New guy. Here is my Cat

[Vovchandr]

33 minutes ago, Kitcat said:

I believe the Zetec SVT (like yours)  is an interference engine. Maybe one of the many differences from the standard Zetec? SVT has longer rods, different pistons, etc. All per notes of a chat with TurboTom a few years ago when he was building my new engine. 

 

Brief internet search says NON SVT is Non interference. SVT is like you said. I have regular ZX2 type Zetec from a Contour or similar with VCT (deleted) on exhaust cam.

 

42 minutes ago, fastg said:

I am not sure how cam timing will effect one cylinder only? Looks like you have a lost spark setup, have you tried swapping the plug leads on a single coil to see if the miss moves, If the miss moves you have a bad coil or a bad plug wire. 

 

Graham 

 

I think you might be on to something. Since #4 is missing and it's the shortest one, I can't swap the wire over. I'm about to run out an pick up another coil and another set of wires. Saw some local. 

[Kitcat]

Thx Vlad, got it, I was thinking you had a SVT engine. It was the Caterham engine of choice for a while and I thought all Superlights came with it. Obviously not!

 

Good luck with your trouble shooting, it feels like you are nearly there.

[wemtd]

It would seem to either be spark/fuel to #4. any way you can swap all (coil/injector/wire) for #4 with another cylinder and see if that one stops working to narrow it down?

good luck... seems its the last 1% of this herculean adventure screwing it all up.

 

[Vovchandr]

Current stat report

 

Battery is dead from cranking/testing. Leaving it on overnight to charge.

 

My theory is similar to @wemtd cams might be out, might not be out, but I don't think they are causing the misfire and I can't test to see how well they are until misfire is solved.

 

Looking back at the history of the thread #4 cylinder being cold was an issue even before I took everything apart. Clearly something is going on with it. I'm hoping it's the ignition/wires and new testing tomorrow with charged battery will let me know 

 

  

On 6/21/2021 at 10:54 PM, Vovchandr said:

While doing all this car didn't want to maintain idle and was wanting to stall. I shut the car off and let it cool down. Notably the cat area started to be burning off and giving a weird smell.

 

I grabbed the infrared gun and discovered that it appears cylinder #4 is cold? Started the car and it was really stumbling. Pulled it back into garage, pulled cylinder 4 plug and it looked fine. 

 

Hot cat. Could be normal but still strange that it smelled

 

 

Cylinder #4 is dark. I highly doubt I did a drastically better job on that one cylinder when I wrapped it

 

 

[Vovchandr]

Alright. The good. The bad and the ugly.

 

The good. Appears misfire is fixed with just new cables!

 

Starts and holds idle and sounds alright/good

 

 

 

The bad and the ugly. Overheating/boiling issue is still there. 

 

Got upto temp. Using good coolant this time. Everything was looking good. Then I noticed drastic increase in coolant again and more bubbles and started taping as the expected happened.

 

More and more air kept going through my sight glass, turning violent, volume increased drastically spilling over.

 

 

 

And the aftermath

 

 

 

 

This was one of the main things I was trying to fix with head gasket swap. Yet its still around.

 

Any ideas?

 

What do I have left? Heater core, radiator, plugged block cooling passage somewhere?

 

New thermostat, new water pump, new head gasket, using coolant this time etc.

 

Got a friend stopping by with a vacuum coolant system filler so I don't have to bleed it after. Don't think it's going to fix it but I'm out of ideas myself. 

[yellowss7]

Vlad,  I’m glad you got it running.   Obviously air is being sucked in from somewhere to push the fluid out.  Have you run it with the cap on?  Does the pressure still build up and puke?  You mentioned a heater.  Have you checked that?  

[Vovchandr]

48 minutes ago, yellowss7 said:

Vlad,  I’m glad you got it running.   Obviously air is being sucked in from somewhere to push the fluid out.  Have you run it with the cap on?  Does the pressure still build up and puke?  You mentioned a heater.  Have you checked that?  

 

I pulled the thermostat entirely to eliminate potential blockages and put the cap on. So far seems so good. 

 

I still have a small leak somewhere as coolant system bleeds pressure when left for a few hours while in test. 

 

As of right an hour ago took it on a maiden voyage. It held up being on the street. No puking and no overheating. Actually runs a little hotter than I'd like but I can live with that. 

 

Doesn't run perfect but I think it should be enough to get me through the weekend. Will do more testing tomorrow. My AFR is still all over the place and I do hear some backfiring through the ITBs occasionally as I drive it. Being very careful with it so far. 

 

I might over thinking the whole bubbles in coolant through the see window. For all I know it might be normal. As of right now as long as my temp is good I can live with that. 

Edited September 17, 2021 by Vovchandr

[SENC]

Good luck, Vlad!

[Croc]

@Vovchandr  If you have no obvious leaks from hoses or radiator then I would look at:

1) failed heater matrix

2) water pump cavitation.  

 

Low revs and amount of symptoms makes 2) seem remote.  For a test, can you bodge a bypass of the heater matrix completely?  Leave heater there and just bypass it with a hose.  It does not have to be great but just confirm if heater is the source of the bubbles or not.  

[Anker]

"I still have a small leak somewhere as coolant system bleeds pressure when left for a few hours while in test."

