Build Session 7 – Steering, Electrics and the Exhaust

Another good session today – it started off not so well – I released that I was missing the throttle cable, so I dropped Derek an e-mail about that, as well as asking him if I was missing part of the engine (which I felt really silly asking!). There was nowhere in the build manual about attaching anything to the engine, but other pictures I have seen have something there.

Should there be something in this bracket? (Spoiler Alert – Yes!)

Whist I waited for a response from Derek, I decided to crack on with the steering as I wanted to get the throttle cable in before finishing off that side of the engine. So I installed the steering column – this was fairly straightforward (you have to feed in the lower and upper columns in from the dash). Once this was all screwed in and tightened I looked around for the screws to attach the steering wheel – there were none, sad times — so no picture of the steering wheel fitted 🙁

Next was the exhaust – I had read other blogs  that it was best to do this before the steering but (wrongly) assumed that the new Caterham build manual would know best – it doesn’t. One the ford sigma you can’t get all the primaries in with the steering column in – because you have 4 pre-fitted bolts (I am sure there is a more technical term for this) which I didn’t have the tool to take out!

So, out came the steering column and in went the exhaust primaries. Note to other builders – do the exhaust first, then the steering column!

Ford Sigma Exhaust Manifold – Note the pre-fixed bolts

Fitted Primaries – the steering column passes through them!

I then felt brave and had a go at the cat … with the dreaded cat springs. These are a real pain. Took me 30 mins to put one on, and then after 20 more mins (and lots of frustration), I gave up on the second one for the day – I will try again first thing in the morning, when I am fresher.

The fitted cat looks great though!

Really glad I went for the polished exhaust

Then onto the electrics – The new manual is really useless on the electric connections, so I also asked Derek to clarify the connections – he sent the below picture, which really fills in the blanks:

Ford Sigma Engine Wiring

I managed to “first fix” the electrics (will need cable tying to tidy up, but will do this when the engine bay is fully finished), and got lights on the dash .. Yes!

Derek also confirmed that I was missing a part of the engine (a coil pack is on its way!) – hopefully this will arrive at the same time as the throttle, and I am pleased with the progress.