BruceBe

I posted this in the regional sub-forum, but I don't know how often people get over there. The PNW Caterham Cup racers would like to hold a race at Oregon Raceway Park in mid-July. We'd also like to welcome Caterham/Seven lappers/sport-drivers as well, and there will be ample track time for all. This will be a two-day event at one of the most technical tracks in the country, with *huge* elevation changes, blind entries, connected turn complexes, and no runway-length straights. This track was made for a Seven. Currently, we're looking at either July 15/16, or July 23/24. Yes - these are mid-week, but you've got plenty of lead-time to request the time off :-) Please respond to this thread, or send a PM if you want to attend.

The majority of the time, the wiring in the car will be correct. For a modern Caterham, a gauge sweep, fuel pump prime, and immobilizer deactivation at key-on will tell you to start cranking. Putting aside any initial mechanical priming of the engine for oil pressure (plugs removed, coil and injector connectors disconnected for prime), several sub-10-second cranking cycles should result in some combustion or a start. If not, as mentioned earlier, we start working from the outside-in, starting with the simple and working to the complex. For example - are the grounds all connected? The Caterham schematics are primarily designed to help the supplier build the harness, not troubleshoot an electrical issue. As such, they are some of the harder schematics to use for this purpose - doable, but not intuitive. For a modern Caterham, If you are getting neither spark nor fuel during cranking, once grounds are checked, start focusing on the crankshaft position sensor - a clean, correct signal from it to the ECU is what gets the party started. None of the above is done "during" the build. Powertrain is installed, and everything is wired-up and full of fluids. Oh, and the gearbox is in neural, right? Cheers, -Bruce

Hello everyone, The PNW Caterham Cup racers would like to hold a race at Oregon Raceway Park in mid-July. We'd also like to welcome Caterham lappers/sport-drivers as well, and there will be ample track time for all. This will be a two-day event at one of the most technical tracks in the country, with *huge* elevation changes, blind entries, connected turn complexes, and no runway-length straights. This track was made for a Seven. Currently, we're looking at either July 15/16, or July 23/24. Yes - these are mid-week, but you've got plenty of warning to request the time off :-) Please respond to this thread, or send a PM if you want to attend. Cheers, -Bruce

That's pretty far off the Caterham engine controls reservation :-) Could be the tank then. Cheers, -Bruce

Generally, the juice is not worth the squeeze. From the perspective of time, use the car itself as the test harness. I you get a no-start, there are basic troubleshooting steps to identify whether it's air, spark, or fuel. The fuel pump does not run during cranking, but should prime at key-on (and immobilizer light off). The ECU is simply waiting to see a crank position sensor signal during cranking, and it starts firing coils and injectors. Once you identify whether its a spark or fuel, or both problem, then start working from the outside in, toward the ECU. Checking for a crank position signal is a very early test. For crankshaft position, note that despite being an AC signal, polarity is very relevant - otherwise that MBE ECU will not initiate coil/injector operation. If the pins are flipped (black and white wires) at either the big chassis connector, or the ECU itself, no worky. The camshaft position sensor also utilizes black and white wires - we've seen them swapped with the crankshaft position sensor at the chassis connector. Cheers, -Bruce

This is likely not a tank problem. We're troubleshooting an SVT-Zetec car right now, with exactly this failure mode - sudden cut-off, as if it was turned-off, and then comes right back and runs fine. We test drove the car for about an hour recently, and it happened three times. SVT-Focus owners of the same generation complained about this as well, in a Focus. Fuel starvation doesn't usually behave like this. We have a test-plan, and will advise when we understand the root-cause problem. Cheers, -Bruce

As an epilogue to this no-start, this was a Caterham supplier issue, as the engine harness was pinned incorrectly. We've had a few of these over the last year - these types of issues are caught at the factory for fully-built cars. However, a kit or roller is not "run-up". There seems to be a myth that rollers are started at the factory, and then the powertrain is removed - that is certainly not the case. Hats-off to Paddy's determination, capability, and positive mind-set. Well done. Cheers, -Bruce

When we were servicing it, it was a good car. But that was a while ago. We also adapted two customer-supplied parts - aftermarket LED headlights and dampers/springs. I recall some sizing issues with the front dampers. If he supplied the original dampers/springs, I'd recommend reverting. Cheers, -Bruce

Not a question in my mind about high-speed understeer. But you're having fun!

Tom - this current product is designed to work with the newer gauges and calibrated for the later fuel sender assemblies. We are considering a version of the product that will work with the older gauges and tank/senders. We have a car in the shop right now with the older setup, and will be gathering the necessary sender level data. Cheers, -Bruce

For 2016+ Caterham fuel gauges, we have a tool-less, plug-in corrective module that provides a much more accurate reading. Most importantly, it reduces range anxiety due to the stock setup reporting prematurely low remaining fuel levels. Just plug it in between the gauge and the harness. Caterham Fuel Level Correction Module Cheers, -Bruce

Actually, with the roller barrel intake, much of the grime you see accumulating is due to intake reversion - un-burnt hydrocarbons accumulating. For vehicles with a bit of mileage, the only comprehensive way to get all the grime out is to remove/disassemble/clean the rollers. Otherwise, the grime that accumulates between the valve and bore gets wiped back onto the valve surface. Cheers, -Bruce

