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My first drive in my new Locost
Fearless - 20/7/10 at 02:30 PM

What an epic journey
Won this on eBay and went to pick it up after work last night,


150 miles and half of it through the rain.



Over-heated and boiled dry, had to stop to let it cool and add water twice so finally arrived back in Somerset at 1:30 this morning.

[Edited on 20/7/10 by Fearless]


tony-devon - 20/7/10 at 02:37 PM

what engine is that? aha think its CBR1000 lump?

also maybe a silly question, but why is the pressure/filler cap below the level of the top of the engine?

surely that should be the highest point, at least level with the top of the cooling system?


Im just having a bit of trouble understanding the routing of the cooling system on that

anyway welcome to the site, looks like a lot of fun


[Edited on 20/7/10 by tony-devon]


Fearless - 20/7/10 at 02:42 PM

It's a honda CBR1000 engine I believe pre 2007
There is an expansion/filler tank sitting just in front of the battery but I must admit the cooling pipework baffles me too


TimC - 20/7/10 at 02:43 PM

quote:
Originally posted by tony-devon
what engine is that? aha think its CBR1000 lump?

also maybe a silly question, but why is the pressure/filler cap below the level of the top of the engine?

surely that should be the highest point, at least level with the top of the cooling system?


Im just having a bit of trouble understanding the routing of the cooling system on that
[Edited on 20/7/10 by tony-devon]


Indeed CBR1000F, as seen in my old MK:



It is a rather car-unfriendly cooling system...

Welcome!


TimC - 20/7/10 at 02:46 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Fearless
It's a honda CBR1000 engine I believe pre 2007
There is an expansion/filler tank sitting just in front of the battery but I must admit the cooling pipework baffles me too


I think you mean pre-1997:
MCN Summary

Wiki Summary


tony-devon - 20/7/10 at 02:48 PM

aha I managed to edit my post in time

I just cant see how you can fully fill the cooling system with the cap so low down the barrels, unless maybe its just an optical illusion

just seems a very complicated way to route it all?

but then the turtledeck was an odd old beast anyway


scoop - 20/7/10 at 02:49 PM

Lol. I had a day like that yesterday. My first drive, other than just round the block, which took me on about a 60 mile round trip. Before i got where i was going it started to boil in static traffic and then the speedo cable broke. On the way back it got even hotter, started to cook my legs, and when i arrived home the pressure built up so much that it forced water out of the filler cap
So, today ive cut holes in the bonnet above the exhaust manifold to let the heat out and a big one to get air to the air filter and am fitting a new polo rad tomorrow.
I look at it as development testing


Strontium Dog - 20/7/10 at 03:09 PM

quote:
Originally posted by tony-devon
aha I managed to edit my post in time

I just cant see how you can fully fill the cooling system with the cap so low down the barrels, unless maybe its just an optical illusion

just seems a very complicated way to route it all?


but then the turtledeck was an odd old beast anyway



If that is a pressurised expansion tank up by the fire wall then it does not matter about the lower rad cap and it should not be a sprung pressure cap anyway. Just top it up from the expansion bottle which should have at least one return pipe to a point low down in the coolant system. The idea is that the expansion bottle traps any air in the system and thus reduces the chances of air pockets around the cylinders. It is a much better system than the old fashioned overflow bottle with a vent off the rad which means the rad header will always have air in it , reducing its efficiency and possibly allowing the dreaded air pockets to end up causing hot spots!

Of course, if it's not a pressure vessel and just an overflow bottle then it's fubar

[Edited on 20/7/10 by Strontium Dog]


tony-devon - 20/7/10 at 03:32 PM

LOL I think FUBAR is a bit strong, but it will soon be if it isnt looked at, at least in my opinion

that tank I beleive is just the overflow, ie non pressured

it will have a hose out of near the top that drains to the ground as an overflow, and one that goes into the pressure cap to provide somewhere for excess fluids to go should the pressure get too high

on a bike the top of the rad would be level with the top of the engine, the pressure/fill cap would be on top of the engine, and that catchment tank would be either inside the fairing or at the back under a side panel

if that system is only being filled to the cap, then Im not surprised it got a bit warm!


stevegough - 20/7/10 at 05:03 PM

are we allowed to welcome new members to the site who merely 'buy' one 'somebody made earlier?'

