FAO Duncs

[duncs500]

Hard to say.

Usually they run worse when cold as the water seeps into the cylinder when it's sat, it'll then clear and smoke a bit as it starts to fire and burn off the moisture.

Definitely not the case with this, even after being sat for 6 weeks, started up perfectly, no smoke, revving cleanly. Driving smoothly after about 5mins ticking over for 5mins driving, then comes the issue.

I also wonder whether a HG would go after less than 20k miles even if it had been abused in the past?

Having said all that, I am going to send it to someone. Only thing I'll do is replace the leads, but that doesn't fix the coolant issue. So better to send it to someone for a proper look.

[speedingfine]

Hard to say.

Usually they run worse when cold as the water seeps into the cylinder when it's sat, it'll then clear and smoke a bit as it starts to fire and burn off the moisture.

Definitely not the case with this, even after being sat for 6 weeks, started up perfectly, no smoke, revving cleanly. Driving smoothly after about 5mins ticking over for 5mins driving, then comes the issue.

I also wonder whether a HG would go after less than 20k miles even if it had been abused in the past?

Having said all that, I am going to send it to someone. Only thing I'll do is replace the leads, but that doesn't fix the coolant issue. So better to send it to someone for a proper look.

Good stuff Duncs, glad it's getting sorted. Change that coolant cap as well please

No idea on the dzus fasteners I'm afraid, but send a photo + measurements to a company like speedy fasteners and I'm sure they'll sort you out.

Oh and five revels says it's not HGF.

[Sundayjumper]

Oh and five revels says it's not HGF.

I've never had a K-series and didn't know they have a reputation for being hard to bleed, so in light of that and the fact the last people to work on it were a bit crap, and this only started after they'd worked on it, I'm voting for not-properly-bled as well. Fingers crossed !

The broken lead might be a red herring, but it's definitely broken, so stick some new ones on regardless.

[duncs500]

I'm getting the leads off Redline and he's got the Dzus fixings anyway so I'll get him to stick a couple in the package.

Thinking of sending the car to DVA Power as they seem to be the K series experts and they're only in Milton Keynes. Looks like HG is about £500 on their website but I'll have a chat and see what they say about the diagnosis.

Not ideal as I'm bloody skint at the moment and I've just spent over £1k on tyres and a service (which may have even caused it!).

[speedingfine]

I'm getting the leads off Redline and he's got the Dzus fixings anyway so I'll get him to stick a couple in the package.

Thinking of sending the car to DVA Power as they seem to be the K series experts and they're only in Milton Keynes. Looks like HG is about £500 on their website but I'll have a chat and see what they say about the diagnosis.

Not ideal as I'm bloody skint at the moment and I've just spent over £1k on tyres and a service (which may have even caused it!).

Unecessary post as you probably already know from countless others, but DVA is great, he's done plenty of work for me in the past, can't fault him.

[scotta]

I'm getting the leads off Redline and he's got the Dzus fixings anyway so I'll get him to stick a couple in the package.

Thinking of sending the car to DVA Power as they seem to be the K series experts and they're only in Milton Keynes. Looks like HG is about £500 on their website but I'll have a chat and see what they say about the diagnosis.

Not ideal as I'm bloody skint at the moment and I've just spent over £1k on tyres and a service (which may have even caused it!).

Unecessary post as you probably already know from countless others, but DVA is great, he's done plenty of work for me in the past, can't fault him.

Only issues i think with DVA are his popularity so getting a garage slot might be a wait.

[mik]

Plan approved.

Fingers crossed is is just airlock weirdness. I have done my fair share of hose-squeezing in the past trying to bleed systems, but that is a whole different double-entendre.

[duncs500]

Right, rather than spamming up the weekend thread with this, update:

Get down the motor factors for some HT leads and a new coolant cap!

To refill cooling system (JJ reflected once that it was a black art for K series engines, but not so) ensure that front of car is well jacked up and the heater (if you have one) fully opened. Remove the cap head bleed plug on top of the radiator and fill the cooling system via the plastic header tank. If you find that the water level has stopped dropping in the header tank but you still have no overflow from the bleed hole, on top of the radiator, then fill the radiator via this breather opening until full. Replace caphead plug and your done. The real secret for an easy fill is to jack the front of the car up as high as possible - effectively guaranteeing the top of the radiator as the highest point in the cooling system JH

Get squeezing your hoses and blowing into your coolant tank as well. Matron.