It’s also possible that the powertrain is moving slightly under the reverse loading of decel, and you’re getting some other vibratory noise related to components contacting each other (tunnel, exhaust, etc). And if it’s more pronounced at a certain rpm, something might be resonating as well. Cheers, -Bruce

We have these particular T9s in several race cars competing in our Caterham spec-series (CC4) in the Pacific Northwest. Everyone’s ears are tuned differently, but no one has reported that sort of asymmetric noise pattern on the over-run. I’ve personally driven each of the vehicles in anger on track as well without noticing anything. The previous comment about the diff is worth consideration. These gearboxes have proven bulletproof over several seasons of very hard racing with, at times, some abusive gear changes. We run Redline MTL. cheers, -Bruce

That’s a bunch of brake hose in that install. Is the entire rear circuit now hose? Brake component wear is very much a function of the circuits you drive, and more importantly, the driver’s approach to the braking event. This kit allows you to decelerate faster, earlier in the brake event, rather than waiting for the weight transfer to the front of the car in the “pedal squeezing” phase. And because the rear is doing more work early in the brake event, before the front is doing much, overall braking distances are shorter. To maximize the benefit of this kit, you’ll need to change the way you brake a bit, becoming a bit more aggressive early in the brake event, and remembering to modulate out a little as the weight transfer takes place. Cheers, -Bruce

To eliminate tire/wheel sizing variables, we use an angular measurement/reference at the front LCA, and then also set rake based on an angular reference ( by adjusting the rear). This usually works out to be nominally close to CCs published numbers, but not with all tire/wheel combinations. Deviation from that is a performance compromise, but that’s ok as well in a mixed-use car. Generally, raising the platform will increase toe in the front and reduce camber. So, if you make a big change to ride-height, those settings should also be re-checked. And as John pointed out - vehicle should be loaded with driver weight, half tank of fuel, and tires at desired hot pressures. Cheers, -Bruce

We have three CSRs in the shop right now. They have been quietly offered here in the USA almost continuously, and are a model in which we specialize. -Bruce

David, Your ordered Sigma upper radiator hose was OOS at the factory for quite some time. It finally came back into stock in the UK, and is in a consolidated parts shipment that was caught-up in Customs last week. As many know, parts availability for non-current models unfortunately tends to fade quite quickly at the factory. We did miss a single email from you on 7/25 - sorry about that. Thanks to Croc/JohnCh/CatManDo for jumping in while my back was turned. -Bruce

Nice pose with your legs up in the air :-) Generally, you should be able to reach behind the gauge, loosen the lock ring (backing it entirely off the gauge, and pull the gauge forward. This allows you to install the module on the front side of the dash. Then, simply push the gauge back in, align the face, and thread/tighten the lock-ring back down by hand (no pliers/tools please). -Bruce

This device has been installed in vehicles for a while now (two local cars; one in MI). The goal was a DIY install, and the packaging needed to be developed. There is just too much variation in dash harness layout, and physical difficulty in the car, to build something that required crimping and significant mechanical manipulation of wiring under-dash. Just unplug the connector at the back of the gauge, and plug it into the module. Then plug the pigtail of the module back into the gauge. It doesn't get any simpler than this, unless the gauge matched the sender in the first place :-) @CBuff - order received, thanks. -Bruce

Hello everyone, We now have our second production run (16-sets) of these corrective upgrade CSR rear lower damper brackets in-stock and available HERE. -Bruce

The 485s are a bit "special", so there is a particular supplier issue that would require a hefty engineering effort to overcome.

Hello everyone, Beachman Racing is pleased to announce the release of an upgraded rear lower damper bracket for the Caterham CSR. We have developed the new part over the last 10-months, and the brackets have been installed on both street and track cars for several months. We embarked on the project, due to perceived issues associated with the original Multimatic/Titan part, brought to our attention by CSR owners. Incrementally improving the Caterham product is not new to us, and this upgraded damper bracket falls right in line with our engineering foundation. The upgraded bracket assembly offers the following benefits: Use of 6061-T6 Aluminum for the bracket body, which eliminates the potential for stress corrosion cracking (SCC) associated with the original alloy (2014-T6) 30% increase in relative strength, by thickening critical loading areas and completely revising the bushing system associated with the damper mounting Corrosion resistance by design - in addition to utilizing 6061-T6 and anodizing the bracket body, all bushings/spacers are made of Al-Ni-Bronze, and all parts are coated with a non-hardening aerospace corrosion inhibitor. All new hardware is zinc coated. Exclusive upper pin design - we completely re-engineered the mount for the upper wishbone, utilizing a 140Ksi shouldered bolt. This captured bolt avoids both the use of a custom-machined pin, as well as a fastening system that relies on aluminum threads. We had a soft release of 10-sets for our initial production run, and the next run of 16-sets is underway. For a more detailed description of the product, the installation instructions can be found HERE. The introductory sections describe the CSR rear suspension architecture, and go into more detail with respect to the benefits of the upgrade. One can also get a sense of the install. Many thanks to the owners who placed their trust in us while we developed this product. Croc gets the credit for first bringing this to our attention :-) Vroom, vroom! -Bruce

Oh don't you worry, there will be more surprises But, we'll get through them. -Bruce

John - glad we've got it here and delivered in one piece. The Roulette Green is a winner. -Bruce