I have just agreed to buy a MegaGrad
Discussion
It wasn't really planned, it just sort of happened!
Anyway, MegaGrad race car, but with V5, although never been used on the road. In very good condition.
Now I don't have much experience of 7s, bar a couple of "handling" days at Silverstone in one a very long time ago so it is going to be interesting. The plan is to do a track day or two in it and then race it in the CSCC Magnificent 7s. If I don't like it then I will stick to racing my 944 Turbo, I guess.
I will try to share the car with someone in Mag7s and probably even offer the car out for some form of drive deal for the Graduates Series.
Whilst the overall grid sizes in Mag 7s are good the classes which the MegaGrad fits in to have dropped in the last year or two as people have gravitated towards the quicker cars. Hopefully there will be a few people to battle with though - it would be good to encourage a few more entries in to the MegaGrad and SigmaGrad classes. Seems like good value racing to me and I'm thinking that a MegaGrad should be very cost effective to run.
Anyway, MegaGrad race car, but with V5, although never been used on the road. In very good condition.
Now I don't have much experience of 7s, bar a couple of "handling" days at Silverstone in one a very long time ago so it is going to be interesting. The plan is to do a track day or two in it and then race it in the CSCC Magnificent 7s. If I don't like it then I will stick to racing my 944 Turbo, I guess.
I will try to share the car with someone in Mag7s and probably even offer the car out for some form of drive deal for the Graduates Series.
Whilst the overall grid sizes in Mag 7s are good the classes which the MegaGrad fits in to have dropped in the last year or two as people have gravitated towards the quicker cars. Hopefully there will be a few people to battle with though - it would be good to encourage a few more entries in to the MegaGrad and SigmaGrad classes. Seems like good value racing to me and I'm thinking that a MegaGrad should be very cost effective to run.
Thanks for the responses, I am looking forward to picking it up soon. Yes, it was Peter's car.
When I said that the number of MegaGrads on the grid was small, I was referring to the lower popularity of the smaller engined classes in CSCC Magnificent 7s rather than the MegaGrad grid.
I have thought about taking part in the BARC Graduates series but racing over the 2 days of a weekend is a none starter for me; it has to be one day events and Mag 7s fits that with decent track time (70 mins).
When I said that the number of MegaGrads on the grid was small, I was referring to the lower popularity of the smaller engined classes in CSCC Magnificent 7s rather than the MegaGrad grid.
I have thought about taking part in the BARC Graduates series but racing over the 2 days of a weekend is a none starter for me; it has to be one day events and Mag 7s fits that with decent track time (70 mins).
Didnt get to drive it much as got indications on the Stack Dash of low oil pressure in the corners which was a concern so switched off.
The previous owner has been excellent and is picking the car up to take to McMillan Motorsport to investigate.
Im hoping its an electrical/ sender issue?
The previous owner has been excellent and is picking the car up to take to McMillan Motorsport to investigate.
Im hoping its an electrical/ sender issue?
Just thought I would bring this up to date.
McMillan Motorsport checked the engine and found no evidence of any wear issues, caused from low oil pressure at all, and they were convinced that even just the small number of laps that I did would show up a problem. They concluded that there was a Stack Dash/ sender issue.
I fitted a mechanical oil pressure gauge so that I could compare that against the Stack Dash.
I have not been able to try the car again until yesterday due to a combination of work and weather issues but did a morning at Mallory yesterday. I figured that a few goes around Gerrards would show up an oil pressure issue in bends pretty quickly!
The weather was awful initially and I didn't go out for about 45 mins, but eventually thought that a drying line was appearing. I did a couple of laps and all was ok but on the third lap had a spin on the exit of Gerrards. I admit that my old, cold tyres didn't help but once I had recovered myself back to the pits 2 other cars had the same issues and the circuit sent out a road sweeper. There was talk of oil on the track.
No harm done! Nevertheless I changed tyres to a set of Avon Turbospeeds and immediately felt better on the damp track.
This was my first time really driving a Caterham properly and I enjoyed it although I know that I was pretty slow compared to the potential of the car. But it felt quick!
After a few laps, the low oil pressure light came on again. The Stack Dash was reading no lower than 42 psi with a high of about 50 through the lap and the mechanical gauge was consistently showing 4-6 psi higher through the lap. I returned to the pits for a conversation with a mechanic friend helping me out and we couldn't understand the issue so I went out again to check what I had seen.
The next session was the same again, back in to the pits, and then the same again. I decided to do a longer run......
The light came on again but I decided to keep going and did 2-3 sessions of about 5 laps each. No sign of an engine issue, no tightening, still revving cleanly. The oil pressure on the Stack was never any lower than 42psi going round the hairpin and was at about 50-52 along the straight at about 6500 revs. The lowest oil pressure I saw was about 26 on the Stack coming down the pitlane at low speed in 2 nd gear at about 2000 revs. strangely the light seemed to come on as the oil pressure rose past 50 and went out as I trundled back down the pit lane.
