74PHIL build thread featuring Zetec with Suzuki Hayabusa Keihin/Denso injection.

[pethier]

 

[pethier]

John has the pressure tank in.  

 

I have decided that the air-horn pump has got to go.  The horns are going to move forward.  Electrons are faster than air, and I want as little delay as possible when I drop my right little finger on that toggle switch.

 

I have asked John to move the horn pump to the bracket that has held up the now-redundant plastic coolant-overflow tank.

 

I came home tonight and fabbed up what I hope to be the setup for the horns to live where the oil-cooler used to; forward of the radiator. Now is when the push-button replacements for the 4 nose-cone Dzus fasterners on which I worked so hard will pay off.  I expect to have the nose cone off and on several times whilst I fit that assembly.

Here's where the air pump is going, in place of the old plastic coolant overflow tank.

 

Edited June 4 by pethier

[pethier]

The bracket I made for the air horns.  I reused the mounting holes for the oil cooler.  With modern oils for the Zetec and no plans for long racing or track sessions, an oil cooler does not seem appropriate.  The filter mount will instead supply an Accusump.

When I get around to it, I plan to replace the copper tubing with aluminum tubing.

 

[pethier]

Pix so far are at [flickr.com/photos/pethier/albums/72177720326088078]

 

More is in the Flickr album than is in this build thread. Some photos there have roll-over notes.

 

Edited June 5 by pethier

[MV8]

I was checking out your pics. The sandwich adapter can be just a remote adapter where the filter can also be remote and most any size you'd want. Just fyi as it looks very tight stacking the sandwich and the oil filter. Make sure it is replaceable without unbolting and lifting the engine. You can mark the new required bonnet opening, make a new line 3/8" forward of that as the actual cut line, cut a 3/8 deep slot a 1/2 inch from the end of a six inch long by 1/2 inch wood or uhmw or nylon dowel rod, then us this as a tool to tediously work up and down the cut bending 30 degrees each time until it is rolled enough to flatten against the inside of the bonnet.

Edited June 4 by MV8

[pethier]

4 hours ago, MV8 said:

I was checking out your pics. The sandwich adapter can be just a remote adapter where the filter can also be remote and most any size you'd want. Just fyi as it looks very tight stacking the sandwich and the oil filter. Make sure it is replaceable without unbolting and lifting the engine. You can mark the new required bonnet opening, make a new line 3/8" forward of that as the actual cut line, cut a 3/8 deep slot a 1/2 inch from the end of a six inch long by 1/2 inch wood or uhmw or nylon dowel rod, then us this as a tool to tediously work up and down the cut bending 30 degrees each time until it is rolled enough to flatten against the inside of the bonnet.

We installed the Accusump adaptor and filter after the engine was in-place.  No tribble attall.

 

I know how to do the aluminum.  I also know that I won't be very good at it.  I'm happy to let the guy who has been doing this kind of thing for decades do it.  I did find him.  He stopped by Chez Ethier today on his way to someplace else.  We were not comfortable putting it in his open truck, so I will bring it to his shop south of The Cities.

[pethier]

Seals for injectors are coming from Marren in Oxford CT.  Turns out that Steve built his own Fuel Rail.  He got Marren to make injectors.  I phoned them Friday and they identified them as 24 lb/hr injectors they made.  They are sending me seals and O-rings for far less than the Suzuki dealer charges for stock ones.

 

[pethier]

posted out of order

Edited June 11 by pethier

[pethier]

Progress is being made.

 

I delivered the hood to the metal guru's shop.

 

I phoned Marren Fuel Injection.  I read them all the numbers on the injectors and texted them photos.  Marrren has identified these as 24 lb/hr injectors and is sending me new seals and O-rings therefor.

 

With guidance from David Hansen of USA7s, I picked out the Unifilters I am going to try.  Unifilter told me they don't sell direct, to get them from an Internet seller.  I feel more comfortable dealing with a local store I know.  Some of the simpler Unifilter stuff is stocked by Bob's Cycle Supply in Little Canada Minnesota (yes, for you folks in New England, that is actually the name of an incorporated city, and yes, it is because of French-Candian people).  Bob's is where Twin Cities autocrossers go to buy Snell-approved helmets.  They ordered what I wanted and they should be at the store for me next week.

