Fluids & Trackday Essentials
Discussion
When I used to track and race my Radical there was a well known essential list of spares that it was important to keep with you.
Is there anything that a Caterham novice should be aware of that it is worth to have ? Plugs for example ?
Also what do people prefer to use for oil and brake fluid in the duratec ?
Thanks
Is there anything that a Caterham novice should be aware of that it is worth to have ? Plugs for example ?
Also what do people prefer to use for oil and brake fluid in the duratec ?
Thanks
BertBert said:
I used to take loads more Radical things when I track-dayed my clubsport - much more fragile!
I agree with that...I was running an SR4 and had a large tow car full up with with bits and bobs.So whats the favoured oil for the R400 Duratec ? From reading on here, the consensus cold tyre pressures for the CR500 Tyres seems to be 16-18 psi cold all round. Does this sound about right ?
Our 1.4 SS is mostly used for touring, as you can imagine the distances here are huge and no one has ever heard of a K Series, so we carry a very comprehensive spares package.
Hoses, clips, wire, volt meter, all electronic engine sensors, injector, clutch & throttle cable, wheel bearing, F&R, exhaust bobin, wheel stud + tools & hand cleaner.
Hoses, clips, wire, volt meter, all electronic engine sensors, injector, clutch & throttle cable, wheel bearing, F&R, exhaust bobin, wheel stud + tools & hand cleaner.
To be honest that's a question that will elicit all manner of responses from all sorts of people with a difference of opinion. Truth is its a Ford Engine and they designed it and probably know best. If the engine was in a Mondeo you'd probably be putting 5w-30 synthetic into it that meets the Ford oil specs.
If you look at what Caterham suggest/sell for the Duratecs then it's 5w-50 Motorsport oil which I believe is based on a tie-up they have with Comma who supply it for them at, I presume, very affordable prices. It's widely speculated that this is the same oil as can be bought in Halfords as Halfords branded 5w-50 Motorsport oil. With it being widely mass produced by Comma for halfords you can see why it may well have been a no brainer for Caterham to adopt it too but I'm ultimately speculating here. It too would be fine but many in the know suggest this may be a little beyond the ideal spec and could, arguably rob you of a little power out on track.
For what it's worth, I'm running Fuchs 5w-40 fully synthetic (ester based synthetic) which was about the most expensive thing I could lay my hands on and sits grade wise between the two options above. It's probably not going to perform a great deal different to something cheaper but it's piece of mind for me that I've put in the best stuff I could find. It's also a proper ester synthetic so it's supposed to be better than some other oils branded as synthetic but which don't have the same chemical composition.
The bits you really need to get right though are:
- right grade for your primary usage
- meets ford specs
- is synthetic rather than mineral
That will open you up to a wide range of manufactures and price points and you can essentially take your pick.
Tom
If you look at what Caterham suggest/sell for the Duratecs then it's 5w-50 Motorsport oil which I believe is based on a tie-up they have with Comma who supply it for them at, I presume, very affordable prices. It's widely speculated that this is the same oil as can be bought in Halfords as Halfords branded 5w-50 Motorsport oil. With it being widely mass produced by Comma for halfords you can see why it may well have been a no brainer for Caterham to adopt it too but I'm ultimately speculating here. It too would be fine but many in the know suggest this may be a little beyond the ideal spec and could, arguably rob you of a little power out on track.
For what it's worth, I'm running Fuchs 5w-40 fully synthetic (ester based synthetic) which was about the most expensive thing I could lay my hands on and sits grade wise between the two options above. It's probably not going to perform a great deal different to something cheaper but it's piece of mind for me that I've put in the best stuff I could find. It's also a proper ester synthetic so it's supposed to be better than some other oils branded as synthetic but which don't have the same chemical composition.
The bits you really need to get right though are:
- right grade for your primary usage
- meets ford specs
- is synthetic rather than mineral
That will open you up to a wide range of manufactures and price points and you can essentially take your pick.
Tom
In my Duratec I'm having a go with the Gulf equivalent (because I can also put it in my other silly car therefore reduce the numbers of different oil in my garage!) to what Tom suggests at the moment, having previously run the CC suggested Comma. Seems to make no difference on the road and appeared to produce a slightly lower oil pressure at hot idle when I was tracking it the other day.
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