Newby - Oil question

Newby - Oil question

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Discussion

Teseo56

Original Poster:

7 posts

116 months

Monday 28th July 2014
quotequote all
Hello everyone !

This is my first post to PH (but many other will follow since I'm facing some common problems of k series, like hot start and fault oil pressure sender http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/imgs/2.gif)

I got my first Caterham last year (S3 1.6K 2009 CDX model) and I'm planning to change the motor oil after I drove 3000 miles.
Living in Austria I do not find the original Caterham 5W50 oil (it is not sent oversee by Caterham Parts) and I wonder if the Comma Motorsport 5W50 can be used instead, without changing the foam baffle (which should be done by the 12k service which is due next year).
Could that be a problem ?
I read somewhere that most probably Comma and Caterham oil are the same with just different packaging, but if the two oil are not completely equivalent, leaving the foam baffle could cause problems due to the substantial amount of "old" oil remaining in the motor.

Does anyone have experience ?
Do you recomend it, or I'd better change also the foam baffle (which in turn I have to order in UK) ?

I'm not doing any track day, I'm just using the Caty on the open roads for tourism.

Thank you very much in advance for your help.

Paolo



grenpayne

1,976 posts

161 months

Monday 28th July 2014
quotequote all
Probably the most discussed question biggrin

Don't stress over using Caterham or Comma branded oil, any decent ester based fully synth oil will be fine. Personally I've used Fuchs Titan Supersynth 5w40 for last few years and it's been great.

Gingerbread Man

9,171 posts

212 months

Monday 28th July 2014
quotequote all
Most recommend removing the foam baffle all together and placing two holes into the sump gasket skirt.

My foam (not sure how old) disintegrated and started to block the oil pick pipe pipe, so for many years now I have run without the foam and faced no negatives.

The 5w50 I run is from Halfords as opposed to Caterham. I've run Comma oil before also. Should be fine to mix as you'll be surely doing a ~95% oil change, or drop the sump, remove the foam, then it'll be a complete change.

Caterham don't make their own oil, so it'll be a rebranded something.



Regards to oil pressure senders. For the ~£40 for a new electrical sender, I bought a mechanical setup. Instant readings, cheaper and more reliable. Get it fitted.


Hot start could be related to the starter solenoid. A few mods can hopefully removing this problem from your life.

tomwoodis

570 posts

183 months

Monday 28th July 2014
quotequote all
The Comma 5w-50 is the same stuff as Caterham sell. It's just Comma rebranded as you say.

I believe for a while (possibly still do) Halfords were also selling
The same stuff under their own label brand as well.

I don't believe the Comma synthetic is a true synthetic.
It's a mineral oil with additives I believe. If you can get an Ester based synthetic in a similar grade then if anything it will be better than what's in there at the moment.

That said, the Comma will be quite a bit cheaper than something like the Fuchs Ester based synthetic and will be perfectly up to the task so if you can source that easily then I would just go ahead and buy that.

Tom

Teseo56

Original Poster:

7 posts

116 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
quotequote all
Thank you very much to all of you for the information.

I will then go on with the Comma Motorsport, changing for the time being only oil and filter and waiting next year to change also the foam baffle (or take it completely away, I will think about it).


Gingerbread Man said:
Regards to oil pressure senders. For the ~£40 for a new electrical sender, I bought a mechanical setup. Instant readings, cheaper and more reliable. Get it fitted.
I have found some information in internet, like
http://www.perkins.org.uk/caterham/oil_pressure_ga...
but it is not that clear to me which parts I need to order and how to procede (do I need the T-piece ? Do I have to cut and adapt the flexible hose or turn it around to get the right lenght ? Any air purge necessary for the hose ?)

Gingerbread Man, congratulation for the amazing work you are performing to rebuild your car !
And for the patience showed to bring her into the garage (But I am sure at the end you just smashed the brick wall to get her in biggrin)
As you noticed for me an oil change represents already a challenge ! smile

Gingerbread Man

9,171 posts

212 months

Tuesday 29th July 2014
quotequote all
Remove the electrical sender, wind a new fitting into the engine, hose attaches and goes to the back of the oil pressure gauge in dash.
I got mine through a man on Blatchat, it's a nylon hose and fittings. I've sleeved it to reduce the chances of damage.
You could run the who lot in Aeroquip, thus braided metal and more robust, although I've never had an issue.

During my rebuild I have cut a T piece in and an adjustable pressure switch, a red light on the dash and hopefully it'll alert me if needed.

No purging needed. You can add a tee piece in if you wish to add a low oil pressure warning switch which can then be attaches to a buzzer/ light in the dash.

I believe the thread size into the engine differs depending on engine.


The rebuild is a long task due to only working one day a week on it!