[pethier]

Seals from Marren came in. 
 

Bob's Cycle Supply in Little Canada now expects the Unifilters to materialize Thursday. 
 

Brian and I just went through a plan to have the car drivable for the Back To The Fifties weekend after next. It does not have to be autocross-ready, just mobile. 
 

Why should those Cobra folks have all the fun?

[pethier]

 

[pethier]

While I was autocrossing KMAN 2.9 at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds Saturday, Brian's shop had their annual open house.  They moved my car and most of the rest of them around.

I'm sorry I missed that show.  The hamburgers last year were really good.

 

As of this photo, my autocross number and my autocross class designation are 80 miles apart.  The class letters are on the body here in Isanti and the numbers are on the engine cover in Dennison, getting the intake portal enlarged.

 

Brian explained that the reason the engine is further back is that while the two T9 transmissions appear identical, the aluminum bellhousing and the flywheel geometry are different.  John keyed off the rear transmission mount, which explains why the shifter pops up in the correct place.  So, while it is correct that John did not modify the left engine mount I bought from England, he did create a plate with two sets of bolt-holes; one set to fasten the plate to the mount and a second set to fasten the plate to the engine.  John then modified the right mount to fit without an adjustment plate.  

 

The bottom line is that we should have no trouble with the driveshaft or the shifter.  The exhaust is already sorted. Because the new-to-me header is shaped differently, it perversely required the portal in the left side of the body to be cut further forward.  Meanwhile, the intake portal in the engine cover needed to be enlarged rearward.  

 

The plastic bag on the driver seat contains the injectors, cleaned and wearing their new seals and O-rings.

Edited June 11 by pethier

[pethier]

Things do change.

 

Got two messages this afternoon.  The hood is ready and the filters are in.  Picked up both.  Up with the chickens tomorrow to take them up to Isanti.

[pethier]

Wow.  I sure have been neglecting this thread.  Right now, I am rerouting the throttle cable to slow down the action from handlebar grip to foot pedal.  

 

I think the cooling system is OK now.

 

Next test drive will tell my if I am putting the front fenders on and going autocrossing Sunday.

 

My tuner may be back from vacation Monday and we will discuss the next step.

 

No time for pix right now.

[pethier]

Moved throttle cable closer to pivot point to increase pedal travel.  Drilled new lower hole in panel and shortened the ferrule (?) to reduce wear.  This gave me the opportunity to reroute the cable.  Carefully set cable fitting so that pedal hit bulkhead at full-open throttle.

 

 

[pethier]

Test drove 74PHIL to check cooling system. Changed a couple of hoses around.  

 

Finally figured out that thread size on the Euro Van 3-connector fan switch was the same as my old Rabbit, with a little help from USA7s.  Amazoned in a two-connector Rabbit/Golf part.  After a short test drive, I left 74PHIL running in the garage while I prepared to reunite it with the front fenders.  The radiator fan came on!  Little victories.

 

It appears that Caterham used both Metric and Imperial bolts to hold on the front fenders.

[pethier]

 

[I intended to post this last night (Tuesday) but my internet provider was having technical difficulties.]

 

Pride goeth before a fall.

 

Got the car all buttoned-up Saturday evening.  Went out for gasoline.  Car was driving FANTASTIC.  

 

The Isanti crew must have disconnected the steering somewhere along the line, and put it back together one notch off.  The wheel is turned a bit to the right when driving straight, but I don't think the alignment has changed.  There is nothing loose up there.

 

The temp gauge does not work.  I am not too worried.

 

Putting fuel in is a pain.  Facing the car downhill helps.  I may have to bring ramps to the station...

 

Figured I would take it on the freeway on the way home.  Pulled out of the gas station, easy on the power, nothing outlandish.  Ready to short-shift into second, the traffic light changed red.  Put in the clutch and shifted to Neutral to coast to a stop.  Engine died.  No noise, jerk, or commotion. Just died.  That's weird.  It has been idling beautifully. Turned the key to restart.  URK.  What?  It started with no trouble a minute ago.

 

A couple of guys tried to push start it.  Fifth gear.  Two guys running pushing on the roll bar.  Let out the clutch and the car stopped on a dime.  

