athens7

OK, if it's a Sunday thing.

The catch can is now installed, retaining the original PCV system. http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/247258019_DSC01726.JPG http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/1435903119_DSC01725.JPG http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/1519233423_DSC01724.JPG The catch can had to be upgraded, as it would not hold a vacuum, which caused the car to run VERY unevenly. Once this was corrected, the car runs as if no modification was made. Now for a hard right-with 2 autocrosses this coming weekend, hopefully I will get a chance to test for a positive result!

FINALLY, 11 months after purchase, I received the Georgia title for my car :hurray::hurray: :hurray: :hurray: . All it took was months of stonewalling by the Georgia DMVS, lobbying the legislature, a new state law, more stonewalling by DMVS while they wrote their rules for executing the new state law, an inspection, and then a title with an "assembled" brand on it. Much better than the old "rebuilt" titles Georgia used to put on kit cars. People who know about cars know that rebuilt means wrecked, salvaged, then repaired, a process that has a nasty effect on a vehicle's value. Once the process was in place, all of a sudden the people at DMVS were much nicer, even solicitous! If I wasn't a car dealer, and therefore able to use a dealer tag on my car for the last 11 months... If anyone needs any help or info on the Georgia titling process, let me know; I've learned a lot more about it than I ever intended. :7fume:

Vehicle ID number shows it to be a 2001 chassis, not a 2003, or 2005.

Pros and cons of keeping the PCV system intact, with an in-line catch can vs. plugging the hole at the intake and ending the PCV system at a ventilated (filtered) catch can: Lower intake air temperature/cleaner intake air/more power Less plumbing vs Correct emmissions Scavenging effect from intake pulling gas from crankcase (?) ECU used to vacuum in PCV system, won't work correctly otherwise (?) I don't care about the ECU throwing a code, just that the engine runs correctly. Any thoughts on this?

The smoke was from the exhaust. A catch can seems the popular solution. Can it be integrated into the existing PCV system, or must it eliminate the return to the intake?

Saturday, I attended an autocross on a fast, clockwise course. The last sweeper was fairly fast, with a full throttle exit from a late apex. On this section, the car started emmitting blue smoke and exhibited a crackling misfire. As far as I can tell, this didn't occur anywhere else on the course, and I saw no smoke on the 90 mile drive home from the event. When I got home, I found the car had used almost 1/2 quart of oil. In the 1800 miles since my last oil change, the car has used less than 1/3 quart, and it was full when I checked it Saturday morning before the event. The car is equipped with an SVT Zetec with a Raceline wet sump, and the block and heads are stock, save a camshaft upgrade and some tuning changes (no porting, polishing, or other modifications). The motor was new when I acquired the car, and now has 3700 miles on it. I have been to several autocrosses with the car, and not had this problem, but I have also never run on a course with this particular direction/speed/g force of curve. What causes should I be looking for, and what are the possible cures?

Congratulations! Jeff certainly did a nice job putting my car together; I wish I had a neighborhood Caterham dealer!

Perhaps that's why the CFM pump is $299 and the billet gear set only is $249; A cheap a$$ Ford pump!

Ohh, that's nice!

I am planning on replacing my stock pump with CFM's SVT oil pump (referenced above). They are, however, on backorder until around the 11th of July. It is a stock Ford pump, only with billet aluminum gears instead of plastic. Supposedly, it is no more durable than a standard pump, but it will take greater revs. The stock pump gears come apart over 7400 rpms. The people there are friendly and helpful, and the parts I have purchased from them so far are 1st rate.

Lowflying magazine (Lotus 7 owners club) lists several UK insurance carriers that offer track day insurance. I will attempt to reach out to them and see if any similar coverage is available to US drivers.

As important as word of mouth is to any business, but especially small, specialist companies like the ones that serve our hobby, some type of response to/clarification of this transaction would seem to be a necessity.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Lotus-Caterham-Super-7-Caterham-7-BIg-Valve-Twin-Cam_W0QQitemZ250257526192QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item250257526192& Pretty car!

Sounds like life with a hand made British sports car.

I can be available for Sunday events. June 15th is an SCCA Atlanta region autocross, which, depending on the times, could be a good day. The autocross is done by late afternoon.

20-22 mpg

One of the reasons I bought my car when I did is because I wanted an Arch frame. I have heard/read of the stiffer construction of the Caged frame, but my Arch is fine, and compared to my Caged FIA roll bar, the welds on the Arch frame are artwork. Also, I wasn't really interested in doing any of Caterham UK's product development on the new chassis, or waiting whatever length of time it would take to get their newest variant after this was done by others (get it right the first time isn't a phrase I usually associate with British auto manufacturers; maybe it was my time as a Jaguar dealer in the 1980s).

I ran my car at the SCCA Atlanta Region Novice school last month (11 runs!) with my stock Avon ZZ3s 205/45 ZR16. Kind of greasy, but progressive and easy to recover. I'd love a set of R compounds, but the closest size I can find is 225/45 16. Looking at my wing stays, I don't see that I have 20mm available additional width. Is the only solution different size wheels and new tires? If so, I'll have to run this season stock and save up for a wheel/tire package for next year. If not, I would welcome suggestions as to more cost effective alternatives. Does taking out a timing reflector and a half dozen cones in a 4 wheel slide at the finish on my last run qualify me to use the Boxologist Smiley?

:thumbs: That's why upgradeitis is such a powerful ailment-each successful treatment makes you feel great (without curing the disease), and primes the pump for the next one!

I am pretty well versed in the manner in which Caterhams come in to the US. Perhaps I should clarify my question. In the past, one could order a kit and a drivetrain from Caterham USA, then assemble it oneself, or have a dealer (like Jeff, from whom I bought my car) assemble it for you. This process seemed to slow considerably when Caterham UK switched to the Caged frame and the Sigma drivetrain for the S3 and SV series. As I understood it, the Sigma motor was not US compliant, and the Duratec would not fit in the Arch Motors frame, nor in the non-CSR Caged frame, without more modification than Caterham USA was willing to undertake. By the replies, it seems that those who are getting 2007 and 2008 cars are not sourcing current drivetrains from Caterham USA (the SVT is not a current drivetrain, as the motor has been out of production for over 3 years), but from other vendors. So my question is, is anyone getting a complete, non CSR kit/drivetrain from Caterham USA, using other than the Zetec or crossflow powertrains (which are likely used or rebuilt) which have been available for a number of years-in other words, can you buy an S3 or SV from John and Cody with a Caterham USA supplied Duratec (Alaskossie says yes), and what, if any chassis mods are necessary to fit the motor (dry sump, pedal box mods etc.)? Also, if this package is now finally available, how about a website update?

I've noticed that the Caterham USA website hasn't been updated in about 2 years. What's up with that? Does any one know if Duratec motors are available in S3 and SV models as complete, ready to install packages? Has anyone ordered a 2007 or 2008 Caterham as a turn key in this country?

I've heard Walrus' story; it makes my engine saga seem like a weekend's work. I wonder if there are any other 'new' 2005 Caterhams out there? Here's to many miles of happy blatting!

I don't speak German, but I understand YAAAAAHHHH!!! :jonautox:

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