Slonie

Hey Bay Area folks! I just got the details for the 7/7 drive this Sunday. Hope to see you there! Here’s the details from our organizer (who doesn’t have an account here). 7/7 Fish and Chips Run!!! Sorry for the delay but here’s the route and timing for the Inaugural 7/7 Fish and Chips Run. Pre-stage at the Foothill College #1 parking lot at 10:30. Please fill up before hand and be prepared for the drive at the pre-stage meeting point. We will roll out at 11am, following the route to the halfway point, stopping at the La Honda Country Market for a 20 minute break, and some photos. We will continue from there to our lunch stop at Flying Fish Grill in Half Moon Bay. There’s a gas station on the corner there so fuel is easily available if needed. Route information here Looking forward to seeing everyone!

The replay of yesterday's Youtube Live stream is available. Duncan's run starts around the 4 hour 19 minute mark, this timestamped link should work. There are definitely a few other runs I'd like to watch as well though!

Also note: As promised by many people who've been down this road, the Stack LED-lit gauges are incredibly bright, I don't have a dimmer switch or resistor on it to bring it down, that's filed under "maybe once I replace all the gauges with matching units"

Incidentally, did you ever figure out what was causing your rev hang when off-throttle? I seem to recall you mentioning it in a post in this thread from probably many years ago. I've searched all over the internet and had a quick correspondence with Borla (ex-TWM) on the matter, but interested to hear what you found. My behavior is the same as many people seem to have had with them, which is once warmed up, I come off the accelerator pedal and the throttles hang open just enough to idle at 2500-3000rpm or so. A quick blip of the throttle will cause them to reset. When I googled this, I feel like I found somebody identifying the causes as bent shaft(s) on the throttle butterflies, but didn't get a confirmed answer. The solution, via circa-2005 Honda-Tech members was to just add another spring to help pull them shut. TWM/Borla later added a dual return spring, and the parts are available to retrofit mine. I'm going to do that as a matter of safety (after all, dual return springs are better), and it may fix the symptom too, though probably not fixing the root cause. Uploaded a video showing the behavior. Apologies for the excessive camera movement.

Got the new 'stat installed last night. A few observations. 1) The stat I just pulled was also 92c but marked 92-102 and not 92-106. It was a current Motorcraft part (as noted above: Motorcraft-RT1150 (ford p/n F8RZ8575CA ) 2) I went for about a half hour drive in admittedly cooler temperatures than my previous drives since the sun had gone down (71F ambient instead of 78F the last time I took note). First impressions are that my cruising temps went from 96-98 indicated to 88-90 indicated, never climbing above 90 as long as I was moving. Exactly the kind of improvement I was looking for. 3) When stopped with the fan off, temperatures would again creep back to 102 indicated before the fan kicks on. But it took longer and wouldn't get there at the average stoplight, I think. 4) When I stopped and let the fan run, temperatures would continuously go down (to about 92). Previously the fan would slowly bring it from 100-102 down to 98 but I never saw lower. So, with the caveat that I need to drive it on a hot day to be sure, I'm calling this a success. I still wouldn't mind having the fan kick on a tick earlier, but a future override switch should take care of this. Thanks again @MV8 for the encouragement to try it and the part number. Now I've got a lot more confidence to go back to some real driving this weekend and next... Photo: Idling in front of my garage with lower temps than I could get while moving at 40mph before:

New stat arrived, Gates 33338, funnily enough despite being a Gates package the thermostat itself was marked Motorad / 0422 so I guess that’s two parts cross references into one. Hopefully I’ll get it in this weekend and be able to report back with lower temps. It’s gonna be a hot one (forecast is in the 90s…).