Well despite not getting any parts, I thought I would give the above bleeding method a go anyway. Weird thing is, it appears to have solved the problem so far.

I did it, gave it a splash of oil* then ran it for 5mins with the bonnet and nose cone off to see if I could seen anything**. No sign of any ill effects, so strapped it up and took it out. Drove it as far as when the misfire appeared last time, no issues, drove another 10-15mins, no issues. Came back and opened it up, oil levels good, coolant reservoir still full and not sucking (it was 5-10mm lower level than initially as I was a touch above max and it had now settled on the max level, so something to keep any eye on).


So, interesting times. My plan of action at the moment is to order the new leads and cap and put them on, and then drive it as regularly as I can to monitor it. Might still take it to James Whiting and get him to give it a once over as I really don't trust the last lot who serviced it... I didn't speak to them yet, but according to a thread on the C7 FB group DVA Power is a 1 year wait so that's probably out of the question for now!

Thanks for the info on that method Chris, I found one on L7C but it was more complicated than that.

* - Because I'm paranoid about the dripping oil, you can't overfill a dry sump car and you also can't check oil levels until you've warmed it up.

** - Also watching the exhaust for evidence of vapour as I fired it up but that was crystal clear.

[Marv]

Fingers crossed it's sorted Duncs!

[speedingfine]

Right, rather than spamming up the weekend thread with this, update:

Get down the motor factors for some HT leads and a new coolant cap!

To refill cooling system (JJ reflected once that it was a black art for K series engines, but not so) ensure that front of car is well jacked up and the heater (if you have one) fully opened. Remove the cap head bleed plug on top of the radiator and fill the cooling system via the plastic header tank. If you find that the water level has stopped dropping in the header tank but you still have no overflow from the bleed hole, on top of the radiator, then fill the radiator via this breather opening until full. Replace caphead plug and your done. The real secret for an easy fill is to jack the front of the car up as high as possible - effectively guaranteeing the top of the radiator as the highest point in the cooling system JH

Get squeezing your hoses and blowing into your coolant tank as well. Matron.

Well despite not getting any parts, I thought I would give the above bleeding method a go anyway. Weird thing is, it appears to have solved the problem so far.

I did it, gave it a splash of oil* then ran it for 5mins with the bonnet and nose cone off to see if I could seen anything**. No sign of any ill effects, so strapped it up and took it out. Drove it as far as when the misfire appeared last time, no issues, drove another 10-15mins, no issues. Came back and opened it up, oil levels good, coolant reservoir still full and not sucking (it was 5-10mm lower level than initially as I was a touch above max and it had now settled on the max level, so something to keep any eye on).


So, interesting times. My plan of action at the moment is to order the new leads and cap and put them on, and then drive it as regularly as I can to monitor it. Might still take it to James Whiting and get him to give it a once over as I really don't trust the last lot who serviced it... I didn't speak to them yet, but according to a thread on the C7 FB group DVA Power is a 1 year wait so that's probably out of the question for now!

Thanks for the info on that method Chris, I found one on L7C but it was more complicated than that.

* - Because I'm paranoid about the dripping oil, you can't overfill a dry sump car and you also can't check oil levels until you've warmed it up.

** - Also watching the exhaust for evidence of vapour as I fired it up but that was crystal clear.

BOOYAKASHA! Good news Duncs

[Coaster1]

Progress

[mik]

Fingers crossed it's sorted Duncs!

That

[Sundayjumper]

YAY !

This is all extra support to my feeling that cars are simple, just nuts & bolts, and if you want something done properly, do it yourself.

Whack some new leads on and hopefully you'll be ready to go

[duncs500]

Ordered the leads yesterday from ECP which look like the right ones, due midweek.

I updated the thread I had on the L7C forum and someone piped up with 'remember that driving a car with a faulty HG could do more damage'. Not sure I am supposed to do other than monitor it, don't really want to replace a perfectly good HG.

