Fluids & Trackday Essentials

Fluids & Trackday Essentials

Author
Discussion

Jmracing66

Original Poster:

784 posts

238 months

Wednesday 15th April 2015
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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

framerateuk

2,730 posts

183 months

Wednesday 15th April 2015
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I always carry a spare throttle cable just in case and a spare exhaust mount. I have a small roll-up tool bag with all the basic tools. It's come in useful a couple of times!


Amris

157 posts

167 months

Thursday 16th April 2015
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A couple of full fuel cans helps to save trips down the road.
Imperial tools as well as metric (this cought me out last time)
Spare fuses and of course cable ties and duct tape

BertBert

18,953 posts

210 months

Thursday 16th April 2015
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I used to carry a clutch cable as well, but never needed either clutch or throttle. My SLR would use loads of oil on track (not on the road) so I'd take spare oil. I used to take loads more Radical things when I track-dayed my clubsport - much more fragile!

Jmracing66

Original Poster:

784 posts

238 months

Thursday 16th April 2015
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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 ?

apexcone

138 posts

137 months

Thursday 16th April 2015
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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.

tomwoodis

570 posts

183 months

Thursday 16th April 2015
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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

Jmracing66

Original Poster:

784 posts

238 months

Friday 17th April 2015
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Thanks Tom, very helpful.

Dr Slotter

408 posts

145 months

Friday 17th April 2015
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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.