Josh at Rocky Mountain Caterham has a couple of them on consignment right now, although I think the green one might be sold or soon to be sold to another member here... I'm really into that Super Seven 1600 even though if you asked me any other day I'd say I wanted cycle wings. Like Vovchandr said, the weekly round-up thread here usually has some good prospects as well... https://rockymountaincaterham.com/inventory/

At the risk of committing thread nercromancy (oops, too late)... @Kitcat, did that M10x1.5 work for you? I've been considering buying the Quaife knob and they show 3/8 UNC as the Caterham-specific thread. Although I also see that 1) Some Caterham shifters have adaptors on them 2) M10 x 1.5 is very close to 3/8 UNC so maybe they still thread on. More pertinently, Quaife UK seems to be about the only place to get the 3/8 UNC version of this knob, and their shipping cost from the UK is astronomical. Maybe they're not used to shipping anything smaller than a differential or gearset. If folks were interested in a stateside group shipping buy... (or if we could find a Quaife distributor to bring some in)

I found this section quite interesting too: Currently around one-fifth of production leaves the factory with a little 660cc Suzuki three-cylinder turbo engine, and the rest feature two-liter Ford Duratec units in various states of tune. Those are now out of production, but thanks to the financial backing from Japan, Caterham has bought enough for the next three years.” “After that “We are looking at five or six different engine options form four different manufacturers,” explains Laishley. “And we have completely shifted from buying old engines at the end of their model lifecycle to something that is not even in production.” I was surprised at the take rate for the Suzuki models, but that probably speaks to the strength of Caterham in the Japanese market. Interesting times ahead with lining up a new engine supplier in the next 3 years.

Thanks @MV8 as always for the tips. I found a photo of my old stat (which I suspect is actually fine,, but changed anyway to a new 92c Motorcraft because I had the system drained). Sure enough, it's marked 92-106. I'm sure switching to a cooler stat will keep my temps a bit lower. I ordered a 33338, which starts at 82c, I'm not sure what the total range is but figure it'll be fully open by the time I'm in the mid-90s.

For a fan switch, I'm running a a Borg Warner/ Wahler 601092D It's marked 92/87c and it used to be available on FCP Euro but is no longer there. Incidentally, I've tested this my 92c switch in a pot of heated water and confirmed its operation at ~93C, but in the car it doesn't seem to actually kick on until I'm at around 100c at the thermostat housing. I can only guess that this is it's because the temperature drops across the run of the upper radiator hose, but it's still curious. The OEM Caterham switch I got from Rocky Mountain Caterham would theoretically be a 86/95 switch, although my pot-of-water test seemed to be more like 98-86\ In the end, I will probably wire up a relay and use the Stack pro-control gauge to provide an override, along with a manual switch.

The thermostat I purchased (to replace the one that came with the car) is a Motorcraft-RT1150 (ford p/n F8RZ8575CA ) If you know the part number for an 85c stat, I'd definitely swap it in at next system drain (which I'm planning to do sooner rather than later for flushing purposes). For thermostat housings, I haven't had an issue yet, but this could be useful info for future reference. I had read that Focus Zetec thermostat housings are prone to cracking/leaking, and previously went through a bunch of research on the SVT Focus forums to find "the good part numbers" for an improved housing. Then I realized that whomever built my engine already had already spec'd these parts. In my research I also found the Bostig billet thermostat housing for Zetecs which is quite expensive and possibly NLA, as well as the Sólido Frio cast aluminum housing, which seems to re-create an older Ford part before they switched to plastic. That may be worth a look if the OEM housing ever fails. (Thread: https://www.focaljet.com/threads/who-wants-to-be-a-guinea-pig-stat-housing.621238/page-2?nested_view=1&sortby=oldest ) (Comparison: https://www.svtperformance.com/threads/thermostat-housings.986357/ ) (Youtube comparison: https://youtu.be/n8YyPVsVfgQ ) F8RZ-8592-AG (thermostat housing body) F5RZ-8592-A (thermostat water outlet bolted to main body) F8CZ-12A648-AA (temp sensor on top of body for OEM ECU, I don't know if it's what I have as used with a Pectel) W500015-S309 x3 (bolts for water outlet) W700319-S300 (thermostat O-ring/gasket) F8RZ-8575-CA (thermostat)

