Engine install ! !

Day 6 - 11/11/2006

Over the weekend I installed the heart of my Caterham - 1.6ltr K-series - 112bhp allowing 0-60 in 6.7sec and top speed 112mph (not a massively quick or powerful car but I'm sure it's quick enough for me!)

I thought the diff was a challenge, this is another level.

Picked up the engine crane on Friday night from 'Crescent Hire'* took it home and put it the garage ready for Saturday morning.

Woke up for an early start (9am is early on a Saturday) and went down to the garage with my mate Jethro - extra hands and support for the day! TOP TIP - Check you have all the parts before hiring the crane!! Rooting round in the garage for a full hour before actually starting anything gathering all the bits needed for linking the gearbox/bellhousing/engine together. I was missing: 4 spilt washers and the Gearbox/bellhousing gasket. Off to the local Motor factors. I bought a sheet of gasket material(£1.45) and some instant gasket - no splitwashers of that size.

Once back in the garage I made my own gasket and started the install. Pretty straight forward this bit just bolt the GB and BH together where it lines up then put on all your bits (I forgot the Clutch release bearing - noticed before I got too far on luckily). I then put the engine on a piece of 4x2 with the crane to make it easier to offer the GB up. It slid on easily and all the bolts went on fine (which are all Allen key type 8 and 10mm). Next the starter motor - things didn't quite make sense here - it is quite apparent though the starter you have is not the one mentioned in the manual and does not require any of the spacers or bolts or anything to do with solenoid TOP TIP - if you have an academy car do not put on the short red lead to connect the starter motor to the battery - instead leave the top bolt nearest to you loose (will make sense later).
Making progress now. Moving on to installing some of the cooling pipes - the large and small J pipes - the thermostat is on the lower right of the engine not the Black pipe on the top left - as when reading the manual this could easily mistaken for what it's talking about (thought it was a new fangled type until I saw the other bit).

Lifting the engine and GB into the air for the first time is quite a sight. Keeping a good grip on both the crane and engine Jethro and I maneuvered it round over the engine bay. Pushing down on the GB to get the best angle of attack and edging the crane forward seemed the best way to go, stopping every so often to lower the crane (It is easier if you take the Alternator off in hindsight as it is rather tight) Plenty of jiggling, pushing, twisting and groaning got the engine and GB in - the hardest part is aligning the prop and the back end of the GB - also keep looking underneath as it's easy for the GB mount to catch and hinder progress. TOP TIP- At this point the manual says put on the Manifold - Don't! It just gets in the way and damages the side of the car. Putting on the engine brackets with this on is pretty hard to - can be done though. TOP TIP - at this point put in the speedo drive - the access hole does not line up with it and once the gearbox is bolted you can't get the drive in - so do it now while you can move it about to get clearance. Bolting it all up was simple and just involves pushing the engine here and there to get the bolts to catch. After that a few electrical things to plug in.

I was going to attach the Clutch but the clevis pin only arrived in the post today. Also I was going to put on the exhaust but I had imperial bolts instead of Metric ones - Advice - if a bolt is not going in do not force it, it will probably be the wrong one - ring James at Caterham and get him to send the right ones - it's a real headache if cross thread the chassie mounts!! I haven't fortunately.

Good news on the parts front - Lower Wish Bones are in, the roll cages any time now and it's only the De Dion bars they have no idea. Hope it's soon - so I guess the front end will be complete soon!!