live in the Washington DC area and go to Summit Point and Dominion. I will let you know when I am going.

I have had a Motive bleeder for a long time and used both ways described above. It has always worked for me. Some proportioning valves are difficult to bleed if you do not put them on the highest setting. The Motive brake bleeder will not work on late model cars with ABS is you get air in the ABS system.

The Caterhams sold in the USA with Zetec engines came with the starter on the right hand side from the drivers seat and up higher under the intake manifold. The picture you are showing has the starter mounted low on the left and it would be below the exhaust. There are flywheel differences that affect the starter motor and clutch. It is my understanding that Caterham never sold Zetec powered cars in the UK. The cars in the UK with Zetec used a bell housing like yours. I do not have any experience with Burkins, but the T-9 transmissions in Caterham all have the longer input shaft. You might be able to find a starter alternator rebuild shop who can identify the starter, but there aren’t many around any more. Race line in the UK might be able to help you. They sell all the different parts.

Where does the starter motor mount on the bellhousing. That is an issue. I have a Zetec with the Focus engine and flywheel; it uses a bellhousing that mounts the starter under the intake manifold. My car uses a Focus starter. There are bellhousings that mount the starter down low. They are available to mount the start on either or both sides of the engine. I do not know what starter they use.

I have a similar car so I am not a perspective customer, but you mentioned a setup sheet. I didn’t see it in the post. I would be very interested in seeing it.

My car has the Caterham AP brakes. The regular brakes are very good, but if you really use your brakes the AP brakes are better. At the time of the test, I think the car could have used more rear brake. I do not consider myself a very good driver and I had never been to that track. I had the car setup so I wasn’t going to get in trouble. If you get a 420R with 200 HP you will easily be faster than a MX-5 factory race car.