RE: Caterham R500 Superlight Revealed
Discussion
sniff petrol said:
263bhp from 2 litres - will it be reliable? I remember reading that the K-series R500 needed refreshing every 3000 miles for £3000.
It's gonna last a lot longer than bike engine cars....which are getting more popular because of their ridiculous speeds and quick gear changes ( I assume the gear changes are the same as on a motorbike, ie no need to use the clutch!sniff petrol said:
263bhp from 2 litres - will it be reliable? I remember reading that the K-series R500 needed refreshing every 3000 miles for £3000.
Having had a chat with some owners at local meets either with R500's or basically the same engine in other 7's, seems that was always a bit of fallacy.I guess the fact that they (Caterham) were pushing the specific output that high (230bhp from 1.9litres or 250bhp from the R500 Evo
) they needed to make sure the engines wouldn't be pushed too hard to avoid them going pop frequently. Mighty engine nonetheless...A friend of my dads has a 210bhp K-series engined car, it is incredible.. Flames, massive bangs, pops & cracks on the overrun and immense power, love it!
As I said, I want one and I want it in frog-splat green!
Negative Creep said:
One thing I've always wondered is how they get away with the exposed side exit exhaust? I'm not complaining but surprised someone else hasn't.
The covering on it is spaced just far enough away from the cat that it dissipates a lot of the heat away, hence it avoids burnt limbs when you get out! 
Mars said:
Oddball RS said:
"The Ford Duratec engines are a lot better
Explain what you mean in a Mondeo or after its been thoroughly re-engineered and had a small fortune spent on it?
Indeed. Spend the same on a K and you'll get similar results (power AND reliability).Explain what you mean in a Mondeo or after its been thoroughly re-engineered and had a small fortune spent on it?
I've never really understood why the factory ones needed their legendary "refresh", or whether it was just a rumour.
I was involved with a group of people who built their engines to higher outputs than the original K-series R500 engine, and some with technically lower specifications. They didn't need a refresh. Just a service at the usual intervals.
Perhaps you're right. Maybe the factory Ks were inferior but the K-series engine need not be. Spend the same amount of money as a factory K or Duratec on some carefully-chosen services to build your own K and you will have a reliable, powerful and very light K.
However, spend the same building your own Duratec and I suppose you'd end up with a more powerful engine still.
I was involved with a group of people who built their engines to higher outputs than the original K-series R500 engine, and some with technically lower specifications. They didn't need a refresh. Just a service at the usual intervals.
Perhaps you're right. Maybe the factory Ks were inferior but the K-series engine need not be. Spend the same amount of money as a factory K or Duratec on some carefully-chosen services to build your own K and you will have a reliable, powerful and very light K.
However, spend the same building your own Duratec and I suppose you'd end up with a more powerful engine still.
Edited by Mars on Friday 11th April 22:08
Having now ridden in a Caterham I really don't get the appeal of these cars, especially aesthetically - sure, they are very fast and they handle well enough but... I guess all I could think about is "I'll be dead if I ever crash in this"! Hmmm, horses for courses I suppose? If I HAD to choose such a car to drive/race I think I'd prefer the Atom myself, I much prefer the looks and obviously they go like stink too (even though they seem to leave on even more exposed!).
mrclav said:
Having now ridden in a Caterham I really don't get the appeal of these cars, especially aesthetically - sure, they are very fast and they handle well enough but... I guess all I could think about is "I'll be dead if I ever crash in this"!
Surely with a rigid spaceframe chassis, a decent rollbar and good harnesses, there are almost as safe as a single-seater type racing car?I guess going into the back of a truck could be an issue though, as the car slid underneath the first thing to hit the trucks bumper would be the visor of your helmet . . .
onewingedangel said:
263bhp N/A is a lot to ask from the engine though.
SBD Developments can squeeze 304 nat asp out of one...http://www.sbdev.co.uk/Main.htm
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