Different symptoms to those I experienced first time out. I can only conclude that there's something wrong with oil pressure sender, stack dash or the way the limit has been set up on the oil pressure light?
The mechanical gauge certainly didn't show up any problems. Perhaps I should get done black tape to cover the light!!! Lol!
Next step is to order some new List 1c race tyres and enter the first race of the season!
McMillan Motorsport checked the engine and found no evidence of any wear issues, caused from low oil pressure at all, and they were convinced that even just the small number of laps that I did would show up a problem. They concluded that there was a Stack Dash/ sender issue.
I fitted a mechanical oil pressure gauge so that I could compare that against the Stack Dash.
I have not been able to try the car again until yesterday due to a combination of work and weather issues but did a morning at Mallory yesterday. I figured that a few goes around Gerrards would show up an oil pressure issue in bends pretty quickly!
The weather was awful initially and I didn't go out for about 45 mins, but eventually thought that a drying line was appearing. I did a couple of laps and all was ok but on the third lap had a spin on the exit of Gerrards. I admit that my old, cold tyres didn't help but once I had recovered myself back to the pits 2 other cars had the same issues and the circuit sent out a road sweeper. There was talk of oil on the track.
No harm done! Nevertheless I changed tyres to a set of Avon Turbospeeds and immediately felt better on the damp track.
This was my first time really driving a Caterham properly and I enjoyed it although I know that I was pretty slow compared to the potential of the car. But it felt quick!
After a few laps, the low oil pressure light came on again. The Stack Dash was reading no lower than 42 psi with a high of about 50 through the lap and the mechanical gauge was consistently showing 4-6 psi higher through the lap. I returned to the pits for a conversation with a mechanic friend helping me out and we couldn't understand the issue so I went out again to check what I had seen.
The next session was the same again, back in to the pits, and then the same again. I decided to do a longer run......
The light came on again but I decided to keep going and did 2-3 sessions of about 5 laps each. No sign of an engine issue, no tightening, still revving cleanly. The oil pressure on the Stack was never any lower than 42psi going round the hairpin and was at about 50-52 along the straight at about 6500 revs. The lowest oil pressure I saw was about 26 on the Stack coming down the pitlane at low speed in 2 nd gear at about 2000 revs. strangely the light seemed to come on as the oil pressure rose past 50 and went out as I trundled back down the pit lane.
Different symptoms to those I experienced first time out. I can only conclude that there's something wrong with oil pressure sender, stack dash or the way the limit has been set up on the oil pressure light?
The mechanical gauge certainly didn't show up any problems. Perhaps I should get done black tape to cover the light!!! Lol!
Next step is to order some new List 1c race tyres and enter the first race of the season!
HustleRussell said:
That car seemed to treat Pete pretty well, Seems likely to be an instrumentation issue. Pretty jealous, I did Sigmax last year but I think I prefer Megagrads... exciting revvy engine and straight cut box.
Agree, that it's an instrumentation issue and Pete was more than fair, going further than I expected to help me out.Looking forward to getting out in it again.
The oil pressure on my Mega seems to drop on some (but not all) long right hand bends (like Luffield/Woodcote at Silverstone). The light flashes below 2 bar (29psi) and I occasionally spot it flash on track. I also see it when back in the paddock when the engine drops to idle but a small throttle blip sends it back up immediately.
I race in the graduates and the engine has been very reliable and pulls well. If it was more serious than a sensor issue then it would have gone bang by now. So maybe a case of "they all do that sir".
I assume you have an Apollo tank and check the oil level whilst the engine is hot and running? Worth keeping an eye on the level between sessions as they do seem to use a little when regularly screamed round to 7500rpm.
I race in the graduates and the engine has been very reliable and pulls well. If it was more serious than a sensor issue then it would have gone bang by now. So maybe a case of "they all do that sir".
I assume you have an Apollo tank and check the oil level whilst the engine is hot and running? Worth keeping an eye on the level between sessions as they do seem to use a little when regularly screamed round to 7500rpm.
Edited by MR2_SC on Monday 19th March 18:55
I think what happens with oil pressure is on fast, long corners (more right turns) the oil is surging and the feed to the pump drops (sender is near the pump) so the gauge is correct.
But, there’s a head of oil still in the Apollo tank which ensures oil continues to be supplied for a short while even though pressure at the pump has dropped, which ensures the engine remains lubricated, hence no engine damage.
See here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Happy for someone more knowledgeable to tell me I’m wrong and explain it better.
But, there’s a head of oil still in the Apollo tank which ensures oil continues to be supplied for a short while even though pressure at the pump has dropped, which ensures the engine remains lubricated, hence no engine damage.
See here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Happy for someone more knowledgeable to tell me I’m wrong and explain it better.
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