five speeder

PostPost by: john.p.clegg » Sat Jan 22, 2005 5:35 pm

Dear all

Now is the time to fit a five speeder,and have finally got myself out into the shed(put the heater on this morning),the first part of the saga was to adapt a four speed clutch op. mechanism to fit the five speed bellhosing---job done.

Now two questions have arisen

1-is the gear lever two parts as per the four speeder? (if not how do you get the lever up through the tunnel?)

2-the 5/16 inch allen on the right hand side, is this the level plug for the gearbox oil?




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PostPost by: Foxie » Sat Jan 22, 2005 8:12 pm

John,

Having my (Lotus) 5 speed standing in the garage, just back from a rebuild by Alan Voights, I can answer your questions.

The gear lever is in two parts - separated by a rubber vibration absorber - but the two halves are coaxial, ie not stepped like the 4 speed. Neither have I ever tried to separate them, it looks like a permanent join. I have recently found it easier to remove engine a gearbox as a unit -I have a pit - and always remove the gear lever for this. The 5 speed lever plastic cup is easier to remove/replace that the 4 speed - use a broad screwdriver between the lock tabs to turn it.

The allen plug on the RHS is the filler/level plug, but if you have the gearlever out it's easier to pour the correct quantity down through the gear lever opening.

Didn't you get a clutch release with the 5 speed ?

Best wishes with the 5 speed you'll enjoy it.

Sean Murray


----- Original Message -----
From: JOHN CLEGG
To: ***@***.***
Sent: Saturday, January 22, 2005 5:35 PM
Subject: [LotusElan.net] five speeder




Dear all

Now is the time to fit a five speeder,and have finally got myself out into the shed(put the heater on this morning),the first part of the saga was to adapt a four speed clutch op. mechanism to fit the five speed bellhosing---job done.

Now two questions have arisen

1-is the gear lever two parts as per the four speeder? (if not how do you get the lever up through the tunnel?)

2-the 5/16 inch allen on the right hand side, is this the level plug for the gearbox oil?




John
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PostPost by: elj221c » Sat Jan 22, 2005 8:43 pm

My 4 speed lever is one piece.
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PostPost by: elj221c » Sat Jan 22, 2005 8:43 pm

My 4 speed lever is one piece.
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PostPost by: john.p.clegg » Mon Jan 24, 2005 5:46 pm

Sean
It goes like this- two years ago i decided that i needed a less noisy top end cruising ability,this coupled with continually slipping the clutch in the crawling traffic uphill from where i live prompted me to look into a five speeder,with a better first gear and overdrive was just what i needed.What i wanted to do was make an direct replacement five speeder so with a five speed twink bellhousing and an elite/eclet gearbox i was almost there,all i had to do was alter the input shaft to suit the four speed clutch plate,along with the clutch op.arm and bearing carrier ,reposition the gear lever forward a little,machine a spline to suit the output shaft and shorten the output shaft housing,fitting a four speed oilseal.
All this was done and the engine removed for the changeover,but could i get the speedo drive into the chassis box section!!!! No.So the four speeder was reinstalled,awaiting plan B.
Plan B is to do what everyone else does and change the clutch plate and fit the five speed gearbox as designed along with the propshaft.So what i have now is nearly standard apart from the clutch op. arm and bearing.
So my next question is,how easy is it to bolt-up the prop shaft u/j's(both ends) when fitting the new gearbox and associated propshaft?


Sean Murray <***@***.***> wrote:

John,

Having my (Lotus) 5 speed standing in the garage, just back from a rebuild by Alan Voights, I can answer your questions.

The gear lever is in two parts - separated by a rubber vibration absorber - but the two halves are coaxial, ie not stepped like the 4 speed. Neither have I ever tried to separate them, it looks like a permanent join. I have recently found it easier to remove engine a gearbox as a unit -I have a pit - and always remove the gear lever for this. The 5 speed lever plastic cup is easier to remove/replace that the 4 speed - use a broad screwdriver between the lock tabs to turn it.

The allen plug on the RHS is the filler/level plug, but if you have the gearlever out it's easier to pour the correct quantity down through the gear lever opening.

Didn't you get a clutch release with the 5 speed ?

Best wishes with the 5 speed you'll enjoy it.

Sean Murray
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PostPost by: Foxie » Mon Jan 24, 2005 7:11 pm

John,

I had already put a Spyder chassis in the Plus 2 before I fitted the Lotus 5 speed. The 5 speed came out of a Plus 2 130/5. I got the drive shaft with it, and bought a new clutch and clutch plate. The Lotus 5 speed went in OK, but it there was not a lot of clearance around the speedo drive - one of the 1" box section main chassis longerons was modified to a triangle section in that area.

The Lotus 5 speed front main bearing began to howl in the mountains of south east Austria in Sept 2003, I had a good policy and had the car trailered home. In the the meantime I got one of Alan Voigts new Sierra conversions and installed that, this was the first one into a Spyder chassis.

I think the engine gearbox was in and out 12 times before everything fitted, nothing major, just hacksaw and angle grinder work. I did drawings for Alan Voigts on what's required, which he now supplies with the kits.

I can't picture how the drive on your original Eclat installation was different from the Elan 5 speed, I would have thought they were the same. I suppose I'd need to see them in the metal to unsderstand what the differences are.

The propshaft does fit, but it's tedious work, getting 1/16 of a turn at a time with two open 1/2" spanners, if I remember. I mean to grind off the end of a ring spanner to fit next time.

Here's hoping you don't have to take it out again any time soon !

Sean

----- Original Message -----
From: JOHN CLEGG
To: ***@***.***
Sent: Monday, January 24, 2005 5:46 PM
Subject: Re: [LotusElan.net] five speeder


Sean
It goes like this- two years ago i decided that i needed a less noisy top end cruising ability,this coupled with continually slipping the clutch in the crawling traffic uphill from where i live prompted me to look into a five speeder,with a better first gear and overdrive was just what i needed.What i wanted to do was make an direct replacement five speeder so with a five speed twink bellhousing and an elite/eclet gearbox i was almost there,all i had to do was alter the input shaft to suit the four speed clutch plate,along with the clutch op.arm and bearing carrier ,reposition the gear lever forward a little,machine a spline to suit the output shaft and shorten the output shaft housing,fitting a four speed oilseal.
All this was done and the engine removed for the changeover,but could i get the speedo drive into the chassis box section!!!! No.So the four speeder was reinstalled,awaiting plan B.
Plan B is to do what everyone else does and change the clutch plate and fit the five speed gearbox as designed along with the propshaft.So what i have now is nearly standard apart from the clutch op. arm and bearing.
So my next question is,how easy is it to bolt-up the prop shaft u/j's(both ends) when fitting the new gearbox and associated propshaft?


Sean Murray <***@***.***> wrote:

John,
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