I'm also happy to discuss the Zetec cooling system at length here, including the diagram I drew of mine. I need to transfer overall of the measured sizes to make this a truly useful reference, but I believe it to be accurate. As an addendum (to be added on a future version along with all the other hose dimensions -- I'll probably make another post about which off-the-shelf radiator hoses I used and a call for better suggestions) -- My car used 5/8" heater hose for the lower bypass and all the heater lines, but the Zetec thermostat housing outlets are not actually 5/8 -- they're more like 3/4 (19-21mm). When I redid the lines I actually used a 19mm elbow for the bypass then used a coupler to reduce it to 5/8 for the rest of the run. For the heater hose feed from the thermostat housing, the line is not actually a plain 5/8 hose at all but a Gates 3638. That seems to be a replacement part for a Euro VW Golf. 19mm on short side 90 degree bend, 15.5mm other side. When I replace that one, I may order another of the same, or simply get a 19mm elbow and reducer again as I did on the bypass.

I've been all over the web on this but as I finally have a more accurate temperature gauge and my car's back together, I'm wondering what kind of water temperatures people see on a Zetec (Blacktop, via Caterham USA), or what they'd consider an upper bound for normal running. The baseline of my setup is a 93C-on 87C-off fan switch installed in the top of the radiator, a Ford thermostat marked 92C, and a Stack temperature gauge reading from the OEM gauge sender location in the bottom of the thermostat housing. My cooling system is what I'd describe as (probably) stock Caterham USA Zetec setup, with a heater. Fully pressurized system with an expansion tank. I had a whole series of cooling misadventures due to a faulty fan switch and temperature sender that put my car out of commission for ages, and I have recently gotten it back together with (mostly) new cooling hoses, thermostat, fan switch, temperature sender and gauge. I could write a whole post about my research and misadventures with the Caterham OEM gauge but I can shorten it to say - It was not accurate, and I replaced it with a Stack Pro-Control (electronic) gauge. Prior to installation I tested the fan switch in a pot of water and confirmed operation, as well as tested the Stack gauge+sender up to boiling water (i.e. 99C). The gauge read about 2 degrees high in the area of ~80C and maybe 5 degrees high at 99C (it indicated 104C). I've driven about 60 miles since getting the car back together and seen my indicated temperature while driving fluctuate between an indicated 96-98C. I think per my testing above that the real temps are a little lower. If I am going slow uphill or stop and idle, the temperatures will go up until the gauge hits about 102C before the fan eventually kicks on and brings it back down below 100C. I'm a little surprised at how late the fan kicks on given the temperature rating of the switch, and have surmised that maybe the coolant has actually dropped a few degrees by the time it makes its way along the upper rad hose and into the radiator. This has caused me to wonder about relocating the switch so that when my fan comes on it's actually coming on when thermostat housing temps are at ~95C. I'm also planning on adding a manual override switch on a relay so that I can turn it on myself for peace of mind when I expect to be slow or stopped frequently. I've also noticed that coasting at engine idle speed doesn't seem to cool as well as being at 2500rpm or so, this maybe makes sense given the water pump operation being RPM-dependent. All this being said though, and back to my original question: I've read some people online saying that temperatures near 100C or even above are actually normal for Zetecs in which case I may have nothing to worry about. I haven't really driven the car much above 4000rpm or particularly hard yet while shaking down the cooling system after the car was idle for quite a long time. And to be clear, I've only seen it go over an indicated 100C while moving for the briefest of moments, in general it seems to be sitting at 96-98C in my 30-40mph driving.

This is a really cool look at some early cars, even if I'm in no position to buy (to put it mildly). Thanks for posting

Oh, and if I can remember to try a 51068 at next change, I will. If it’s at all shorter than the Ford filter, there’s a chance it will fit. I guess this as good a time as any to ask for opinions on XP vs regular when it comes to Wix filters. The cost increase is negligible (a few dollars), as long as there’s no hidden disadvantage, I’ll go with the XP next time too. Edit: I did also find some Fiesta ST folks swapping to the FL-400S from their shorter stock filter (FL-910S), which might make the latter a possible OEM choice for us (as it’s apparently a shortened 400, though the relief valve PSI is different… ) link here . But based on the insight here, the WIX seems to be the way to go.

Thank you so much for this -- I'll almost certainly pick up a 51348 for next time. I'm thinking the recommendation I received from the engine builder (via Josh) is probably due to your note about race engine builders bypassing the filter bypass. I do not know if I have an uprated oil pump though, so I wouldn't count on it. I'm running 5w30 Mobil1 and it doesn't get too cold here so that's a plus. Thanks also to everyone else for the insight, this is a great community.

