Hi Chaps.
A quick introduction before I launch into the long list of question that I'll be asking over the next few months...

I have just taken ownership of Spyder No 7 on the list which was owned by Brian in Aberdeen.

I have to admit, I have wanted a Libra/Spyder ever since my first Kit (a Banham X21) and saw them at the Donnington Kit car show, some years back.
I also needed to scratch an itch for a Caterham/Westy type car and ended up with a Robin hood Exmo for a few years.
However, they can be a little bit uncompromising, so something a little more civilised was needed.

Enter the Spyder, which I picked up yesterday and drove it south from sunny Aberdeen to even sunnier Pontefract

It was on this journey that I notice a few things that concerned me.

Firstly, erratic water temps, all was well until I hit traffic and the temp shot up to an indicated 100 degrees.
Is this normal and are there any worthwhile mods, to keep these temps at bay?

The oil pressure gauge dips alarmingly at idle, again is this normal and is there a fix, if it isn't?

Brakes. they don't. Considering it has the big disks, the pedal is very hard and the brakes dont' slow the car enough for my liking.
I think Brian may have been mistaken because he said the brakes were unservoed, It certainly looks like a servo under the front bonnet, possibly from a metro?
I'm thinking that it could be a master cylinder fault as the rear brakes don't look as if they are joining in either. But what master cylinder is it?

That's enough questions for now so let me end with saying thank you in advance, forums are the life blood of the kit car industry, without them most of us wouldn't or couldn't.

I found My old Libra was the same, went from will it stop to face splat on screen with nothing between (with AP 4 pots) ?downgraded? to MGF and the braking gave more confidence but (possibly) the ultimate braking ability was fractionally less.

Oh yes - welcome

Gargoil I now have Malcolm's V6 and I have to agree the brakes are poor particularly for such a light car I cannot lock the front wheels no mater how hard I try. The mater cylinder is metro GTA I have bought one but am yet to fit it I hope this will solve the problem but could also be the servo
Ian

Hi Gargoil and welcome!.

I bought my Spyder 18 months ago and have been gradually improving it (in between breaking it!)

Water temperature - mine had the Metro rad when I got it and to TBH it wasn't really up to the job. I changed it for the Passat rad (search on here and you'll find the info you need or look on Paul Drawmer's website. With the Passat rad it hasn't gone over 90 even on track days.

Oil pressure - it does drop down at idle - mine drops to about 25 at idle with warm oil. Goes up to around 60-65psi above about 2000 revs though. More worryingly when the oil gets really hot (only on track days) it drops right down to the top of the red zone (maybe only 15!!!) so I'm finding I have to stop for a cooling off period after only about 15 minutes out on track. I'm going to fit an oil cooler next. What oil are you running? Don't go below a 10-40. Some of these modern 5-30 or even 0-30 are okay for some engines but not the K. I'd recommend a sump baffle for hard use - I broke my big ends through oil starvation on a track day.

Brakes - The pedal ratio is different to the standard Metro (I think - that's what I was told anyway) so even with the servo you have to push harder for the same braking force. Mine is on rover 800 fronts and MGF rears and the brakes are fantastic - they need a fair old shove but I find the stopping power is great. I can lock up all four if I'm brutal but I find that I can judge it perfectly and just get the slightest hint of a squeal even with warm semi slicks. does need a firm push though.

The Libra peddle ratio is only 4:1 and from memory the metro is 6:1. The brakes do take a good shove but they should lock if you press them hard enough with the 4 pots or the standard metro brakes. The peddle is quite hard but you soon get used to it. It feels like it has no servo but if you disconnect it you will notice the difference.

I always found you needed to get some temperature into the 4 pots to get the best from them. A move back to standard pads may help if it has something else fitted.

I think all K series have low oil pressure at idle. Always make sure the oil is topped up and you have the correct dip stick

Might be worth trying a softer pad
John

Thanks for the information, chaps.
It's a little more reassuring to know that these are idiosyncrasies, rather than faults.
Think I might still try a new master cylinder though as the rear brakes don't seem to do much.
Ian, if you manage to get yours changed, I would obviously be interested
The cold startup noise is a feature too, of the VVC, I take it?

Gargoil I have fitted the master cylinder along with putting the AP 4 pots back on should know if the master cylinder has resolved the problem by the weekend
Ian

Hey Guys. I have put this in another post.. but wondering if someone can tell me how much money I should probably have saved to buy a good low mileage spider? Cheers Corey

That's good news Ian. Hope it goes well for you and fixes the problem.
I have a master cylinder on order so could be copying you soon.

I don't think it works that way Corey, not with kit cars. What you have to think is what am I prepared to pay and will someone sell me one for that price.
Kit cars are open to all sorts of variations and it can all depend on seeing one at the right time and in the right place.
It also depends on how you view low mileage and good condition.

Or you can be a little reckless, like me and hope for the best.

Gargoil right all on and bled the brakes are an improvement but I cannot tell you how much is down to the master cylinder and how much is the AP 4 pot calipers. There is still no feel through the pedal and you have to push really hard but I can get them to lock up at the limit now the retardation is much better now it is just the pedal feel and how hard you have to push good luck with yours
Ian

Thanks for letting us know, Ian.

At the very least you have an improvement, which does make all the trouble worth it.

Should get my MC through the post soon.