Croc

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Yes it is a worry if you are relying on me! It is always good to get the thinking challenged - I have puzzled on this one for 12 years! Before @sltous I was the only one with issues - probably because there are so few of these cars and I drive mine hard regularly. I know other owners in the UK and only 2 have the issues that @sltous and I have. They have been taking the same approach I have - larger catch tanks and careful application of oil. Could be worse - some of the early owners of these cars blew their engines from low oil. Something we all wish to avoid. Thats exactly the problem. The compromise of placing the tank inside the bellhousing leads to capacity issues and also fries the clutch release seals over time from being surrounded by hot oil. The tank and tower is known for how it was designed and works - see here for a schematic of the tower The bellhousing tank is below. There is a blanking plate to seal it. You can see the oil galleys that run forward to the Titan dry sump bolted to the engine. The downloads section of the USA7s site has a schematic of the Titan Dry sump with its component parts. You can just see the base of swirl tower on top of bellhousing. Keep in mind, this tank is unable to be accurately measured for level as it is currently designed. There is no way to test level through tower as oil is retained elsewhere in the system and does not always drain back to the bellhousing tank. Putting a sight glass in a bellhousing is beyond my abilities. Short of re-plumbing for a new oil tank outside of the bellhousing then a larger catch tank is the only (imperfect) solution. Solving at source, you would have a bigger oil tank unconstrained by the bellhousing. Caterham did not use this design in any other car so I have to believe the experiences in the early CSR260s informed them this was a bad approach to persevere with. My new CSR build is using a Pace tank which is 50% bigger by volume and can be measured by dipstick. So the catch tank should no longer be a major concern in that design. It will need a catch tank as these big Duratecs do have big crankcase pressures that cause them to breathe heavy. This is the same design as the larger capacity Mocal one which I know works well provided you are careful with your top ups. Get it wrong and it will leak but thats human error. I did not check but it looks to be the same one that fits for limited vertical height on the firewall shelf. Very interesting. Have seen these on Landcruiser diesel offroad vehicles but never extended my thinking that this would be a solution for a Caterham CSR260. Its a band aid to the original design issue but should work. Not sure what I would tap the oil return into as there is no dipstick hole. More thought needed on that.

I can relate. Have done that once or twice a year to myself - it usually happens at each USA7s HPDE event where I look like a right wally covered in oil. Its really a pain to get it out of the footwells as mine drips on to my legs there. I suspect you already were at the right level and it all went to the catch tank. Also it looked like it leaks first from the fabric breather as that is the first escape point. So you really only have 2/3rds of a catch tank. Time for a bigger tank?

I guess F1 World Champions do like driving se7ens. A good artlcle on Silodrome on Nigel Mansell's Birkin Crossflow which is currently up for sale. The Silodrome article is here: For Sale: Nigel Mansell's 1991 Birkin Seven Sprint (silodrome.com) The auction listing is here: 1991 Birkin Seven Sprint | Monaco 2022 | RM Sotheby's (rmsothebys.com)

Stalker on Bringatrailer - ex-MightyMike LS3-Powered Brunton Stalker 6-Speed for sale on BaT Auctions - ending April 15 (Lot #70,715) | Bring a Trailer

Hi Bob - What is the difference between an AXR Stalker and a regular Stalker?

Similar to my Hoosier R7 observation above, I find my Caterham is better on the standard set up with ZZRs without a ton of negative camber. Avon may recommend it but you should not follow that recommendation if it does not work for you. No adverse wear or grip issues.

I use the Hoosier R7s on a Caterham and do not follow the negative camber recommendation for that tire. I found it handled better on the standard front end set up and have stayed that way. I have not noticed any adverse characteristics or wear by ignoring the manufacturer recommendation. While R7 is different to the A7, I think you try your new A7s with your existing set up and fine tune from there as needed.

Hi Jim - No I do not know. I would give them a call. They are nice folks but it is a small operation of only 3 people.

I actually tried that with a stainless steel rod with graduated markings. The curse of the two oil low points struck. What I found is the oil distribution between what is stuck at dry sump/in block and the bellhousing tank can vary by a couple of quarts. When 25% of a quart can make the difference between a catch tank overflow or not, that level of variability in oil settling makes the idea of a solo dipstick approach impossible. I have since confirmed with other owners in the UK that they have had similar experiences and it is a normal characteristic of the CSR260. What would work is a sight glass on the side of the block with markings which when added to a bellhousing tank dipstick tells you the true oil level for the entire system. There is a sight glass for a 2L Duratec but not a 2.3L or a 2.5L hence my efforts to persuade the maker to go the extra step to make one for me.

@mca It just occurred to me that I think you purchased your CSR out of Vermont? Your dry sump system may be the later Pace version and not the early Cosworth/Titan version that I have. In which case your oil change procedure will have some differences to what I have been describing (or for that matter the process outlined by Premier Power).

I replaced my oil catch tank 11+ years ago. At the there were a lack of tanks that were low enough in height to fit on the shelf next to the firewall. I took a wide mouth tank with a brass vent quick turn opener from Mocal, chopped it in half, removed a segment and then re-welded. I use a sucker tool to draw the engine oil out. No dipstick or sightglass - I just unscrew the cap. Cap is low profile brass vent kind as opposed to the taller fabric breather filter type. No drain underneath - I found at the time if I specified a drain, then the tanks were all too tall if I still wanted to use the oil drain. Works fine for what it is. I check level by opening and closing - quick enough. Since then some lower height profile tanks have come on the market. There are plenty of options out there. Mocal, Summit Racing, Car Builder Solutions, etc., have a good range suitable for se7ens. Measure height carefully beforehand. You do need a tank with a vent or filter to release the crankcase pressure but that vent/filter needs to capture the oil mist on the way.

