Where to service & engine refresh a K-series R500?

[Ult-Jim]

Any garages for general annual servicing and / or engine re-build specialists in the Buckinghampshire / Southern midlands / SE England area for Caterhams recommended? I only asks as I have relied on Minister Power over the last few years who have been very good to me however I am not quite sure if they are trading at the moment. And secondly I am getting closer to engine refresh time as I have started getting familiar to the upper rpm range on a regular basis.

[VHPD]

For rebuild/refresh I'd be using Dave Andrews.
http://www.dvapower.co.uk/?

They did a great job when they built my engine.
Book early though as they are busy normally but I'd imagine more so now that Minister are no longer trading.

[grenpayne]

DVA Power are currently booked until September at the very earliest! You could also have a quick search of the Blatchat archives for other specialists, as I'm sure the question will have been asked before.

[Ult-Jim]

Thanks all for the advice. I do wish Minister Power the best for any restructuring that may be happening. I will contact DVA Power and find out more. I'm in no rush, just planning for the future. Local garage will assist with brakes and coolant (as I am not a great mechanic) and the cam belt was recently changed so should be ok for at least 1500 fast road/mild track miles I guess. Frequent oil & filter changes every 500 to 1,000 miles (which I can do) I guess should assist in the engines longevity. Only planning on 1,000 to 1,500 miles this year mostly fast road and one or two track days so should be ok.

[BSA627]

Rob Morley at Ratrace in Potters Bar M25 junction 24 ,He's re built dozens of R500 K's and He has just built me a fantastic all steel 1.9 K series

[rubystone]

Sorry, but you have the same issues as I have. pm me and I will give you the benefit of my experience, both financial and actual...

[mic]

I have the details of a very reliable engine builder who knows the all the Caterham engines inside out, especially the K series. I have spoken to him about passing his details on, if you would like them drop me a mail.

[mickrick]

You may want to check out the premises before you comit to an engine build...
i.e. is it clean and tidy.
I don't think you'd go far wrong dropping Geoff Page a line.
http://www.geoffpageracing.com/index.php

[rubystone]

mickrick said:

You may want to check out the premises before you comit to an engine build...
i.e. is it clean and tidy.
I don't think you'd go far wrong dropping Geoff Page a line.
http://www.geoffpageracing.com/index.php

Geoff's a lovely guy and his bread pudding is second to none...but I am sure he would be the first to admit that Ks are not his speciality. Mic, can you PM me with the guy's details?. Ult Jim, got your mail, will reply Monday properly...all I will say is be patient re taking that engine to just anyone....

[johnvthe2nd]

mic .. me too, could you pm me details, and rubystone, I would be interested in your details, I've had mine refreshed and so far (2000 ish miles 210 bhp) I'm very impressed

[mickrick]

rubystone said:

mickrick said:

You may want to check out the premises before you comit to an engine build...
i.e. is it clean and tidy.
I don't think you'd go far wrong dropping Geoff Page a line.
http://www.geoffpageracing.com/index.php

Geoff's a lovely guy and his bread pudding is second to none...but I am sure he would be the first to admit that Ks are not his speciality. Mic, can you PM me with the guy's details?. Ult Jim, got your mail, will reply Monday properly...all I will say is be patient re taking that engine to just anyone....

Bread pudding eh....
I still think it would be worth having a chat with him. As you say, he's very amicable and has such a wealth of knowlage that I would go so far as to say "all engines" are his speciality, as well as many other car related topics.
He's doing a very intesting in-line Hayabusa set up at the moment.
But as you say, that engine doesn't want to go to just anyone.

[one eyed mick]

Iget a little confused with the need? to refresh engines that have only done minimal milage and things like oilchanges /filter changes every 1000 miles ,modern lubricants and filters are good for 20k plus and engine rebuilds are really a thing of the past .Unless you are using poor quality parts not following sensible usage guide lines a properly assembled K series engine should be able to do 50/60k with no probs . My ops only [based on 40/50 years of vehicle service and repair work and a considerable amount of engine rebuilds in many forms , lawn mowers to 20litre V12 deisels ]

[BertBert]

Sorry, I seem to be following you about, nothing personal
Do engines not need rebuilds these days?