Hi folks, I considered putting this in the general Zetec thread but I thought it might be better to be its own thread if people have a lot to say in response. I'm looking for people's ideas on oil filters for Zetec 7s. At least for LHD cars we don't have as much of an issue with steering column interference, but the positioning of the filter is still fairly close to a chassis member so we can't go super long either. Although 20+ years ago there was another part number indicated for Zetecs, I believe the currently-available OEM Ford filter that's still available is the FL-400-S. I bought one to try out. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite fit my LHD S3 Super 7. The filter diameter and length would be fine if it was fully threaded in, but I just can't quite get a straight on approach to begin threading it in without interfering with a chassis member. So that one's out. When I bought my car, it had a WIX 51394 installed. This filter is quite small and has no problem fitting. It also has a bypass valve and an anti-drainback valve and is purportedly a well-constructed filter (source: a random person at the most famous oil forum on the internet). The downsides are that it is smaller than it could be, and that the diameter of the gasket (2.5 inch according to Oreilly) is smaller than it should be as well, resulting in part of the gasket overhanging the inside of the flange. This is a photo of the filter I removed from the car, showing a step-shaped deformation in the gasket. As far as I know, it didn't actually leak. In any case, I received a recommendation from Josh at RMC for the WIX WL7098 as the recommended filter for this application. The gasket diameter is 2.75 inches so I believe it's correct for the Zetec flange inches bigger so it should be good there, and the overall length looks like it will fit. The only thing giving me pause about that one is that it doesn't appear to have a bypass or anti drainback valve. I also had to special order it, and did just so I could see it in person. In the meantime, I've installed another WIX 51394 so I could get back on the road, but I'd love to know what other people think or which filters they've had success with.

So, I can confirm this deal is real, not bad for $16! Also came with inline fuse holders and fuses, about 40 zipties, and dielectric grease. The relays are not made in Japan but they are Omrons.

The Sjeven is an all-timer! I bought two (and a print) the last time I saw them on Blipshift, I'd almost certainly buy again (especially in another color, ours are dark blue)

This has been bouncing around the forums from GRM to the 2002 folks to GarageJournal, but I thought there may be some interest here too. Toyota will apparently sell you a pair of made-in-Japan Koito 7" round H4 housings with bulbs, relays, and wiring for ~$20 right now as long as you know the part number. The price will differ depending on which dealership or parts distributor you look at but my local one is only $18. The Toyota part number is: 81110-60P70 I got the information from here: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/7-glass-headlight-6024-retrofit-h4-conversion-kit.530468/ Apparently Toyota never sold H4 housings before, only sealed beams, and production constraints have kept them from being able to supply the old part number and they're shipping these instead. I've ordered a set from my local dealer, just to have a spare set... Hopefully it will actually come through! Bonus: It comes with a letter of apology from Toyota! Edit according to this comment from last month, we may be in for a wait, but I'll keep y'all posted: https://www.bmw2002faq.com/forums/topic/335352-koito-h4-kits-cheap/?do=findComment&comment=1661234

Oh, thanks! Somehow I had overlooked the existence of the 225/45R13 size when shopping for my current set of tires. I've got the 205/60 and the diameter is large enough to cause tire rub on my driver's side rear fender. Thinking the 225 might actually do the trick even with the slight aesthetic hit due to the overall smaller diameter. Of course the other solution that would work is a wheel with less negative offset (or a fender that doesn't come back so far at the outer edge?). When I bought the car it had Kumho slicks on it with a lower profile and it wasn't an issue. Also, apologies for the post spam. The page didn't refresh after hitting "reply" and... well, I posted about ten times. Hopefully the mods can clean it up and hide my shame.

This seems like the most fun per dollar in the world. Hope somebody here picks it up!

Thanks for this! Now, if only the OEM JL Wrangler headlights weren't also $800... :leaving:

And for once, your tireless and generous VIN-decoding and informative posts on BaT will actually result in money in your pocket! :cheers: