Discussion
Hi all
Thought I'd drop a quick post. For those of you who know Dannys' SR3 - I bought it
It seems to be a really nice car and overall a good deal, I'm sure Dannys happy with it too
Well I've had the car now for just over a week, have only done a limited number of miles on the road and from this have pretty much concluded that I won't be doing too many more - just a quick blat on a quite sunday morning me finks.... but I will look to be doing lots of track days starting with Donington on Sunday
The SR3 is an amazing piece of engineering in a compact package. Very, very hardcore even compared to the most extreme Caterhams - the engine scream up to 10k rpm and the straight cut box are the two things that currently blow me away - have not been able to use the brakes properly or feel the advantages of downforce - that will come on Sunday I hope
Anyway have taken the last two days to get to know the car and for this I thought I would basically work my way around the chassis, reconfiguring the pedal set up and then going through the process of checking all bolts, suspension joints etc
In the 40 odd miles of use so far I have managed to:
- go through the rear carbon undertray with the flat trolley jack, due to chocking the front wheels thereby not allowing the car to roll forward as you lower it
- under hard acceleration one of the HT leads popped off creating a misfire
- my garage is on a slight slope so was using the winch to get the car up the ramps onto the trailer. Let slip on the winch arm and the car started to shoot down the ramp, down the drive. The cable was not succured at the end of the winch wheel so I just watched as the car carried on across the road and into a bush. :d hilarious
- and to top it all today, after configuring the car for my liking went for a blat, opened the baby up for the first time, full throttle through 2 to 5th and the engine started misfiring. Thought HT lead must have popped off again but car was losing all power on a very busy dual carriageway. All power gone and I just managed to roll the car onto the pavement. As is guarenteed in these situations, the heavens then decided to open
Luckily my girlfriend was at hand - I had run out of fuel as you have absolutely no idea of how much fuel is the car as the red light seems to be on virtually all the time
stupid me!!!!!
Has anyone managed to resolve some sort of accurate fuel reading yet? In hindsite I did notice that the fuel pump was getting louder - so I guess this is some sort of last minute warning
Anyway, I'm not complaining - this is all part of getting a new toy and starting to understand it.
I can't wait to get on the track and use the car with the purpose it's intended for. I hope we'll start to see some fairer weather soon. Look forward to meeting other Radical owners through the coming season.
Thought I'd drop a quick post. For those of you who know Dannys' SR3 - I bought it
It seems to be a really nice car and overall a good deal, I'm sure Dannys happy with it too
Well I've had the car now for just over a week, have only done a limited number of miles on the road and from this have pretty much concluded that I won't be doing too many more - just a quick blat on a quite sunday morning me finks.... but I will look to be doing lots of track days starting with Donington on Sunday
The SR3 is an amazing piece of engineering in a compact package. Very, very hardcore even compared to the most extreme Caterhams - the engine scream up to 10k rpm and the straight cut box are the two things that currently blow me away - have not been able to use the brakes properly or feel the advantages of downforce - that will come on Sunday I hope
Anyway have taken the last two days to get to know the car and for this I thought I would basically work my way around the chassis, reconfiguring the pedal set up and then going through the process of checking all bolts, suspension joints etc
In the 40 odd miles of use so far I have managed to:
- go through the rear carbon undertray with the flat trolley jack, due to chocking the front wheels thereby not allowing the car to roll forward as you lower it
- under hard acceleration one of the HT leads popped off creating a misfire
- my garage is on a slight slope so was using the winch to get the car up the ramps onto the trailer. Let slip on the winch arm and the car started to shoot down the ramp, down the drive. The cable was not succured at the end of the winch wheel so I just watched as the car carried on across the road and into a bush. :d hilarious
- and to top it all today, after configuring the car for my liking went for a blat, opened the baby up for the first time, full throttle through 2 to 5th and the engine started misfiring. Thought HT lead must have popped off again but car was losing all power on a very busy dual carriageway. All power gone and I just managed to roll the car onto the pavement. As is guarenteed in these situations, the heavens then decided to open
Luckily my girlfriend was at hand - I had run out of fuel as you have absolutely no idea of how much fuel is the car as the red light seems to be on virtually all the time
stupid me!!!!! Has anyone managed to resolve some sort of accurate fuel reading yet? In hindsite I did notice that the fuel pump was getting louder - so I guess this is some sort of last minute warning
Anyway, I'm not complaining - this is all part of getting a new toy and starting to understand it.
I can't wait to get on the track and use the car with the purpose it's intended for. I hope we'll start to see some fairer weather soon. Look forward to meeting other Radical owners through the coming season.
Chris
To be honest, have seen the amusing side to all of the small incidents. It was a bit like something out of a 70's comedy sketch with me running after the car trying to get to the handbrake in time..... which I didn't do damage to the car at all cause of the bush
I remember when I had my last Trailer with my 7, had a few incidents when first using it i.e driving off with the rear loading bars still down etc
I just seem to have all happening at once ... i mean running out of fuel - I've never done that in nearly 19 years of driving!!!!!
To be honest, have seen the amusing side to all of the small incidents. It was a bit like something out of a 70's comedy sketch with me running after the car trying to get to the handbrake in time..... which I didn't
do damage to the car at all cause of the bush I remember when I had my last Trailer with my 7, had a few incidents when first using it i.e driving off with the rear loading bars still down etc
I just seem to have all happening at once ... i mean running out of fuel - I've never done that in nearly 19 years of driving!!!!!
Glad to hear you are enjoying it Jon, hope to see you at a track some time soon. Come and watch the racing this year and get yourself hooked!
Fuel - not sure about Danny's car but with mine the fuel warning light is almost never on, when it is I know I am living on fumes. The main symptom I've encountered (on my car as well as a factory demonstrator) sound the same as yours - ie. apparent power loss. Strangely, this happens before the red light appears on mine! I managed to do 2 laps round Dijon last summer before it was bad enough to make me pull in and refuel though
Fuel - not sure about Danny's car but with mine the fuel warning light is almost never on, when it is I know I am living on fumes. The main symptom I've encountered (on my car as well as a factory demonstrator) sound the same as yours - ie. apparent power loss. Strangely, this happens before the red light appears on mine! I managed to do 2 laps round Dijon last summer before it was bad enough to make me pull in and refuel though
Jon,
The red light *should* come on when down to the last 8-10 litres but corners etc will have it coming on intermittently before that. I was also finding at Spa that was getting some mild fuel cut out on long corners when red light had not been on long.
Not an exact science and a bit of a pain so I had a proper fuel gauge fitted last year. Not cheap (about £1k) as required a fair bit of labour with removal of fuel tank, etc.
The red light *should* come on when down to the last 8-10 litres but corners etc will have it coming on intermittently before that. I was also finding at Spa that was getting some mild fuel cut out on long corners when red light had not been on long.
Not an exact science and a bit of a pain so I had a proper fuel gauge fitted last year. Not cheap (about £1k) as required a fair bit of labour with removal of fuel tank, etc.
Phew 1k for a fuel gauge install!!!!
Oh OK - so with the 45 litre capacity I should get a fair bit of use before light stays on. I had only put about 12 litres in from a jerry can - so I guess the car was virtually empty.
Whats sort of mpg are you getting medium to hard road use and hard track use?
Other questions:
- Does anyone have an excel check list they can e-mail me showing things to take on a track day and car prep? (I used to have one with my 7 but on an old pc)
- I may use the SR3 to go to Le Mans in the summer- either way the current battery cannot start the car on it's own even though it seems fully charged. Is there a large battery I can fit to the car in place of the small one fitted? I'd basically swap around from large to small one depending on road/track use.
Will I need a new alternator?
- I haven't used slicks on one of my own cars before - when do I swap over to these? does track temp come into it or what are key factors? I'm jsut thinking tracks are going to be at best mildy damp for the coming weeks. I have fitted wet Dunlop slicks to the car today - are these only ok for rain or will they be fine in everything but hot/dry track?
- I guess usual stuff of warm up lap for tyres and brakes and same for cool down?
I hope its dry on Sunday
Cheers
J
Oh OK - so with the 45 litre capacity I should get a fair bit of use before light stays on. I had only put about 12 litres in from a jerry can - so I guess the car was virtually empty.
Whats sort of mpg are you getting medium to hard road use and hard track use?
Other questions:
- Does anyone have an excel check list they can e-mail me showing things to take on a track day and car prep? (I used to have one with my 7 but on an old pc)
- I may use the SR3 to go to Le Mans in the summer- either way the current battery cannot start the car on it's own even though it seems fully charged. Is there a large battery I can fit to the car in place of the small one fitted? I'd basically swap around from large to small one depending on road/track use.
Will I need a new alternator?
- I haven't used slicks on one of my own cars before - when do I swap over to these? does track temp come into it or what are key factors? I'm jsut thinking tracks are going to be at best mildy damp for the coming weeks. I have fitted wet Dunlop slicks to the car today - are these only ok for rain or will they be fine in everything but hot/dry track?
- I guess usual stuff of warm up lap for tyres and brakes and same for cool down?
I hope its dry on Sunday
Cheers
J
jon b16 said:
- I may use the SR3 to go to Le Mans in the summer- either way the current battery cannot start the car on it's own even though it seems fully charged. Is there a large battery I can fit to the car in place of the small one fitted? I'd basically swap around from large to small one depending on road/track use.
Will I need a new alternator?
Would suggest fitting an Anderson jack plug somewhere external and easily accessible and then have a spare car battery at home with the other end of the anderson plug on. Makes life alot easier. Then if needed, take external battery with you to Lemans.
Have fun
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