 

Called son-in-law.  He showed up with jumper cables.  URK.  Disconnected my battery and attempted to start it using only his running car.  URK.  He took me home and I got my rig.  Still don't have the remote on my trailer winch replaced, so ran back and forth from the button to the steering wheel to the button.  Took it home and went to bed.  

 

Up at six Sunday morning, tossing tools into boxes.  Made it to the event and checked in.  Didn't walk the course.  Conscripted angelic autocrossers to push car.  URK.

Theorized that starter was stuck.  Counter-evidence is "why did it die", but started to try to remove starter anyway.  Needed an 8mm Allen on breaker bar.  Winched car back into trailer.  Went home.  Got 8mm Allen from my shop. Safest way seemed to be to leave the car in the trailer and keep the straps over the back wheels. Jacked up the front and shoved the race ramps under the front tires for safety.  Removed starter.  Bolted and taped the cables together, taped up the solenoid wire, secured everything with cable ties and went back to the event because I had no other way to test this.  Conscripted more angels to push.  URK.

 

Went back home again.  Parked rig and jumped into Cayman.  Arrived back at event.  Found more angels:  My XU competition and the eventmaster let me run in two heats to get my six runs. 

 

On the drive home I got the idea that I must have dropped a valve.  Had supper and collapsed watching footie and F1.  Wrote a note "Scope Seven" and taped it to the bathroom mirror.  

 

Monday other chores then on to the Seven.  My scope has an articulation on the camera so I could look backwards and see all 4 valves in each cylinder.  Nothing wrong there.  Rats.  It's in the block.  While I had the plugs out, I put an 18mm socket on my 24" breaker bar and checked to see if I could turn the engine with no compression. When it seemed I was tightening the bolt, I stopped. No point breaking something. Did a quick measurement of piston height.  #1 and #4 were the same height.  #2 and #3 were the same height.  Not a broken con rod, then.

Tuesday.  Ron the tuner is back from vacation.  I towed out to his shop and reported that I had done my homework and that the car had run great.  Then I told him the rest of the story.  We pulled the car out of the trailer.  Ron yanked off the timing belt and it looked perfect.  He easily rotated each camshaft.  It's in the block.  Ron says there is no knowing why without a tear-down.  Fast way to get back on the road:  Get another engine and take off the head.  Install it.  Put on the head with the trick cams and the Hayabusa injection.  Then figure out how to keep it from happening again.  

 

Ron thinks that MAYBE it is the thrust bearing at the front of the engine.  The throw of the clutch pedal is longer than it has to be.  Since Birkin pedals and footwells are not the same as Caterham pedals and footwells (and it was changed from cable to hydraulic), that could be correct.  Mounting a block in the footwell might be an easy prophylactic.  I had already considered this sort of thing when rearranging the throttle cable.  I had adjusted it so the pedal hit the footwell when the throttle shaft hit the stop.

 

Technical question, and the answer may be different for different cars:

With Zetec engines, does it matter whether the donor car had a manual or automatic transmission?

The donor car for this Birkin was a 1996 Contour.  I'd expect that most of those cars were automatics. 

 

Edited August 7 by pethier
Typos are eternal

[pethier]

Wednesday.

 

Drove to Ripon and bought a Zetec motor which reportedly passed a compression test.

 

 

 

 

[MV8]

6 hours ago, pethier said:

 

The temp gauge does not work.  I am not too worried.

 

Sounds like it seized rather than outright failure. Could be it has file fit rings without enough end gap or the piston to wall clearance is just too tight. If so, you may get by with an overbore, new pistons, rings, and a temp gauge.

[pethier]

On 8/7/2025 at 5:36 AM, MV8 said:

Sounds like it seized rather than outright failure. Could be it has file fit rings without enough end gap or the piston to wall clearance is just too tight. If so, you may get by with an overbore, new pistons, rings, and a temp gauge.

This is not a new rebuild. This is an experienced engine. 
 

Ron may be onto something with his thrust bearing theory. Remember that the engine has lived long and well in the Birkin so the problem would likely have to do with the change to a Caterham.  I have never heard of this problem, but Ron has. 
 

At this point I only believe one thing: I will be at LOG driving my truck. Whether it will have a trailer attached is not yet certain. 
 

 

Edited August 11 by pethier
hamfisted typing