On the Caterham CSR OEM set up that both @sltous and I have, there is no dipstick. There is no oil level mark. When the engine is off, oil drains to two primary locations - the dry sump and the bellhousing oil tank. A fair amount likely stays up in the engine for some time as there is no ability to drain lower given the real oil tank is in the bellhousing - there are two low points for the oil to drain to. You could never get an accurate reading from any form of dipstick. So you measure what you take out and then refill with new to that amount. Then begins the calibration of running the engine to temp to see if it spits oil to the catch tank. If not then add 1/4 of a quart and run engine again. Repeat until oil is starting to spit to catch tank. Engine finds its own oil level that way. An alternative process is outlined by Premier Power here: CSR Oil Change Process - PREMIER POWER (premierpowerengines.com) It is somewhat comical that the process is so bad for an OEM set up but it is a fantastic engine. The Cosworth Duratec is a heavy breather of oil. Thats where a lot of the consumption likely goes. My oil consumption is about a third less than the amounts quoted above but still requires small frequent top ups.

One thing I have been pursuing for the Cosworth Duratec is an integrated oil level unit by Premier Power. They did this for the Caterham 420R dry sumped 2L Duratec. Premier Power are located in Stratford UK, next door to TFL Racing where I store my UK Caterham. Premier Power also sell their version of the Duratec Catch Tank - similar to some you can find on Ebay here in the USA. Aluminium Catch Tank - PREMIER POWER (premierpowerengines.com)

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Nice review of a product that is sorely needed on a Caterham CSR. You have just outlined the one big drawback of my current silver CSR - the finding engine oil level process is frustrating. Many a person has seen me with oil covered trousers and oil streaming down the side of the car from an catch tank overflow as I have misjudged the level. The standard washer bottle oil catch tank that Caterham supplied was shit - its the bottom right white plastic tank in the photo below. Oil misted everywhere. The oil tube would pressurize itself out of the plastic tank. The cap would pop off from the pressures. Plus it looked awful after a few months. So there is definitely a need for the type of product review that @sltous outlined. The problem with the locating these tanks is that you need frequent access. The shelf at the firewall compromises vertical height which does tend to prevent a bottom drain tank from being used. The other spaces not under the nosecone are limited. These Cosworth Duratec engines give off tremendous heat as the thermal image shows - even the battery is copping it in the space where the only real alternative locating space exists. How big is the dipstick hole? Can you use an oil sucker tube through it?

My comments are already in this thread. As one who has tried the ZZR and like them, I suggest you jump into the deep end and go for the A24 compound. A lot of wear issues really depending on the track. I can get double your wear life on the ZZS on my 420R in the UK. I assume that is because of the smoothness of the tarmac and not because I am a better driver. So wear is going to be a very personal thing. Only way to find out is slap a set on and go for a drive.

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I know of people who have replaced engine mounts using just a floor jack. I have done it on a regular deDion car but not a CSR. Definitely use a piece of wood to spread the load across the base of the engine. As you do it, keep in mind you are still attached to the gearbox and by extension to the tailshaft to the diff. So go gently and stop if you think you think you are getting binding from that area. You may have to disconnect tailshaft and maybe some of the gearbox mounts to get the movement you need.

@GregM Well done! Congratulations!

Bob - How does an AXR differ to say a regular road going Stalker? What makes it a better autocrosser?

Thats a wow on the clamshells! I have heard of Simon Leach. He was on my short list of specialists for remaking my BMW CSL aluminum panels given the originals had rusted out. Not sure about the aluminum deDion arms though. I can understand Arch's reluctance.

Are the clamshells on that Caterham fabricated out of aluminum? Never seen that done before!

Petersen Museum had an event last weekend. Two se7ens appear in their instagram feed. The Birkin looks like @papak Not sure of the other?

I think you are mixing things up. Arch Motors is a separate company to Caterham. Lotus outsourced the manufacture of the Lotus 7 chassis to Arch Motors. Arch continued in that role for Caterham until 2007 when chassis production was shifted to a new supplier called Caged, who produced the metric chassis that was welded instead of the former brazing. Caterham subsequently purchased Caged and brought the chassis manufacture in-house. The only exception to this is the CSR chassis which is still produced by Arch for Caterham as it has substantial differences to accommodate inboard front suspension and IRS plus a LOT of extra stiffness from added triangulation. The standard Caterham chassis has undergone progressive changes over the years. 1974 (or 1975?) - The S3 chassis was upgraded for additional triangulation in sides and engine bay 1981 - Long cockpit version 1985 - deDion chassis option introduced. Live axle continued 1992 - something else changed here but for the life of me I cannot remember! 1996 - deDion version of the chassis added transmission tunnel triangulation for additional stiffness. There were also suspension pick up point changes at this time -both front and rear. Live axle still available. 2007 - Metric chassis production by Caged. Replaced the Imperial chassis produced by Arch Motors. I have read somewhere that if you compare today's Caterham deDion chassis with a Lotus 7 S3 chassis, it has double the torsional stiffness.