EVO Caterham 420R engine going pop. Any details yet?

[BertBert]

But not high performance/lateral G in an MX5.
Bert

coppice said:

But isn't the Duratec also essentially the same as the North /South located MX5 engine ?

[DCL]

The Mazda and Duratec are similar (identical in some respects) but it was not designed specifically for the MX5. The main issue in the Catarham installation is the engine is used in an upright position and not inclined as in the transverse installations (and MX5 as I understand it). That results in the asymmetric design of the oil galleries, that return the oil to the sump, not working as efficiently as intended.

Edited by DCL on Friday 3rd February 16:26

[Dr Slotter]

Yes, canted over 10 degrees when in a MX5. I'm not sure if this is also the case in a newer Caterham with the Mazda gearbox.

Edit - apparently they have a different bell housing so presumably that means the engine in a Caterham is NOT canted over, therefore a 'flat' wet sump is still used.

Edited by Dr Slotter on Friday 3rd February 12:10

[Roberts7]

This happened to my 420R last year, a few weeks after I built the thing. All Caterham did was attach old ancillaries onto new block. All they would tell me when picking it up was that cylinder walls were in bits when thy took the head off.

[baypond]

Roberts7 said:

This happened to my 420R last year, a few weeks after I built the thing. All Caterham did was attach old ancillaries onto new block. All they would tell me when picking it up was that cylinder walls were in bits when thy took the head off.

did they repair it under warranty?