How to recognise VVC

[Jaspar64]

I'm looking for a K series R300. This seems to be the sweet spot for my budget. Reading up they can come with VVC or non VVC 1.8 engines.

I also have an Elise S1 111S with the VVC engine and I much prefer the way it pulls to the redline above 6000 rather than the non VVC car that my friend owns.

Unfortunately the Caterham cam cover doesn't have a big VVC label on it, so is there a way to extenally recognise a VVC head ?

I guess ultimately it doesn't matter if I like the way it drives, but I'd just like to know.

John

[ForzaGilles]

The VVC engined cars will have an alloy plenum for induction, the non-VVC cars will have the roller barrel throttle bodies as fitted to the R400K and R500K.

Below is a VVC engined car. There is a nice one for sale at GP Sevens at the moment.

[Tupwood]

I believe the VVC mechanism is housed in the plastic shroud on the right-hand end of the engine in the photo above (just below the throttle body / intake). On non-VVC engines, like mine, this is where the distributor is mounted, although later K-series models (EU3) have a different loom and layout. I have also seen versions of the Alloy plenum with the letters 'VVC' embossed on it…

[Jaspar64]

Below is a VVC engined car. There is a nice one for sale at GP Sevens at the moment.


[/quote]

Unfortunately not. I called them at the weekend to go and see it, but apparently they had taken a deposit on Thursday :-(

[Jaspar64]

So this would be a non VVC with throttle bodies ?

[url]|https://thumbsnap.com/Pi3ohF8Y[/url

[Tupwood]

From that photo we can identify the throttle bodies, not an alloy plenum, and the distributor on the K-series, which makes it an EU 2 version.

The rest is unclear. I would ask the seller for the VIN number, and then have that checked by the Caterham Cars archivist – Martin Phipps. There are many cars that have been 'upgraded to R300 Spec', but that does not mean it is an original R300, so you need to be sure which you are buying.

If you want to contact Martin, email him on

[e-mail]

but note that he only works part-time and that the Archives are incomplete. CC are also relocating to the new HQ right now, so access to the archives might be slower than usual.