After all, this is 'locost BUILDERS......

Suggest you take it completely to pieces, rebuild it from the first crankshaft bearing to the top of the re-positioned expansion tank, from the first wishbone bush to the last piece of bodywork trim - taking pictures at every stage, bugger up brackets, cut tubings just that little bit too short, graze, cut and otherwise cause minor injuries to various parts of your anatomy in various ways and then you can join the club.......



On the other hand, you could just totally ignore me as the babbling idiot I am, fettle the minor problems you find, and get out there, and thouroughly enjoy yourself with your new toy!!


Welcome to the site!!

Regards, Steve


Dangle_kt - 20/7/10 at 06:06 PM

welcome


gottabedone - 20/7/10 at 06:06 PM

I could imagine the looks as you roll up en-route in an open top car puffing steam like an old steam train, in the pouring rain with a grin on your face

Welcome to the nut-house

Steve


Fearless - 20/7/10 at 06:09 PM

quote:
Originally posted by tony-devon


that tank I beleive is just the overflow, ie non pressured

it will have a hose out of near the top that drains to the ground as an overflow, and one that goes into the pressure cap to provide somewhere for excess fluids to go should the pressure get too high




Had a good look at it and yes you are correct, it is just an overflow. that would explain the overheating.

Will also explain why the engine is a bit FUBAR'd

Seems to be blowing exhaust out of one of the carbs so I would guess that a valve/head is knackered. I guessed the engine was not running as well as it should have been when I picked it up. Oh well you can pick those engines up fairly cheap


tony-devon - 20/7/10 at 06:35 PM

with it beaing all alloy, thatengine wont have appreciated being cooked

to be honest I would look at having your engine apart first, do a compression test on all four pots.

its not going to cost anything to pull it apart, might get away with just a skim, maybe reseat some valves?

would just check the jetting as well while your looking, in case its running lean and thats not helping.


Werner Van Loock - 20/7/10 at 06:37 PM

apart from the engine it looks like a very nice car.

But with that weird plumbing i'd check all nuts and bolts for correct strength and tightness, especially on the propshaft, many have loosened already and the results are disaster!


wilkingj - 21/7/10 at 09:15 AM

Welcome to the Madhouse...

At least you have a project now!
You will get lots of help and advice on here.
Also use the search facility, as most things have been done to death on here and are in the archives.

Still... Take care driving your new car. Unless you have driven a Se7en type car before you will find its like nothing you have ever had before. Its great, and its fun...

HOWEVER THESE CARS BITE BACK, and sometimes quite hard!

Drive it carefully until you know how it drives and handles, as they stick like poo to a blanket, then give way suddenly!

Its all good fun, but just take its carefully to start with. You dont want a Major Rebuild project for either the car or yourself!

Again... welcome and you are about to have some highs and lows with the car... But then thats why we all help each other... we have all been there at some point!


Fearless - 21/7/10 at 02:26 PM

Thank you for all the warm welcomes and advice.

I am not new to major car projects but I am very new to this type of car, up until now it has been high powered supra's so I am used to powerful RWD but will treat my new toy with plenty of respect until I get used to it.

First job though sort out the coolant plumbing and aquire a new engine.


MikeR - 21/7/10 at 02:40 PM

Can i suggest you replace the engine with a CEC.

(CEC = Car Engined Car, as opposed to what you've got now BEC = Bike Engined Car).


40inches - 21/7/10 at 02:46 PM

quote:
Originally posted by MikeR
Can i suggest you replace the engine with a CEC.

(CEC = Car Engined Car, as opposed to what you've got now BEC = Bike Engined Car).




NO! you cannot!


Fearless - 21/7/10 at 05:31 PM

I was particuarly looking for a BEC

Much better power/weight ratio, why do you surgest a CEC ?


MikeR - 21/7/10 at 06:14 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Fearless
I was particuarly looking for a BEC

Much better power/weight ratio, why do you surgest a CEC ?


merely to start a comedy good natured argument - hence the smilies