Finally resolved a nagging issue.

[yellowss7]

Probably won't help anyone as I think I may be the lone Caterham/Se7en with a paddle shift system, but I have been struggling with an issue since the Seven's Trackdays at NJMP where my car would get stuck in a gear or refuse to shift into Neutral or refuse to shift at all. The system is a pneumatically driven, with a couple of micro switches in the paddles that sends the signal to the brain and activates the pneumatic solenoids.

 

It's a really slick system, that allows flat clutchless up shifts and blips to match revs on the down shifts. On track it is awesome!!! WHEN IT WORKS. :rant:

 

The devil is in the complexity. Simon450 has been helping me with the pneumatic issues which is some condensation build up that affects the solenoids from activating.

 

But there was also an electrical issue that was preventing the solenoids from getting a signal at all. The problems being intermittent added to the frustration.

 

Two week ago after a full 25 minute track session, where it ran great, coming into the paddock, it wouldn't shift into Neutral. then after it went into Neutral, wouldn't shift up or down. It wasn't until I removed the steering wheel and turned it over when it clicked and then would go into gear, We traced it to a section of the harness about 4 inches in from the plug that the removable steering wheel cable attached on the harness side of the connection.

 

Bad news was that the wires were 26 gauge and used a Deustch type plug and pin which we didn't have. But the pins came in and connections fixed so today I had it out for the full 4 sessions today with no issues at all. Shifting as it should. Made driving a pleasure when not having to worry whether it would shift everytime I pulled on the paddles. Thanks for letting me vent. Tom

[wemtd]

yellowss7

 

I was able to get replacement Deutsch connectors & parts from these folks.

[RGTorque]

congrats!

[fastg]

I just solved my nagging oil leak problem, it was a missing bolt. The Honda K24A2 engine is a front wheel drive motor, there is an engine mount that attaches to the front cover. I did not use the front engine mount so left the one of the bolts out. Well it turns out it had oil behind it, who knew. A new bolt has solved the issue. It was tough to spot because the oil was running down the front cover and hitting the pulley and spraying everywhere. Not much oil on the actual engine but a lot of oil on the frame. I ended up using florescent dye in the oil to solve the puzzle.

 

Graham