 

That is the big problem! When the system cools down air will be pulled into the coolant look through that leak. Air circulating can cause all the problems you describe.

[Vovchandr]

5 hours ago, Anker said:

"I still have a small leak somewhere as coolant system bleeds pressure when left for a few hours while in test."

 

That is the big problem! When the system cools down air will be pulled into the coolant look through that leak. Air circulating can cause all the problems you describe.

 

Noted. Found a micro leak when pressured at the top of the thermostat housing but can't get it to stop. Otherwise holds pressure even with the leak.

 

Bad news. Took it for another spin and got on the highway. 

 

the same problem of stumbling after full throttle > decel > throttle appears to still be present.

 

I'm out of ideas. AFR is also still all over the place and more on the lean side.

 

Planning on mostly putting around the track and then getting a tune scheduled. 

7 hours ago, Croc said:

@Vovchandr  If you have no obvious leaks from hoses or radiator then I would look at:

1) failed heater matrix

2) water pump cavitation.  

 

Low revs and amount of symptoms makes 2) seem remote.  For a test, can you bodge a bypass of the heater matrix completely?  Leave heater there and just bypass it with a hose.  It does not have to be great but just confirm if heater is the source of the bubbles or not.  

 

Old water pump didn't have any defects and the current water pump is new, so I also don't think that's a problem in general. 

 

Currently holding pressure with a small weep at the top of the thermostat housing. 

[wemtd]

1) Have you tried one of those viscous aluminum powder radiator leak stop solutions?

2) have you replaced your O2 sensor? Last time I got re-tuned we discovered my sensor was giving intermittently erratic readings

[Vovchandr]

1 hour ago, wemtd said:

1) Have you tried one of those viscous aluminum powder radiator leak stop solutions?

2) have you replaced your O2 sensor? Last time I got re-tuned we discovered my sensor was giving intermittently erratic readings

 

At some point I replaced the o2 and I think I've put the old one back at another point to return things back to "OEM" and eliminate the the replacement being an issue. 

[Vovchandr]

Status update:

 

Car made it through the track day more or less just fine.

 

Was taking it easy in the first heats putting around and going out last because I didn't have any confidence in how it would perform throughout the range and beating on it.

 

Towards the end of the days I didn't see any serious issues.

 

I did discover that I do still have a running hot/potentially overheating issue at idle/low RPM's but fine once moving. As a matter a fact I started to get hot and throttle started to get hangy/sticky again while in the lineup but did fine once we got out onto the track.

 

The misfire/falling on it's face issue is still around after letting it coast from high RPMs. 

 

At this point tune is the next step. 

 

After talking to guys at the track they've brought up the idea of Ace Performance for a tuner. I didn't have good faith into anybody local and these guys are close enough to make trips easier than NC being about 3 hours away. They tuned an acquaintance of mine's Atom already and I saw a Caterham in their shop in pictures. They said that their client has a 2013 Duratec. 

 

So in cliffnotes: Most issues remain. Tune is one of the last things left. Might as well find out what my baseline is while I'm at it. 

[Vovchandr]

For those keeping track. 

 

This adventure so far resulted in following fixes. 

 

• Misfire by replacing plug wires
• Sticky throttle cable due to it getting stuck on housing
• Sticky throttle cable due to it getting too hot in the cable shield above the exhaust
• Broken/stuck lash cap in the head replaced 
• Rusty coolant rail replaced 
• Switched to running coolant instead of water
• See through coolant filter to monitor coolant condition and air in system
• Replaced rusty heater switch valve 
• Pressure tested coolant system and sealed leaks
• Installed second air bleeder for the coolant system by the heater
• Replaced the pressure cap for overflow for the one that holds pressure and ordered and an extra one from CC cars 
• Installed a wideband to monitor AFR

 

 

Pending 

• Tune
• Raceline water rail

Edited October 3, 2021 by Vovchandr

[Vovchandr]

Was spotted in traffic the other day

 

Amazing how drastically small 7s look against other traffic 

 

Edited October 3, 2021 by Vovchandr

[panamericano]

 

"Amazing how drastically small 7s look against other traffic "

 

Wow.  A place with more automobiles than trucks!  Thanks for the ray of hope.

[Anker]

Even driving my Porsche Boxster 986 I feel tiny in the sea of SUVs and pickups.

[Vovchandr]

Got a few more goodies delivered from Redline 

 

CSR Fender stays for my new CSR fenders

Race fender stays for lowest possible clearance

New throttle pedals (to ensure I go WOT without having to bend one). One is for 2008+ one is original I can bend if needed

More muffler bobbins

Caterham 12v plug 

Fuel filler cover that I can cut in order for it to fit with trunk liners from SoftBits

New bigheads fastners (not the ones I expected, but oh well)

New backup overflow reservoir cap

Sway bar boots

Spray nozzle plugs

Hood catch plates

black rivets

Another key fob

Door accessories 

 

 

 

Edited October 8, 2021 by Vovchandr

[Vovchandr]

Tuner is recommending upgrading ECU from ancient Pectel in order to move forward and figure things out and tune it well.

 

Any good reason to hesitate upgrade besides cost?

 

I have an Omex sitting on a shelf but after the effort of repining and doing all the work tuner is recommending just going with a good new unit to begin with.

 

Their suggestion is Emtron. Never heard of it and will look into it for now.