[JonMad]

Nice one Duncs. Hope that’s sorted it.

[duncs500]

Well, JL requested it...

I ran the car a few more times and the coolant level was dropping. I found that the nose cone was collecting coolant and that there was a weak clip there, job done I thought. Tightened it up and as soon as I took it out the car was running perfect. Then a new kind of misfire appeared, WOT at around 6k rpm a hesitation.

Needless to say I had about had enough of it by this stage, so I decided to give it to an expert. First I contacted a local specialist... didn't want to look at it, even if I was willing to wait until the new year, tried.another specialist who didn't want to take it on either.

At this point I'm pretty much at a loss, but anyway I hadn't fitted the new HT leads so thought I'd give them a go. Turns out you can't fit many without taking off stuff that I don't really know how to deal with. Anyway, in the end I could replace the dodgy lead from the first time it was a problem, by pure luck. While I was fucking about with that I found some moisture on a jubilee deep in the engine that after quite some time of trying to get to I managed to tighten a few turns.

So yeah, took the car out and coolant was fine, and there was no misfirel, and there was no coolant loss.

[IanF]

Well, JL requested it...

I ran the car a few more times and the coolant level was dropping. I found that the nose cone was collecting coolant and that there was a weak clip there, job done I thought. Tightened it up and as soon as I took it out the car was running perfect. Then a new kind of misfire appeared, WOT at around 6k rpm a hesitation.

Needless to say I had about had enough of it by this stage, so I decided to give it to an expert. First I contacted a local specialist... didn't want to look at it, even if I was willing to wait until the new year, tried.another specialist who didn't want to take it on either.

At this point I'm pretty much at a loss, but anyway I hadn't fitted the new HT leads so thought I'd give them a go. Turns out you can't fit many without taking off stuff that I don't really know how to deal with. Anyway, in the end I could replace the dodgy lead from the first time it was a problem, by pure luck. While I was fucking about with that I found some moisture on a jubilee deep in the engine that after quite some time of trying to get to I managed to tighten a few turns.

So yeah, took the car out and coolant was fine, and there was no misfirel, and there was no coolant loss.

Excellent, I look forward to seeing your car at a meet soon. Why? Well, I may now have a Caterham; all advice appreciated.

[duncs500]

It's quite difficult to write this after my work do tonight, but hopefully most of it makes sense. Anyway, after a few runs out I gave the TD a go. All good until the first time I ventured on to track, at which time it started stuttering again. Game over I figured, but after a few splutters the rest of the lap the car felt solid. Pulled in anyway to check coolant and it was spot on. Went on to have no problems over many laps of getting faster and faster. In fact the car always felt like it was more capable than me!

[duncs500]

So I don't know, turns out you can't really pay someone to look at an unknown problem. I had a good day yesterday and the car never really felt like it had issues, in fact it probably could have gone all day, I had a great time with it. I do expect more from a car though, so still feel if I can get a specialist to replace anything that is detrimental to reliability, I must do that.

[duncs500]

Well, JL requested it...

I ran the car a few more times and the coolant level was dropping. I found that the nose cone was collecting coolant and that there was a weak clip there, job done I thought. Tightened it up and as soon as I took it out the car was running perfect. Then a new kind of misfire appeared, WOT at around 6k rpm a hesitation.

Needless to say I had about had enough of it by this stage, so I decided to give it to an expert. First I contacted a local specialist... didn't want to look at it, even if I was willing to wait until the new year, tried.another specialist who didn't want to take it on either.

At this point I'm pretty much at a loss, but anyway I hadn't fitted the new HT leads so thought I'd give them a go. Turns out you can't fit many without taking off stuff that I don't really know how to deal with. Anyway, in the end I could replace the dodgy lead from the first time it was a problem, by pure luck. While I was fucking about with that I found some moisture on a jubilee deep in the engine that after quite some time of trying to get to I managed to tighten a few turns.

So yeah, took the car out and coolant was fine, and there was no misfirel, and there was no coolant loss.

Excellent, I look forward to seeing your car at a meet soon. Why? Well, I may now have a Caterham; all advice appreciated.

That is both unexpected and awesome! Have I missed the thread about what, when, how etc?