Cranky's Caterham R300

[Cranky]

Just got a "new" R300. It needs some significant sorting before it is ready to take to the streets. Here are a few pics I took this morning:

 

http://photos.barbierifamily.org/photos/i-N7WGnnc/0/L/i-N7WGnnc-L.jpg

 

http://photos.barbierifamily.org/photos/i-HVK7ZNM/0/L/i-HVK7ZNM-L.jpg

 

http://photos.barbierifamily.org/photos/i-h3724Hb/0/L/i-h3724Hb-L.jpg

[MightyMike]

Sweet! What type of sorting does it need? What engine/trans do you have?

[My Seven]

What a BEAUTY!

It would be great to see some photos of the dash & engine.

Stay well.

[Cranky]

Handbrake needs adjustment

Can't get it into reverse

Oil pressure and RPM gauges are reading low

Stalls at idle before warmed up

Steering wheel releases without pulling the release plate

 

It has the Duratec 175hp engine with the 5 speed trans.

[jlumba81]

Push down, left, then up. Reverse is to the left of 1st.

[Automoda]

You REALLY need to get some rock chips on that car. Pronto!

[Croc]

Congratulations on the new car Cranky. Like all new Caterhams they need fettling - your list is pretty good compared to what I have had on 2 of my past sevens!

 

The most challenging one is the steering column and you are well on the way to diagnosing that issue in the other thread.

 

Yep - Jude knows the drill with getting reverse. Take your time with the T9 box and push it down strongly - it is a 1960s design icon from Ford!. If it is not that then there is a little plastic thing at the base of the lever than can break but I doubt it is that at this stage of its life.

 

Handbrake adjustment is an easy fix. Plenty of posts on blatchat to read up on:

http://www.blatchat.com/t.asp?id=227730

 

Stalling at idle until warm is pretty common - my CSR and current roadsport do that. Its a function of the cam profile and standard Caterham tune that I have. I don't mind as it forces me to warm the car up properly as it deserves. I bet it is just the standard Caterham ECU map done on a plug and play basis? MBE ECU running on standard intake and no throttle bodies?

 

RPM and oil pressure too low? Ignore oil pressure gauge as it is electrical and not mechanical so it is indicative and not accurate. Plenty of discussion around of how the Caerbont oil pressure gauges are prone to inaccuracy and failure. I would not worry too much about it not working unless you are on track or auto crossing when it becomes more important and anyway I would be aiming for a mechanical oil pressure gauge at that point. An example - your road car probably does not have an oil pressure gauge.

 

RPM gauge is more interesting though - how do you know it is low? There are settings for set up on the rpm gauge - I wonder if it was set up properly originally? I think the set up stuff is in the assembly manual/user manual.

[Kitcat]

Great photos, the photographer has a good eye. Good luck sorting out the niggles, it will all be right soon.

[Cranky]

OK, reverse works fine now that I understand how to get to it. I was a little confused at first because "down" meant second gear to me, but I finally grasped what you meant.

 

When I start the car, the speedometer and tachometer needles swing from end to end and then settle back down to 0. After that, they don't move. The oil pressure gauge never moves off of 0. I did verify that I have oil using the dipstick and I'm assuming that it is circulating.

 

The idle stalling issue is something I can live with.

 

The steering wheel problem is still vexing me.

 

I'm still waiting on my manuals and extra keys. I'll get more serious about fixing things once I have those.

 

Here are a few shots of the dash. I'll get some engine shots later in the week. My garage is about 100 degrees and nasty humid, so I haven't wanted to spend a lot of time in there setting up pics.

 

http://photos.barbierifamily.org/photos/i-zs4KZV7/0/L/i-zs4KZV7-L.jpg

 

http://photos.barbierifamily.org/photos/i-x6HrRXW/0/L/i-x6HrRXW-L.jpg

 

http://photos.barbierifamily.org/photos/i-cc9kbHL/0/L/i-cc9kbHL-L.jpg

[xcarguy]

Great shots all around. :cheers:

 

I think we may have found us a forum photographer.

[MightyMike]

carbon fiber = awesome!

[NickHillbankUSA]

Nice car! The carbon fiber dash definitely changes the car overall versus the plastic dash. Also I prefer the push buttons to the switches!

Edited August 21, 2014 by Nick@HillbankUSA

[Cranky]

I found the handbrake adjustment. I also found a blown fuse that was preventing my horn from honking.

 

I'm still vexed by the steering wheel issue. I'll dig into more this weekend and will probably post pictures/videos in an effort to solicit more help.

 

I need to figure out the speedometer/tachometer issue as well. I noticed that the tach does move. It appears to just read really, really, really low (never going above about 800 rpm).

[Sean]

Caterham (Lifeline) removable steering wheel install:

 

1. Align wheel splines with shaft splines and push
   
2. Pull "release handle" back, and push some more - you should feel it go further and fully engage
   
3. Release "release handle"
   
4. Pull back on wheel without pulling "release handle" to verify proper engagement
   

 

If the steps above for install do not work, there is likely a mechanical defect somewhere, but the wheel coming off is typically because it was not fully put on in the first place. Most of us have probably done this at one time or another - I know I have.

 

One would think it would just slide on and fully engage - click! - but unfortunately, that's not the case.