[pikeyboy]

one eyed mick said:

Iget a little confused with the need? to refresh engines that have only done minimal milage and things like oilchanges /filter changes every 1000 miles ,modern lubricants and filters are good for 20k plus and engine rebuilds are really a thing of the past .Unless you are using poor quality parts not following sensible usage guide lines a properly assembled K series engine should be able to do 50/60k with no probs . My ops only [based on 40/50 years of vehicle service and repair work and a considerable amount of engine rebuilds in many forms , lawn mowers to 20litre V12 deisels ]

Agree with you for normal road engines, however highly strung race engines are a different kettle of fish. K series in an R500 engine falls into the later category.

[Hoonabator]

One eye has an interesting point. I've often wondered the same.

What actually gets replaced/ "refreshed".

[one eyed mick]

Hoonabator said:

One eye has an interesting point. I've often wondered the same.

What actually gets replaced/ "refreshed".

That's what Iwould like to know Ithink that alot of people get their leg liftedwith this sort of bull.K series engines are basically normal prod engines if you will improve? them to produce ultra bhp yes things will fail and have to be replaced but how far do you go ?,new block ,crank and rods or a set of brgs and seals ,as said it gets me confused so if some one would explain what a refresh consists of I would be very grateful
BertBert I' m happy that at least some one reads my post's I may not be politicaly correct but it ads alittle spice to life

[BertBert]

well with respect to a standard k, then it'll not need a rebuild very often. But it's just a question of when the bits that wear actually wear out. So what wears?

Just guessing for fun here...
Valve stem seals
Valves
Cams
Followers
rings
pistons
liners
bearings (mains and big ends)
crank
little ends
gudgeon pins
oil pump
cambelt tensioner
and...

So with a standard k designed to last 100k miles, you don't need to do it too often. With a kr500 it's rather more often.

Bert

[rubystone]

mickrick said:

rubystone said:

mickrick said:

You may want to check out the premises before you comit to an engine build...
i.e. is it clean and tidy.
I don't think you'd go far wrong dropping Geoff Page a line.
http://www.geoffpageracing.com/index.php

Geoff's a lovely guy and his bread pudding is second to none...but I am sure he would be the first to admit that Ks are not his speciality. Mic, can you PM me with the guy's details?. Ult Jim, got your mail, will reply Monday properly...all I will say is be patient re taking that engine to just anyone....

Bread pudding eh....
I still think it would be worth having a chat with him. As you say, he's very amicable and has such a wealth of knowlage that I would go so far as to say "all engines" are his speciality, as well as many other car related topics.
He's doing a very intesting in-line Hayabusa set up at the moment.
But as you say, that engine doesn't want to go to just anyone.

But he doesn't do Ks. Or anything without a turbo. Last time i dropped in he was working on the Dax busa. Is that what you are talking about?

[Ult-Jim]

BertBert said:

well with respect to a standard k, then it'll not need a rebuild very often. But it's just a question of when the bits that wear actually wear out. So what wears?

Just guessing for fun here...
Valve stem seals
Valves
Cams
Followers
rings
pistons
liners
bearings (mains and big ends)
crank
little ends
gudgeon pins
oil pump
cambelt tensioner
and...

So with a standard k designed to last 100k miles, you don't need to do it too often. With a kr500 it's rather more often.

Bert

Before we continue and this becomes a heated discussion I would like to state that my R500 is hopefuully a keeper and value and costs are not a issue, ( otherwise it would have been flogged long ago for something related to my Pistonheads name, hint hint )

K-series 230 hp plus involves some top end parts to make and juicy fresh fluids to work and so a one too many paranoid oil changes works out cheaper than a rebuild, that's my viiew and I know nothing about technicals. I 'm a a geo chemical / physics masters by academics turned yachty so naturally you start asking simple nut and bolt questions.

Ult-jim

ps. For MIck, always have a sense of humour before entering the engine room and facing the chief, he always knows better , down below and on deck!

[Ult-Jim]

230 bhp from a k series plus needs some experience and development. You can't just bang some high end bits together and expect a rocket without balancing them carefully. There is not too many operations that can do it. Sorry for my basic approach but that's how I see it in lay mans terms!